Except for Cheick “Iron Biby” Sanou’s withdrawal on Day One, the 2023 World’s Strongest Man (WSM) competition has been free of competition-threatening injuries and withdrawals.
But on the final day of the Final, Jaco Schoonwinkel was defeated in the Max Dumbbell event. During his second attempt at 125 kilograms (276 pounds), the South African athlete collapsed to the ground. On the WSM leaderboard, Schoonwinkel was listed as officially withdrawn from competition shortly thereafter.
Schoonwinkel’s first attempt at 125 kilograms (254 pounds) was unsuccessful. The injury appears to have occurred during that attempt, as he was unable to even begin his second attempt before collapsing and needing assistance off the stage. His withdrawal was announced on the WSM website and subsequently posted on the WSM Instagram account. Check out the following announcement:
Final World’s Strongest Man Competitors in 2023
There will be no alternative for Schoonwinkel, as reserves are only called upon prior to the start of the game. On the final day of the Final, the following nine athletes will compete:
- Mitchell Hooper
- Oleksii Novikov
- Tom Stoltman
- Trey Mitchell
- Evan Singleton
- Brian Shaw
- Pavlo Kordiyaka
- Mathew Ragg
- Luke Stoltman
- Jaco Schoonwinkel — Withdrawn
Jaco Schoonwinkel’s Strongman Career
According to Strongman Archives, the South African strongman has only competed in three professional contests, all of which he won. At the 2022 Official Strongman Games and the 2021 Africa’s Strongest Man, he placed second out of ten competitors. He placed fourth out of six competitors in his international debut at Africa’s Strongest Man the previous year.
This marked Schoonwinkel’s World’s Strongest Man stage début. His début featured a strong start with group victories in Event One, “Loading Race,” and Event Four, “Conan’s Wheel.”
2023 WSM Closing Date
Schoonwinkel withdrew from the competition after a solitary event on the final day. The remaining events of the day include the Vehicle Pull and Atlas Stones. Later today, the 2023 WSM champion will be crowned.