While Game of Thrones fans know Hafthor ‘Thor’ Björnsson for his role as “The Mountain” Ser Gregor Clegane in the HBO series, he’s also a world champion deadlifter who broke his own record for the third time.
Over the weekend in Birmingham, Björnsson took part in the Giants Live’s Mutant World Deadlift Championship at Utilita Arena and pushed the limits of human strength. In front of a live audience, the Icelandic strongman lifted an incredible 510kg (1,124.4lb). The moment marked a new record for Björnsson and further cementing him as unbeatable.
The strongman originally broke the record in May 2020, deadlifting 501kg (1,104lbs) before breaking it again earlier this summer, lifting 505kg (1,113lbs).
Following his new record, Björnsson posted on Instagram, “Crazy how easy it felt. I honestly believe I could have deadlifted 530kg.”
In his career, he’s accumulated 32 international wins and 129 world records, and has become the third most decorated strongman in history. In 2018, he accomplished what no one has, having won the Arnold Strongman Classic, Europe’s Strongest Man, and World’s Strongest Man.
Beyond weightlifting, Björnsson also challenged strongman rival Eddie Hall to a boxing match that led him to drop 64kg (141lbs) for the fight. In 2022, the match ended with Björnsson taking home the win due to a unanimous decision. He later returned to the strongman competition in 2023.
In aMen’s Health podcast, Hall knew Björnsson was more than capable of breaking his own record, but admits that he will always be known as the first man to ever lift half a ton. He has no plans to return to and challenge Björnsson’s record.
When it comes to his work on-screen, Björnsson’s role in Game of Thrones became a fan favorite, but he has also played himself in various roles. He also played the character Thorfinnr in Robert Eggers’s The Northman. Fans will also see him as Goat Man in the 2026 Travis Knight movie, Masters of the Universe, led by actor Nicholas Galitzine.
