Strongman Ben goes for world glory in Belfast

Ben, who works at Salt Ayre Sports Centre as a health and fitness co-ordinator, qualified after winning the UK Masters title.

This will be the third consecutive year that he has qualified for the World Masters Strongest Man competition, and the second time he will enter as UK Champion.

To achieve his UK Masters title, Ben took on UK competitors in a series of gruelling challenges including axe hold, truck pull and atlas stones.

Ben said: “After all of the intense training I have put myself through, it was a wonderful feeling to clinch the top spot as UK champion and I can’t wait to take on the rest of the world.”

The World Masters Strongest Man competition will take place in Belfast, and will see 12 competitors from across the world compete in challenges such as monster tyre flip, car deadlift hold, monster barrel squat and stones of strength.

Last year Ben finished fourth overall in the competition, but hopes that his success as UK champion will spur him on to climb the medal table in this year’s competition.

The World Masters Strongest Man competition will be filmed for Channel 5 and aired later in the year.