South African strength sensation Rayno Nel has smashed his way into the record books by becoming the first African to ever claim the title of World's Strongest Man - and he did it in spectacular fashion, upsetting reigning champion Tom Stoltman in a nail-biting finish that went down to the wire in Sacramento, California.
The 30-year-old former rugby player, who once represented the Cheetahs and Central University of Technology, stunned the strongman world by winning the coveted title by just half a point - edging out Stoltman, a three-time champion from Britain, in what has already been dubbed one of the most dramatic finales in the competition's modern history, as first reported by Times Live .
Nel, who now works as an electrical engineer, entered the finals as a rookie and walked away with 47 points across five gruelling events. His victory marks the first time since 1997 that a debut finalist has clinched the top prize, making his performance even more legendary.
The showdown began on Saturday with Nel powering his way to a win in the Carry Hoist challenge, securing the maximum 10 points. He followed that up with back-to-back second-place finishes in the deadlift and Hercules hold events, racking up nine points apiece and setting himself up as the man to beat heading into Sunday.
Day two wasn't without its challenges. Nel managed just three points in the Flintstone press - one of the more technical strength events - but he bounced back in commanding fashion during the Atlas Stones showdown. With eight points earned in that final test of raw power and precision, he clawed his way past Stoltman to snatch the title by the slimmest of margins.