Mark Henry facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mark Henry
Henry in 2018
Birth name	Mark Jerrold Henry
Born	(1971-06-12) June 12, 1971 (age 54) Silsbee, Texas, U.S.
Children	2
Family	Kevin Henry (cousin)
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)	Mark Henry Markswoggle
Billed height	6 ft 4 in (193 cm)
Billed weight	360 lb (163 kg)
Billed from	Silsbee, Texas, U.S.
Trained by	Leo Burke Tom Prichard
Debut	September 21, 1996
Retired	April 27, 2018

Medals and competitions
Men's Weightlifting
Representing  United States
Pan American Games
Silver	Mar del Plata 1995	+108kg
Gold	Mar del Plata 1995	+108kg
Bronze	Mar del Plata 1995	+108kg
Strongman
Representing  United States
Arnold Strongman Classic
1st	2002 Arnold Strongman Classic
Powerlifting
Representing  United States
WDFPF World Powerlifting Championships
1st	1995	+145kg
USAPL National Powerlifting Championships
1st	1995	+145kg
1st	1997	+145kg
USPF National Powerlifting Championships
2nd	1990	+125kg
International Junior Powerlifting Championships
1st	1991	+125kg
Weightlifting
Representing  United States
NACAC Championships
1st	1996	+108kg
U.S. National Weightlifting Championships
4th	1991	+110kg
3rd	1992	+110kg
1st	1993	+108kg
1st	1994	+108kg
1st	1996	+108kg
USA Weightlifting American Open Championships
2nd	1991	+110kg
1st	1992	+110kg
U.S. Olympic Festival Championships
1st	1993	+108kg
1st	1994	+108kg
U.S. National Junior Weightlifting Championships
1st	1991	+110kg

Mark Jerrold Henry (born June 12, 1971) is an American athlete. He was a powerlifter, Olympic weightlifter, and strongman. He also became a famous professional wrestler. He is best known for working with WWE for 25 years.

Mark Henry competed in two Olympic Games (in 1992 and 1996). He won gold, silver, and bronze medals at the 1995 Pan American Games in 1995. As a powerlifter, he was a World Champion in 1995. He was also a two-time U.S. National Champion in 1995 and 1997. He still holds some world records in powerlifting.

In April 2018, Mark Henry was added to the WWE Hall of Fame. This is a special honor for wrestlers.

Early Life and Family

Mark Henry was born in a small town called Silsbee, Texas. This town is in East Texas. When he was a kid, he loved wrestling. His favorite wrestler was André the Giant. One time, André picked him up from the crowd at a wrestling show.

When Mark was 12, his father died from diabetes. At 14, Mark found out he had dyslexia. This means he sometimes had trouble reading.

Mark's family has many tall and strong men. His great uncle Chudd was 6 feet 7 inches tall and weighed about 500 pounds. People said he was the strongest man in the Piney Woods area of East Texas.

Mark played football in high school. But he hurt his wrist in his senior year.

Mark Henry's Amazing Career

Henry appears to push a tank

Mark Henry is a two-time Olympian. He competed in the 1992 and 1996 Olympic Games. He also won gold, silver, and bronze medals at the 1995 Pan American Games.

As a powerlifter, he was a World Champion in 1995. He was also a two-time U.S. National Champion. He still holds world records in the squat, deadlift, and total weight lifted.

In weightlifting, Mark Henry was a three-time U.S. National Champion. He won in 1993, 1994, and 1996. He also won other national events.

In strongman competitions, Mark Henry won the first-ever Arnold Strongman Classic in 2002. This is a very tough competition for strong athletes.

Mark Henry joined the World Wrestling Federation (now WWE) in 1996. He became a one-time WWF European Champion. He also became a two-time world champion. He held the ECW Championship in 2008. Then he won WWE's World Heavyweight Championship in 2011. He was only the fourth black world champion in WWE history.

In April 2018, Mark Henry was honored. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.

Mark Henry's Personal Life

Mark Henry has an older brother named Pat. Mark lives in Austin, Texas with his wife, Jana. They have a son named Jacob and a daughter named Joanna. He also has a pet ferret named Pipe.

In 2002, he won a Hummer truck in the Arnold Strongman Classic. On September 10, 2012, Mark Henry helped carry the coffin at actor Michael Clarke Duncan's funeral.

In March 2019, Mark Henry promised to donate his brain for research. This research helps scientists study brain injuries like CTE. CTE can affect athletes who have had many head impacts.

Mark Henry in Movies and Video Games

Mark Henry has appeared in several movies and video games.

Movies

Video Games

Henry is in many wrestling video games:

Mark Henry's Achievements and Awards

Mark Henry has won many awards and set many records in his career.

Powerlifting Success

• He won the National High School Powerlifting Championships in 1990.
• He was the International Junior Powerlifting Champion in 1991.
• He won the U.S. National Powerlifting Championships in 1995 and 1997.
• He became the WDFPF World Powerlifting Champion in 1995.
• He set many records in powerlifting, including world records for squat, deadlift, and total weight lifted. He was known as "The World's Strongest Teen-ager" in 1990.

Weightlifting Success

• He represented the USA in the Olympic Games in 1992 and 1996.
• He won a Silver Medal in total weight, a Gold Medal in the Snatch, and a Bronze Medal in the Clean and jerk at the Pan American Games in 1995.
• He was a three-time U.S. National Weightlifting Champion (1993, 1994, 1996).
• He set Senior US American records in snatch, clean and jerk, and total weight lifted.

Strength Athletics Success

• He won the first-ever Arnold Strongman Classic in 2002.
• He was the first person to lift the "unliftable" Thomas Inch dumbbell with one hand. This dumbbell weighs 172 pounds!
• He was called "The Second Strongest Man That Ever Lived" by Flex Magazine.
• He was inducted into the International Sports Hall of Fame in 2012.

Professional Wrestling Success

Mark Henry as World Heavyweight Champion

• He won the ECW Championship one time.
• He won the World Heavyweight Championship one time.
• He won the WWF European Championship one time.
• He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2018.

Mark Henry being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in April 2018

• He won three Slammy Awards:
  • "Holy $#!+ Move of the Year" in 2011 for a superplex with Big Show.
  • "Feat of Strength of the Year" in 2013 for pulling two trucks with his bare hands.
  • "Match of the Year" in 2014 for a team match at Survivor Series.
• He was ranked No. 9 among the top 500 singles wrestlers in 2012 by Pro Wrestling Illustrated.

Images for kids

• 

  Mark Henry in December 2011

• 

  Henry in 2007

• 

  Henry lost to The Undertaker at WrestleMania 22 and Unforgiven 2007

• 

  Henry as ECW Champion with Tony Atlas

• 

  Henry as World Heavyweight Champion

• 

  Henry facing Jack Swagger in January 2015

• 

  Henry before a tag team match with Montel Vontavious Porter

See also

In Spanish: Mark Henry para niños

• List of strongmen
• List of powerlifters