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Nakonechnyy looks set for another major victory.
On July 13, 2023, strongman Pavlo Nakonechnyy shared an Instagram video of himself finishing a 200 kilograms (440.9 pounds) Bench Press for seven repetitions during coaching session. According to the caption of Nakonechnyy’s message, the session is part of the Ukrainian athlete’s ongoing preparation for the Shaw Classic 2023 (SC). The competition is scheduled for August 19-20, 2023 in Loveland, CO. American athlete Trey Mitchell is the two-time defending SC champion (2021-2022).
In a stacked SC field with Mitchell and various The strongest man in the world (WSM) champions like Mitchell Hooper (reigning, 2023), Tom Stoltman (2021-2022), Oleksii Novikov (2020), and eponymous contestant, Brian Shaw (2011, 2013, 2015-2016), Nakonechnyy, 26, still figures as a dark horse for the title. Winning an event like the Bench Press — its presence in the SC 2023 event catalog is why Nakonechnyy is tweaking it — would go a long way to his chances.
As a still relatively young athlete in a strongman context, Nakonechnyy put himself on the map when he won the 2022 Giants Live World Open (GLWO) title. Nakonechnyy’s triumph was remarkable considering he beat other notable superstars like Hooper, Novikov and 2023 Giants Live Strongman Classic (GLSC) champ Evan Singleton. However, a knee injury sustained in Arnold Strongman Classic 2023 (ASC) robbed Nakonechnyy of the opportunity to build on his success with two major competitions in the 2023 strongman season. As of this writing, it is still unclear what the extent and nature of Nakonechnyy’s injury was.
Rather than making their respective debuts at Europe’s strongest man 2023 (ESM) and WSM 2023, Nakonechnyy was forced to withdraw from both competitions and take time to recover at full strength. After a recent podium appearance at the Pahlavon Mahmud Strongman Grand Prix (PMSGP) 2023, it looks like Nakonechnyy is ready to raise his profile again in a contest with a bigger reputation like SC 2023.
Here’s a look at the current SC 2023 roster and the full list of competitors Nakonechnyy will have to overcome in his contest debut:
List of the Shaw Classic 2023
- Trey Mitchell (USA) – 2-time defending champion
- Brian Shaw (USA) – 2022 finalist
- Mitchell Hooper (Canada) — third place in 2022
- Tom Stoltman (United Kingdom)
- Luke Stoltman (United Kingdom)
- Oleksii Novikov (Ukraine)
- Bobby Thompson (UNITED STATES)
- Adam Bishop (United Kingdom)
- Graham Hicks (United Kingdom)
- Pavlo Nakonechnyy (Ukraine)
- Thomas Evans (UNITED STATES)
- Maxime Boudreault (Canada)
- Kevin Do (UNITED STATES)
- Aivars Šmaukstelis (Latvia)
- Evan Singleton (UNITED STATES)
- *Gavin Bilton (United Kingdom) | *Replaces Mateusz Kieliszkowski
According to his CV on Strongman Archives, Nakonechnyy has generally performed well on his competitive debut in his young career. In seven first appearances at the respective strongman contests, including his win at GLWO 2022, Nakonechnyy can boast six top-five finishes. Such a precedent could bode well for the athlete at SC 2023.
In a superstar-laden competition like SC 2023, Nakonechnyy faces a daunting challenge to stand out. If he is indeed back to full throttle, a Colorado success for this young Ukrainian dynamo probably shouldn’t come as a surprise.
Featured Image: @pavlo_nakonechnyy on Instagram
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