Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

This is an Icelandic name. The last name is a patronymic or matronymic, not a family name; this person is properly referred to by the given name "Hafþór".

Quick facts for kids Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson
Hafþór in 2017
Born	Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson (1988-11-26) 26 November 1988 (age 36) Reykjavík, Iceland
Other names	The Mountain Thor Ljónið
Occupation	Strongman actor powerlifter boxer
Years active	2010–2020, 2024 (strongman)
Height	2.06 m (6 ft 9 in)
Spouse(s)	Kelsey Henson (m. 2018)
Children	2

Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson (born November 26, 1988) is an amazing strongman from Iceland. Many people think he is one of the best strength athletes ever. He is the only person to win the Arnold Strongman Classic, Europe's Strongest Man, and World's Strongest Man competitions all in the same year!

Hafþór has won many strongman titles and holds over 100 world records. Some experts even call him "the strongest man to have ever lived."

He is also an actor! He played "The Mountain" Ser Gregor Clegane in the TV show Game of Thrones. People often call him "Thor" or "the Mountain" because of his huge size and his character in the show. In 2023, Hafþór was added to the International Sports Hall of Fame.

Early Life

Hafþór was born in Reykjavík, Iceland, on November 26, 1988. When he was eleven, his family moved to Kópavogur. As a child, he had lots of energy and found it hard to sit still in class.

He loved sports and played soccer and did gymnastics. In eighth grade, he found his true passion for basketball. He also enjoyed playing chess and video games. Hafþór grew very tall and strong by exercising daily. He did basic moves like push-ups and chin-ups. He also worked on his grandfather's farm in the summer, lifting natural stones. His father and mother are also very tall, which helped him grow so big.

Basketball Career

Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson
Personal information
Height	205 cm
Weight	105 kilograms (231 lb)
Sport
Sport	Basketball
Position	Center
Club	2004–2005 Breiðablik 2005–2006 FSu 2006–2007 KR 2007–2008 FSu

Hafþór started his sports journey as a basketball player. He played as a center and weighed about 105 kilograms (231 pounds). He began playing for the Breiðablik club in Iceland in 2004.

The next year, he moved to FSu Selfoss. But he found out he had been playing with a broken ankle bone and needed surgery. After getting better, he joined KR in 2006. However, a screw in his ankle broke, and he needed another surgery. This made him miss the rest of the season.

In 2007, Hafþór went back to FSu Selfoss. He helped his team get promoted to a higher league. But his ankle kept causing problems. Sadly, he had to stop playing basketball at age nineteen. This ended his dream of playing in the NBA.

From 2004 to 2006, Hafþór played 32 games for Iceland's junior national basketball teams. He also played 8 games for Iceland's U-18 team. In 2004, he won the Nordic championship with the U-16 team. He helped Iceland move up to a higher division in the U16 European Championship. In 2006, he won the Nordic championship again with the U-18 team.

Strongman Career

Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson

At the 2015 Caledonian Club Highland Games, trying the 12 kg Scottish Stone Put.

Personal information

Height

205 cm

Weight

180–210 kilograms (397–463 lb)

Sport

Strongman

Medal record

World's Strongest Man

Representing Iceland
6th	2011 World's Strongest Man
3rd	2012 World's Strongest Man
3rd	2013 World's Strongest Man
2nd	2014 World's Strongest Man
3rd	2015 World's Strongest Man
2nd	2016 World's Strongest Man
2nd	2017 World's Strongest Man
1st	2018 World's Strongest Man
3rd	2019 World's Strongest Man
Arnold Strongman Classic
2nd	2017 Arnold Strongman Classic
1st	2018 Arnold Strongman Classic
1st	2019 Arnold Strongman Classic
1st	2020 Arnold Strongman Classic
4th	2024 Arnold Strongman Classic
World's Ultimate Strongman
1st	2018 World's Ultimate Strongman
Rogue Invitational
2nd	2024 Rogue Invitational
Shaw Classic
2nd	2024 Strongest Man on Earth
Europe's Strongest Man
1st	2014 Europe's Strongest Man
1st	2015 Europe's Strongest Man
2nd	2016 Europe's Strongest Man
1st	2017 Europe's Strongest Man
1st	2018 Europe's Strongest Man
1st	2019 Europe's Strongest Man
World's Strongest Viking
1st	2014 World's Strongest Viking
1st	2015 World's Strongest Viking
Giants Live
1st	2014 FitX Australia
1st	2015 Giants Live Iceland (Viking Challenge)
1st	2015 Sweden
Strongman Champions League
1st	2013 Latvia
2nd	2013 FIBO Germany
2nd	2013 Netherlands
2nd	2013 China
3rd	2013 Russia
3rd	2013 Brazil
1st	2014 Serbia
1st	2014 Finland
1st	2014 Netherlands
1st	2014 Malaysia
1st	2015 Bulgaria	CompetitionRecord

|- ! colspan="3" style="text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#cccccc;" | Jón Páll Sigmarsson Classic

|- style="background-color:white;" | style="width:3em; text-align:center; vertical-align:middle; font-weight:bold; background-color:silver" | 2nd | style="text-align:center; vertical-align:middle;" | 2010 Jón Páll Sigmarsson Classic | style="text-align:center; vertical-align:middle;" |

|- style="background-color:white;" | style="width:3em; text-align:center; vertical-align:middle; font-weight:bold; background-color:gold" | 1st | style="text-align:center; vertical-align:middle;" | 2012 Jón Páll Sigmarsson Classic | style="text-align:center; vertical-align:middle;" |

|- ! colspan="3" style="text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#cccccc;" | Arnold Pro Strongman World Series

|- style="background-color:white;" | style="width:3em; text-align:center; vertical-align:middle; font-weight:bold; background-color:gold" | 1st | style="text-align:center; vertical-align:middle;" | 2016 Australia | style="text-align:center; vertical-align:middle;" |

|- style="background-color:white;" | style="width:3em; text-align:center; vertical-align:middle; font-weight:bold; background-color:gold" | 1st | style="text-align:center; vertical-align:middle;" | 2016 South Africa | style="text-align:center; vertical-align:middle;" |

|- style="background-color:white;" | style="width:3em; text-align:center; vertical-align:middle; font-weight:bold; background-color:gold" | 1st | style="text-align:center; vertical-align:middle;" | 2017 Forts de Warwick | style="text-align:center; vertical-align:middle;" |

|- ! colspan="3" style="text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#cccccc;" | Força Bruta

|- style="background-color:white;" | style="width:3em; text-align:center; vertical-align:middle; font-weight:bold; background-color:silver" | 2nd | style="text-align:center; vertical-align:middle;" | 2013 Força Bruta | style="text-align:center; vertical-align:middle;" |

|- style="background-color:white;" | style="width:3em; text-align:center; vertical-align:middle; font-weight:bold; background-color:#cc9966" | 3rd | style="text-align:center; vertical-align:middle;" | 2014 Força Bruta | style="text-align:center; vertical-align:middle;" |

|- ! colspan="3" style="text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#cccccc;" | King of the Castle

|- style="background-color:white;" | style="width:3em; text-align:center; vertical-align:middle; font-weight:bold; background-color:gold" | 1st | style="text-align:center; vertical-align:middle;" | 2012 King of the Castle | style="text-align:center; vertical-align:middle;" |

|- ! colspan="3" style="text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#cccccc;" | Battle of the North

|- style="background-color:white;" | style="width:3em; text-align:center; vertical-align:middle; font-weight:bold; background-color:gold" | 1st | style="text-align:center; vertical-align:middle;" | 2014 Battle of the North | style="text-align:center; vertical-align:middle;" |

|- ! colspan="3" style="text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#cccccc;" | WoW Stronger

|- style="background-color:white;" | style="width:3em; text-align:center; vertical-align:middle; font-weight:bold; background-color:gold" | 1st | style="text-align:center; vertical-align:middle;" | 2017 WoW Stronger | style="text-align:center; vertical-align:middle;" |

|- ! colspan="3" style="text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#cccccc;" | World's Strongest Team

|- style="background-color:white;" | style="width:3em; text-align:center; vertical-align:middle; font-weight:bold; background-color:gold" | 1st | style="text-align:center; vertical-align:middle;" | 2012 World's Strongest Team with Jarno Jokinen | style="text-align:center; vertical-align:middle;" |

|- style="background-color:white;" | style="width:3em; text-align:center; vertical-align:middle; font-weight:bold; background-color:gold" | 1st | style="text-align:center; vertical-align:middle;" | 2015 World's Strongest Team with Matjaz Belsak | style="text-align:center; vertical-align:middle;" |

|- ! colspan="3" style="text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#cccccc;" | Iceland's Strongest Man

|- ! colspan="3" style="text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#cccccc;" | Strongest Man in Iceland

|- ! colspan="3" style="text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#cccccc;" | Iceland's Strongest Viking

|- ! colspan="3" style="text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#cccccc;" | Westfjord's Viking

|- ! colspan="3" style="text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#cccccc;" | Grundarfjord Viking

|- ! colspan="3" style="text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#cccccc;" | Highland Viking

|- ! colspan="3" style="text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#cccccc;" | Eastfjord Strongman Championships

|- ! colspan="3" style="text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#cccccc;" | OK Budar Strongman Championships

|- ! colspan="3" style="text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#cccccc;" | Akranes Strength Challenge

|- style="background-color:white;" | style="width:3em; text-align:center; vertical-align:middle; font-weight:bold; " | | style="text-align:center; vertical-align:middle;" | This list contains only the podium finishes. A full list is given under Competitive record | style="text-align:center; vertical-align:middle;" | }}

After his ankle injury, Hafþór started training like a bodybuilder. One day, Magnús Ver Magnússon, a four-time World's Strongest Man champion, saw Hafþór lifting weights. Magnús immediately knew Hafþór had the potential to be a great strongman. This led Hafþór to train with other strongmen.

The next year, Hafþór was nicknamed Ljónið (the Lion). This was because he kept getting bigger and stronger. By 2012, he reached his heaviest weight of 210 kilograms (463 pounds).

Iceland's Strongest Man

With new friends and advice, Hafþór got better at strongman. He won many strongman contests in Iceland starting in 2009. These included titles like Westfjord's Viking and Strongest Man in Iceland. In 2011, Hafþór won his first Iceland's Strongest Man title. This is Iceland's most important strongman competition. He was the ninth Icelander to win it since 1985. Hafþór kept winning and in 2024, he won Iceland's Strongest Man for the eleventh time. This included ten wins in a row from 2011 to 2020.

Strongman Champions League

The Strongman Champions League held many events around the world. This gave Hafþór a chance to compete against the best strongmen. From 2013 to 2015, he competed in many countries. He won eight international titles, three silver medals, and two bronze medals.

In January 2015, at the World's Strongest Viking competition in Norway, Hafþór broke a 1,000-year-old record. He carried a 10-meter (33-foot) long, 650-kilogram (1,433-pound) log for five steps. The old record was set by Orm Storolfsson for three steps.

Europe's Strongest Man

Hafþór won the 2014 Europe's Strongest Man competition in Leeds. He had placed fifth in 2012 and fourth in 2013. During the competition, he set a new world record in the Atlas stones event. He famously told a reporter, "I'm the future of strength, and I'm king of the stones!"

He won the title again in 2015. In 2016, he made a mistake and lost to Laurence Shahlaei. But he won it back in 2017 after a great battle with Eddie Hall. He famously said, "This is not a beauty contest, this is Strongman!" He won again in 2018 and 2019, becoming a five-time Europe's Strongest Man Champion.

Hafþór has also won other Giants Live events. This makes him the greatest Giants Live champion ever, with nine wins.

World's Strongest Man

Hafþór first competed in World's Strongest Man in 2011 and placed sixth. At 22 years old, he was one of the youngest finalists ever. He placed third in 2012, 2013, and 2015. He finished second in 2014, 2016, and 2017.

Finally, in 2018, Hafþór became the World's Strongest Man. He was the third Icelander to win this title. In 2019, he got injured during the competition but still finished third. This gave him the longest streak of being on the podium (top three) in World's Strongest Man history, with eight times in a row (2012–2019). Hafþór has also won more vehicle pulls and stone events than anyone else. He has reached the finals in all nine of his appearances. In May 2020, Hafþór said he would not compete in World's Strongest Man anymore.

Arnold Strongman Classic

Hafþór first gained attention at the Arnold Sports Festival in 2011. He placed second in the amateur competition. This helped him qualify for the Arnold Pro Strongman World Series. He went on to win competitions in Brazil, Australia, South Africa, and Canada.

The Arnold Strongman Classic is known as the toughest strongman contest. Hafþór first competed in the finals in 2012, placing tenth. But he kept getting better. He placed second in 2017. In 2018, Hafþór won the 2018 Arnold Strongman Classic. He beat the champion, Brian Shaw. In one event, Hafþór broke the elephant bar deadlift world record by lifting 472 kilograms (1,041 pounds).

Hafþór won the title again in 2019 and broke his own deadlift record, lifting 474.5 kilograms (1,046 pounds). He won again in 2020, becoming only the second person to win the Arnold Strongman Classic three times in a row.

After a break, Hafþór returned to the 2024 Arnold Strongman Classic. He lifted 456 kilograms (1,005 pounds) in the deadlift event. Two weeks later, he competed in the UK and got second place. He broke a world record by lifting 350 kilograms (772 pounds) ten times in 60 seconds.

World's Ultimate Strongman

In 2018, Hafþór won the first-ever World's Ultimate Strongman competition in Dubai. This year was amazing for Hafþór. He won the Iceland's Strongest Man, Europe's Strongest Man, World's Strongest Man, World's Ultimate Strongman, and the Arnold Strongman Classic.

From 2018, Hafþór became even stronger with his coach, Sebastian Oreb. He could squat 460 kilograms (1,014 pounds). In February 2020, Hafþór deadlifted 455 kilograms (1,003 pounds) for two reps. He was the first person to deadlift 1,000 pounds for two reps. Two weeks later, he lifted an unofficial world record of 480 kilograms (1,058 pounds) on the elephant bar.

On May 2, 2020, Hafþór deadlifted 501 kilograms (1,104 pounds) at his gym in Iceland. This broke the world record set by Eddie Hall. The lift was shown live on ESPN, and Guinness World Records confirmed it as 'the Heaviest Deadlift of all time'.

Rogue Invitational and Shaw Classic

In 2022, Hafþór visited the 2022 Rogue Invitational. There, he broke the Highland games one-arm weight over bar world record for the twelfth time. He threw a 25.5-kilogram (56-pound) weight over a 6.17-meter (20-foot, 3-inch) bar. He also plans to compete in the 2024 Strongest Man on Earth competition and the 2024 Rogue Invitational.

Competitive Record

Hafþór has achieved many wins in strongman competitions.

	1st	2nd	3rd	Podium	4th	5th	Top 5	6th	7th	8th	10th	Total
International	31	14	7	52	5	7	64	1	2	1	1	69
National	27	1	3	31	1		32					32
Combined	58	15	10	83	6	7	96	1	2	1	1	101

Powerlifting

Hafþór has also competed in powerlifting. In 2011, he placed second in a competition. In 2018, he competed in Thor's Powerlifting Challenge. He lifted a total of 1,100 kilograms (2,425 pounds), which was one of the highest totals ever at the time. He won first place for his squat, deadlift, and overall total.

In 2022, Hafþór competed again and lifted 970 kilograms (2,138 pounds). In 2023, he announced he would try to break the all-time powerlifting total world record. In April 2023, he squatted 420 kilograms (926 pounds). However, he injured his left chest muscle during a bench press attempt. He had surgery to fix it and is expected to recover fully.

Highland Games

Hafþór has taken part in Highland Games events. He competed in the Icelandic Highland Games in 2012. He was also a guest at the San Francisco and New Hampshire Highland Games. There, he broke several world records in events like deadlift, stone carry, and weight toss.

Personal Records

Hafþór holds many impressive personal records:

Deadlift on standard bar: 501 kg (1,104 lb)
Deadlift on elephant bar: 480 kg (1,058 lb)
Deadlift on stiff bar for reps: 350 kg (772 lb) x 10 reps
Squat: 460 kg (1,014 lb)
Bench press: 250 kg (551 lb)
Log press: 213 kg (470 lb)
Axle press: 206 kg (454 lb)
Cyr dumbbell press: 146 kg (322 lb)
Manhood Stone (Max Atlas Stone) over 4 ft bar: 260 kg (573 lb)
Húsafell Stone carry: 186 kg (410 lb) for 98.16 meters (322 ft)
Bale tote (super yoke): 710 kg (1,565 lb) for 4 meters
Timber carry: 500 kg (1,102 lb) in 10.15 seconds
Keg toss: 12.5 kg (28 lb) over 8.54 meters (28 ft)
Weight over bar: 25.5 kg (56 lb) over 6.17 meters (20 ft 3 in)
Viking ship mast (Ormrinn langi) carry: 650 kg (1,433 lb) log for 5 steps
Plane pull: 40,000 kg (88,185 lb) for 24.90 meters uphill

Legacy

Hafþór has won all the major strongman competitions. These include World's Strongest Man, Arnold Strongman Classic, and Europe's Strongest Man. His 30 international wins make him the third most successful strongman ever.

At first, Hafþór was known for his speed and athleticism in events like loading races and stone carries. But he kept getting stronger in lifting events too. By 2018, he was good at everything. Experts say his performance from 2018 to 2020 was the best any strongman has ever had. During this time, he was almost unbeatable, except when he was injured. Hafþór's many wins and over 100 world records have made him one of the greatest strongmen of all time. Many experts believe he is "the strongest man to have ever walked the earth."

Boxing Career

Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson
Personal information
Height	205 cm
Weight	144–152 kilograms (317–335 lb)
Sport
Sport	Boxing
Weight class	Titanweight

On May 2, 2020, after breaking the Deadlift World Record, Hafþór challenged Eddie Hall to a boxing match. Even though he had no boxing experience, Hafþór learned quickly. He trained with coaches and sparring partners. He also changed his diet and lost 64 kilograms (141 pounds). He trained up to five hours a day, focusing on boxing, strength, and endurance.

Hafþór had his first exhibition match in January 2021 against Steven Ward. His second exhibition match was in May 2021 against Simon Vallily. These fights gave him real experience in the ring. On September 18, 2021, Hafþór fought Canadian arm-wrestler Devon Larratt. Eddie Hall had to pull out of the fight due to an injury. Hafþór won the fight in the first round by technical knockout (TKO).

The Mountain vs. The Beast

On March 19, 2022, Hafþór and Eddie Hall finally fought in Dubai. The fight was called "The Heaviest Boxing Match in History." Hall started strong, but Hafþór stayed calm. He used good jabs and footwork. Hafþór took control of the fight and knocked Hall down twice. Hafþór won the fight by unanimous decision.

Boxing Record

Professional record summary
4 fights	2 wins	0 losses
By knockout	1	0
By decision	1	0
Draws	2

No.	Result	Record	Opponent	Type	Round, time	Date	Location
4	Win	2–0–2	Eddie Hall	UD	6	19 March 2022	Aviation Club Tennis Centre, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
3	Win	1–0–2	Devon Larratt	TKO	1 (6), 2:00	18 September 2021	Sports Society, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
2	Draw	0–0–2	Simon Vallily	D	4	28 May 2021	Conrad Hotel, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
1	Draw	0–0–1	Steven Ward	D	3	16 January 2021	Conrad Hotel, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Acting Career

Hafþór was chosen to play Ser Gregor "The Mountain" Clegane in the HBO show Game of Thrones in 2013. This was his first big acting role. He was the third actor to play the character, but the first to play him for many seasons (seasons four through eight). He also played 'King Thor' in the Philadelphia Renaissance Faire in 2015.

In 2018, Hafþór played Mongkut, the main bad guy, in the movie Kickboxer: Retaliation. He also played Big John in the film Operation Ragnarok. The next year, he starred with Mike Tyson in the action film Pharaoh's War. In 2022, Hafþór had a small role in the movie The Northman.

Film Roles

List of film appearances, with year, title, and role shown
Year	Title	Role	Notes
2015	Eddie: Strongman	Himself
2017	Devilish Deeds	Psycho Phil Bell
2018	Kickboxer: Retaliation	Mongkut
2018	Operation Ragnarok	Big John
2019	Pharaoh's War	Frank
2022	The Northman	Thorfinnr
2026	Masters of the Universe	Goat Man	Filming

Television Roles

List of television appearances, with year, title, and role shown
Duration	Title	Role	Notes
2011–2019	The World's Strongest Man	Himself
2014–2019	Game of Thrones	The Mountain	Recurring role
2015	A League of Their Own	Himself	Series 9, Episode 7
2016	"Heavy Bubbles"	Himself	Commercial
2017	Born Strong	Himself	Documentary film
2018	Keith Lemon: Coming to America	Himself	Series 1, Episode 6
2019	E:60 – "How the World's Strongest Man became 'The Mountain' on Game of Thrones"	Himself	Original air date; 14 April 2019

Other Ventures

Martial Arts

Since starting boxing, Hafþór has also explored other martial arts. In 2020, he appeared on an episode of Karate Combat. He also trained with UFC fighter Gunnar Nelson in May 2021. In December 2022, Hafþór sparred with Gordon Ryan, a famous jiu-jitsu athlete.

Personal Life

Family

In late 2017, Hafþór started dating Kelsey Morgan Henson, a fitness model from Canada. They met in Alberta. People noticed their height difference. They got married in August 2018. On September 26, 2020, they welcomed their son, Stormur Magni Hafþórsson.

On November 10, 2023, the couple shared sad news. Their daughter passed away at 21 weeks of pregnancy. Hafþór also has a daughter named Theresa Líf from a previous relationship. He visits her often in Denmark.

Nutrition

When Hafþór was a strongman, he had to eat a lot to stay big and strong. From 2012 to 2017, he ate up to 8,000 calories a day. In his best years (2018–2020), he ate up to 10,000 calories a day. This helped him keep his weight between 200 and 205 kilograms (441 and 452 pounds). He usually ate a lot of carbs and protein, with some fat. A typical breakfast might be eggs, bacon, and french toast. Lunch could be rice, steak, potatoes, and vegetables. He ate six to eight healthy meals a day. He would sometimes have a "cheat meal" but mostly stuck to his plan.

When he started boxing in mid-2020, Hafþór ate less, about 5,000 calories a day. This helped him change his body for boxing.

Health

Hafþór sometimes had trouble sleeping after eating large meals because of his big body size. In March 2017, he was diagnosed with Bell's palsy. This made half of his face paralyzed. He got better later that year, but his face still has a slight droop on one side.

In April 2023, Hafþór got a serious injury during a powerlifting event. He tore his left chest muscle. He had surgery to fix it and is recovering well.

Businesses

In 2016, Hafþór helped start a company called Icelandic Mountain Vodka. It makes vodka and gin. He is also a co-founder and ambassador for Thor's Skyr. This is a traditional Icelandic dairy product that is high in protein. Hafþór also has his own clothing brand called 'Thor's Power Apparel'. He is also an ambassador for SodaStream.