Sunderland man crowned UK and Ireland’s strongest man in national competition

Thomas Fisher, 27, won the title of the UK and Ireland’s Strongest Natural Man in the under 105kg category in a competition at The Hangar, in Wolverhampton, earlier this month.

Thomas explained that as a natural strongman, he does not take any performance enhancing drugs and has developed his strength “naturally” over the past four years, since first taking up the sport aged 23.

Thomas, who trains at New Level Gym, in Pallion, Sunderland, said: “I was hoping to win but I did not expect it.

"I was ecstatic when I found out if I’m honest.

"The results were released and my fiance came running over and gave me a hug and a pint of Guiness.”

Thomas, who is a youth engagement officer at the Foundation of Light, in Sunderland, trains four times a week for around two hours each time.

Speaking about the event, he said: "There are six events in the competition but they are not always the same events. It changes from competition to competition.

"They are all designed to test different types of strength and endurance.”

Thomas also holds the world record in the under 105kg Atlas Stone lifter category, managing to lift 201.5kg in a competition back in December.

He has also won England’s Strongest Natural Man twice.

Speaking about how he got into the sport, Thomas said: “My coach was training me at the gym and I wanted to lose some weight but also have a bit of fun, and he said there was a competition coming up and asked if I wanted to have a go.

"I'm quite a competitive person, and I’d seen strongmen on the TV, so I thought I’d give it a go – and I’ve fallen in love with it ever since.

"I never thought I’d be doing something like this. I was always quite skinny and into football and things when I was younger – you know, your standard run-of-the-mill sports.”

Thomas is looking forward to competing in the World’s Strongest Natural Man competition in Glasgow in August.