When the 2025 International’s Most powerful Guy pageant started, all eyes had been on two males; protecting champion and three-time winner Tom Stoltman and 2023 champion Mitchell Hooper. May “The Albatross” move back-to-back and cement his legacy as an all-time nice with a historical fourth name, or would Hooper regain the name that can have actually slipped from his take hold of because of a hand damage he suffered all through the 2024 ultimate?
The solution used to be in truth C: Not one of the Above. That’s as a result of a person from South Africa who used to be regarded as a depressing horse with possible to make the overall pulled off what some professionals felt used to be the best disillusioned of the century to win the name. Rayno Nel used to be no longer a reputation that many outdoor the strongman group knew previous to the competition, however his used to be the ultimate known as out because the 2025 champion, having secured the name through part some extent over Stoltman. No longer even he noticed himself successful the name in his first move.
“I had first of all went in with the objective of constructing the overall and being aggressive,” Nel shared. “I stunned myself just a little.”
From Unknown to Champion: Rayno Nel’s Upward push
To understand how Nel become the primary guy since Jouko Ahola to win the name in his debut 12 months, one should return to how he got here up within the game. Nel is from Krugersdorp, a mining town within the West Rand of Gauteng Province. He become an engineer through industry but additionally performed rugby, which he stated can be a faith in his a part of the arena. He came upon the game of strongman by way of a neighborhood contest that used to be held annually.
“It used to be most commonly simply native guys doing it, like farmers locally,” Nel stated. “Then, they might put out of your mind about it for a 12 months.”
Nel additionally noticed Gerrit Badenhorst, a powerlifter and strongman that excelled in power, who would do native demonstrations for colleges and teams. Rugby used to be Nel’s final dream till round 3 years in the past whilst having a lager with members of the family that he had what he known as a lightbulb second.
“Let’s take a look at strongman,” he concept to himself. Whilst his nation is a large position, he used to be lucky sufficient to be close to athletes that had enjoy, together with males that had positioned within the most sensible two in their nation’s most sensible contests. Nel discovered nicely and temporarily. By means of 2023, he had no longer handiest entered that 12 months’s South Africa’s Most powerful Guy contest, however he received it. Clearly, he didn’t know that used to be an indication of items to return, however he did perceive he had possible.
“I feel I did the game for 6 or seven months, and I already received that. So, a little bit over a 12 months later, I did my first Strongman Champions’ League (SCL) pageant.”
SCL is a well-respected group throughout the game, and it serves as a launching pad for lots of stars of the game. They host many nationwide and global contests, and Nel wasted no time setting up himself in 2024, taking two wins and culminating with their international name through the top of that 12 months. He would do the similar in 2025 as nicely. The ones wins did a lot more than give Nel self belief; they ready him for without equal level.
“It virtually gave me a way of, if I am going to that subsequent level, I received’t be starstruck. I do know I will be aggressive.”
Nel arrived in Sacramento, California for the WSM tournament and used to be slotted in Workforce 3. He used to be joined through established contenders like Shane Vegetation, Lucas Hatton, or even former runner-up Mateusz Kieliszkowski. Nel by no means completed underneath 2nd in any tournament throughout the qualifiers, and took the highest spot of his warmth, transferring him directly to the finals.
Nel gave the look to be poised to do the similar within the finals, however the fourth tournament, the Flintstone Press Max, ended in an eighth-place end. That opened the door for both Stoltman or Hooper to make their transfer. Nel and Hooper had been tied for the whole lead going into the overall tournament, the Atlas Stones.
The target for the overall tournament is to boost 5 stones, expanding in weight, from the bottom to its podium within the quickest time. Stoltman used to be as soon as known as “King of the Stones”, and Hooper used to be a technical grasp. Stoltman breezed throughout the tournament in not up to 32 seconds, which gave him the development win. Nel completed 3rd with 4 stones in 30.17 seconds. Hooper completed not up to one 2nd in the back of Nel. By the point issues had been allotted in keeping with end, Nel had clinched the name through not up to one level. He had no thought of the historical past in the back of the win, however he knew his long term used to be modified eternally.
“Such a lot of issues have modified.”
How Rayno Nel Beat Tom Stoltman and Mitchell Hooper
Just like the Mr. Olympia name in bodybuilding, being International’s Most powerful Guy turns into part of the winner’s legacy. Nel’s identify can be referenced eternally as a result of his implausible efficiency. There are tasks that include the name equivalent to representing the game and touring the arena. Nel is privileged to be in his place however could also be hooked in to his full-time engineering occupation, and he has no plans to offer that up anytime quickly.
“For me, it’s this type of great factor to have one thing to change off the strongman section and concentrate on just a little this is totally other.”
When he’s in strongman mode, his coaching and prep has been on level, and he’s extra assured this 12 months than ultimate. Nel cited running on his overhead urgent skill in addition to keeping up his power in spaces that he excels in such because the deadlift and carries.
Nel hasn’t been making ready for this on my own, on the other hand. Along side his spouse, Monya, he has been running with trainer Terence Bosman and famend nutritionist Nathan Payton to verify he’s at his very best for this pageant. He had at first deliberate to compete on the 2026 Arnold Strongman Vintage however withdrew because of a salmonella an infection and to concentrate on protecting his personal name. Now that he’s the person being hunted, he’s acutely aware of the 24 different males which are locked in on dethroning him.
“There are lots of extra guys which are going to be a danger,” he stated. “That stated, I do know what Tom and Mitchell can do, however that should take in not up to 1% of my power.”
Can Rayno Nel Protect His Name in 2026?
The 25 very best strongmen on this planet are accumulating in Myrtle Seaside, South Carolina from April 23-26 to compete within the 2026 version of the International’s Most powerful Guy. Obviously, Nel is not able to fly below the radar this time round as a result of he’s the protecting champion. On most sensible of that, now each Stoltman and Hooper have their points of interest set on reminding him who the overall boss of the game really is.
Regardless of that, Nel isn’t handiest considering of the overall anymore. That first trophy is lonely on his mantle, and he absolutely intends to deliver any other one again to South Africa to proceed construction his personal legacy within the game. As for Hooper and Stoltman’s intentions, Nel is doing what many champions in his place would do – controlling his personal prep and energy.
“When I am getting to a contest, I don’t care who the blokes are or what historical past says, I need to do in addition to I will.”
You’ll be able to practice protection of the International’s Most powerful Guy through following them on Instagram @theworldsstrongestman.
