Rayno Nel (born 9 May 1995) is a

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...

strongman Strongman is a competitive strength sport which tests athletes' physical strength and endurance through a variety of heavy lifts and events. Strongman competitions are known for their intensity, pushing athletes to their physical and mental limit ...

competitor from

Krugersdorp Krugersdorp (Afrikaans for ''Kruger's Town'') is a mining city in the West Rand, Gauteng Province, South Africa founded in 1887 by Marthinus Pretorius and Abner Cohen. Following the discovery of gold on the Witwatersrand, a need arose for a ...

and the reigning

World's Strongest Man The World's Strongest Man is an international strongman competition held every year. Organized by American event management company IMG, a subsidiary of Endeavor, it is broadcast in the US during summers and in the UK around the end of Decemb ...

(WSM). He is also a two times Africa's Strongest Man, two times

South Africa's Strongest Man South Africa's Strongest Man is an annual strongman competition held in South Africa and features primarily South African strength athletes. It has been held since 1989. Gerrit Badenhorst and Ettiene Smit holds the record for the most titles with ...

and the defending

Strongman Champions League The Strongman Champions League is a Strongman competition circuit, with several Grand Prix events throughout the year and the Strongman Champions League overall champion title going to the overall winner at the end of the season. Competitors in ...

world champion. Nel is the first WSM winner from South Africa, the continent of Africa and the southern hemisphere.

Career

Nel started his career as a

Rugby Rugby may refer to: Sport * Rugby football in many forms: ** Rugby union: 15 players per side *** American flag rugby *** Beach rugby *** Mini rugby *** Rugby sevens, 7 players per side *** Rugby tens, 10 players per side *** Snow rugby *** Tou ...

player, playing for the

Central University of Technology The Central University of Technology, Free State (CUT) is a public technology university with campuses in Bloemfontein and Welkom, Free State (province), Free State province, South Africa. It was established in 1981 as "Technikon Free State." ...

and

Free State Cheetahs The Free State Cheetahs (), formerly known as Orange Free State (), currently named the Toyota Free State Cheetahs due to sponsorship reasons, are a South African rugby union team that participates in the annual Currie Cup tournament. They are ...

. In 2023, he tried strongman by participating in South Africa's Strongest Man competition, where he emerged victorious. With back-to-back victories, he was invited to the

Siberian Power Show Siberian Power Show is an annual international Strongman competition organized by sports promoters Matt Rhodes and Denis Kiyutsin, held in every April in Krasnoyarsk, Russia with the participation of top strongman athletes in the world. The roo ...

and the Strongman Champions League to compete alongside other leading international athletes. Despite a foot fracture which occurred in event two, he placed fourth at 2024 Siberian Power Show and then went on a dominant run, winning 2024 SCL Holland, 2024 SCL Africa and 2024 SCL World Finals. In 2025, Nel was given a wildcard invite to the

2025 World's Strongest Man The 2025 World's Strongest Man was the 48th World's Strongest Man competition that took place in Sacramento, California from May 15 to 18, 2025. Participants Format change There was a reduction from 30 to 25 athletes with them divided into ...

Competition. In a group filled with seasoned pros, such as 2x podium finisher

Mateusz Kieliszkowski Mateusz Kieliszkowski (born 12 August 1993) is a Polish strongman competitor, notable for winning the 2019 World's Ultimate Strongman competition. He is also a two-time World's Strongest Man runner-up, three-time Arnold Strongman Classic runne ...

and runner up at the

Arnold Strongman Classic The Arnold Strongman Classic is an annual competition featuring strength athletes from all over the world, determining who is the Strongest Man in the World. Created by Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jim Lorimer and Terry Todd, it is an offshoot of t ...

Lucas Hatton Lucas Hatton (born 28 April 1995) is a professional strongman from Eatonville, Washington and the reigning Strength athletics in the United States, America's Strongest Man. As a collegiate athlete for Pacific Lutheran University, Hatton playe ...

, he won his group and proceeded to defeat both former champions

Mitchell Hooper Mitchell Hooper (born 29 September 1995) is a Canadian strongman and kinesiologist. He secured 1st place at the 2023 World's Strongest Man competition in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, where he also became the first Canadian to win the title of W ...

and

Tom Stoltman Tom Ryan Stoltman (born 30 May 1994) is a British professional strongman competitor, from Invergordon, Scotland. He is a three time winner of the World's Strongest Man in 2021, 2022, and 2024. He also won the national title of Britain's Strongest ...

in the final to win the World's Strongest Man. After his victory at WSM, Nel recorded two further victories over successive weekends at the Strongman Champions League, SCL Italy and SCL Holland.

Personal records

* Elevated Wheel

Deadlift The deadlift is a strength training exercise in which a weight-loaded barbell is lifted off the ground to the level of the hips, with the torso perpendicular to the floor, before being placed back on the ground. It is one of the three powerlifting ...

(from 18 inches) – (2025 World's Strongest Man) * Log press – x 7 reps (2024 SCL Africa) * Flintstone barbell push press (behind the neck) – (2025 World's Strongest Man) * Atlas Stones – 5 stones in 47.72 seconds (2024 SCL Holland) *

Natural Stone This is a geographical list of natural stone used for decorative purposes in construction and monumental sculpture produced in various countries. The dimension-stone industry classifies stone based on appearance and hardness as either "granit ...

loading (low platforms) – 4 rocks weighing in 17.19 seconds (2024 SCL World Finals) (World Record) *

Steinstossen Steinstossen (translated to 'stone throwing' in English) is the Swiss variant of stone put, of throwing a heavy stone overhead using both arms for the longest distance. Practiced among the alpine population since prehistoric times, it is recorded ...

(SCL version) – for (2024 SCL World Finals) * Truck pull – 25 meters in 33.34 seconds (2024 SCL Holland)

Competitive record

Winning percentage:
Podium percentage:

Personal life

Nel graduated with an M.Eng in Engineering and works as an Electrical Engineer.

Filmography

Television

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nel, Rayno 1995 births Living people South African strength athletes South African rugby union players Central University of Technology alumni