Gary Taylor (strongman)

Gary Taylor

Personal information
Born	(1961-10-14) 14 October 1961 (age 63) Cardiff, Wales
Occupation(s)	Strongman, Olympic Weightlifting, Bodybuilding, Powerlifting
Height	183 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Children	Evan Taylor
Medal record Strongman Representing   United Kingdom World's Strongest Man 3rd 1991 World's Strongest Man 5th 1992 World's Strongest Man 1st 1993 World's Strongest Man Qualified 1994 World's Strongest Man 6th 1995 World's Strongest Man World Muscle Power Championships 3rd 1995 World Strongman Challenge 3rd 1991 3rd 1992 3rd 1994 World's Strongest Team 1st 1995 w/Jamie Reeves & Forbes Cowan World Mighty Man 2nd 1992 4th 1993 Representing   Wales Europe's Strongest Man 1st 1991 tie w/Forbes Cowan Other Grand Prix & Internationals 2nd Callander Grand Prix (Scotland) 1994 1st Lithuania Grand Prix (IFSA) 1995 2nd Manfred Hoeberl Classic 1995 Britain's Strongest Man 1st 1991 3rd 1997 British Muscle Power Championship 1st 1995 Wales' Strongest Man 1st 1989 1st 1990 1st 1991 1st 1992 1st 1993 1st 1994 1st 1995 1st 1996 1st 1997 Men's Weightlifting Representing   United Kingdom World Weightlifting Championships 1984 Los Angeles 110 kg snatch

Gary Taylor (born 14 October 1961) is a Welsh former world's strongest man champion (1993). Competing in bodybuilding, Olympic weightlifting, and strongman.

Strength sports

A former weightlifter, powerlifter, and bodybuilder, Taylor competed at 6 ft (183 cm) and approximately 295 lbs (134 kg) during his strongman career. ^[1] He competed in weightlifting at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, taking second in the snatch in the 110 kg class. ^[2]

Gary is best known for winning the 1993 World's Strongest Man contest in Orange, France. ^[1] He also finished 3rd in 1991, 5th in 1992, and 6th in 1995. ^[1]

Taylor was really strong on the Behind-The-Neck push press. At Brian Batcheldor's Strength Seminar in Birmingham in 1995, he performed an incredible Behind-The-Neck push press of 272.5 kg (600.75 lb) (judged by David Webster, the organizer of the World's Strongest Man competitions).^{[ citation needed ]}

Gary suffered a career-ending knee injury during the tire flip event at the 1997 Europe's Strongest Man contest. The injury was so severe that it forced Gary to retire from strongman competition permanently.^{[ citation needed ]}

Personal records

Powerlifting

• Squat – 385 kg (849 lb)raw
• Bench Press – 235 kg (518 lb)raw
• Deadlift – 355 kg (783 lb)raw

Strongman

• Flintstone barbell push press (behind the neck) – 225 kg (496 lb) (1995 World Muscle Power Classic) ^[3] (former world record)

→ It is often claimed that Taylor has behind the neck push pressed weights such as 270 kg (595 lb) and 272 kg (600 lb). ^{[4] [5]} However, his 1995 World Muscle Power Classic lift remains the heaviest weight he has behind the neck push pressed with irrefutable evidence.

• Log press – 160 kg (353 lb) (1993 World's Strongest Man, group 1)
• Atlas stones – 5 stones weighing 90–136 kg (198–300 lb)(no tacky) in 17.19 seconds (1993 World's Strongest Man) (World Record) ^[6]
• Samson's barrow carry – 10 humans (25m course) in 12.55 seconds (1993 World's Strongest Man) (World Record) ^[7]

Retirement/later years

Taylor, now retired from competition, worked within the PE department (he was a senior officer) at Aylesbury Young Offenders Institute, a prison for Category A (highest and most considered dangerous), as well as being the Senior Gym Officer and rugby coach for Ampthill youth rugby team. He moved to Littlehey Prison Cat-C/YOI as a Security Governor. Gary currently does commentating and event organizing for the annual UK's Strongest Man contest.^{[ citation needed ]}

World's Strongest Man results

• 1991 World's Strongest Man – 3rd
• 1992 World's Strongest Man – 5th
• 1993 World's Strongest Man – Winner
• 1994 World's Strongest Man – Qualified
• 1995 World's Strongest Man – 6th

References

1. "Gary Taylor". strongestman.billhenderson.org.
2. Olympic results Archived 14 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine
3. "World Muscle Power Classic 1995.08.05, Mintlaw, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, United Kingdom". www.strengthresults.com. Retrieved 10 April 2025.
4. Amrina, Soweetha (8 February 2015). "Gary Taylor WAL Strongman". Irish Strength Association.
5. Chaos, Jamie (21 July 2021). "Lifter Snapshot: Gary "The Welsh Dragon" Taylor". Plague of Strength.
6. "STRENGTH RECORD, Section 07 - Stonelifting (Regular & Semi-Regular stones)". www.strengthrecord.com. Retrieved 10 April 2025.
7. "STRENGTH RECORD, Section 10 - Arm carries". www.strengthrecord.com. Retrieved 11 April 2025.