Mark Felix (born 17 April 1966)[1] is a Grenadian-English strongman competitor and regular entrant to the World's Strongest Man competition. He has competed at a record 18 World's Strongest Man contests, reaching the finals three times. He is the winner of the 2015 Ultimate Strongman Masters World Championships, 2016 WSF World Cup India and has won several international grip contests, including the Rolling Thunder World Championships in 2008 and 2009, as well as the Vice Grip Viking Challenge in 2011 and 2012.
Having competed in over 100 international competitions throughout 19 years, Felix is the 3rd most prolific strongman contestant in history.[2]
Felix has been affectionately called "The Miracle Man" due to his immense grip strength, deadlift ability, and continued impressive performance in strongman competition despite his relatively older age, with many of his competitors over a decade younger than him.[3]
He was a dedicated bodybuilder and turned his attention to strongman competitions in 2003 at the age of 37, comparatively late in relation to other strength athletes.[4] Felix also works as a plasterer, with his strength training done four evenings a week.[5]
Strongman career
Felix turned pro as a strongman within a year when the IFSA Strongman Federation was launched in 2004.[6] He came third in England's Strongest Man in 2004, and in 2005 went on to come second to Eddy Elwood in the IFSA version of England's Strongest Man. This led him to the IFSA British Championships, which he won in 2005. Of the five events, Felix won three (Deadlift, Farmer's Walk and Atlas Stones).[6] Afterwards, Felix credited his victory to "Big hands, big heart".[6]
In 2005, Felix was invited to compete in the IFSA World Open in Sao Paulo, Brazil which was a qualifier for the 2005 IFSA Strongman World Championships later in the year, but he failed to finish in the top four and did not qualify for the IFSA World Championships. Felix also competed in the IFSA World Team Championships in 2005 as a part of 'Team World' representing Grenada, where the team placed third overall.
In 2007, he repeated his second-place finish in Britain's Strongest Man and finished seventh in the 2007 World's Strongest Man. In the same year, he also finished third in the Strongman Super Series Mohegan Sun Grand Prix.
Felix at 2009 Europe's Strongest Man.
In 2008, he came fourth in Europe's Strongest Man[7] and went on to finish third in Britain's Strongest Man, qualifying him for a third successive WSM appearance. Felix has said, "Every year I gain more experience and learn more about what I am capable of."[7] Felix regularly competed at the Europe's Strongest Man from 2008 to 2020. His highest placings were coming in at 3rd place in the 2010 and 2015 competitions.
Felix was also a perennial contender in Britain's Strongest Man competition, coming in 3rd place two times (2008 and 2013) and 2nd place four times (2006, 2007, 2015 and 2016).
At 2011 Giants Live London, Felix shared the world record for the heaviest strongman style Deadlift with Brian Shaw, Laurence Shahlaei and Terry Hollands when they all pulled 412.5kg (909lb). He then increased it to 420kg (926lb) and shared the record with Shaw and Shahlaei, but the two of them again raised it to 430kg (948lb). However, unlike Shaw, Shahlaei and Hollands who performed their lifts without a suit, Felix wore a multi-ply deadlift suit for all of his attempts.
In 2011 and 2013, Felix was selected for the Arnold Strongman Classic, which is widely regarded as the heaviest and the most difficult strongman competition in the world.[8] In 2011, he loaded a 243kg (536lb) Manhood Stone (Max Atlas Stone) over a 4 ft bar and secured a sixth place finish. In 2013, he loaded a 205kg (452lb) Atlas Stone 4 times over a 4 ft bar and shared the world record with Brian Shaw for the heaviest Hummer Tire Deadlift performed from 15 inches off the floor at 509kg (1,122lb). In a stacked field, he again had to settle for the sixth place.
In 2016, Felix won World Strongman Federation World Cup held in Varanasi, India,[9] which his first and only international competition win to-date. Even though he also won 2005 IFSA British Championships, it contained only English and Scottish athletes.
In 2023, Felix became the oldest competitor ever in the 2023 World's Strongest Man at 57 years old. The record was previously held by Odd Haugen who participated at 2006 World's Strongest Man at the age of 56. He also broke the record for the most World's Strongest Man entries at 18 times, while reaching the finals three times in 2006, 2007 and 2015. The fourth place in 2006 remains his best performance at World's Strongest Man.
A new award, the Knaack Tools of the Strongman Award, was also awarded to both Felix and Brian Shaw at 2023 World's Strongest Man. The award was voted by the athletes to recognize the hardest working athlete in the year's competition.[10]
Grip career
With his very large hands, Felix is noted for his exceptional grip strength.
He won the inaugural 2008 Rolling Thunder World Championships which took place at 2008 Fortissimus contest in Canada. He also set a new world record in Rolling Thunder with a lift of 301lb (136.5kg) which ultimately went on to become the final record with the V1.[11] In 2009, Felix successfully defended his Rolling Thunder World Championships title.[12]
In 2011, Felix won the inaugural Vice Grip Viking Challenge[13] which took place in January at the LA Fit Expo. He also performed a 485lb (220kg) double overhand axle deadlift. Felix retained his Vice Grip title by winning the 2012 Vice Grip Viking Challenge. He also set a world record in the Captains of Crush "COC" Silver Bullet event (holding a suspended weight from within the handles of a Captains of Crush no. 3 gripper) with a time of 43.25 seconds.[14]
In 2012, Felix set a new Rolling Thunder world record at the 2012 Bodypower Expo in Birmingham, England with a lift of 323.5lb (146.7kg), more than 20 lbs. heavier than his previous world record.[15] However, this was identified with being performed on a flawed V2 handle which resembled the same error V1 had, hence was nullified upon introduction of V3.
In 2019, Felix set a new world record in the Hercules Hold event with 160kg in each hand at Giants Live World Tour Finals with a time of 87.52 seconds.[16] In 2020 Europe's Strongest Man he surpassed his record with a performance of 92.37 seconds.
In 2020, Felix set a new world record in the Rogue replica Dinnie Stones hold during 2020 Rogue record breakers at Arnold Strongman Classic with a time of 31.40 seconds.
Personal records
During competitions
Hercules hold – 160kg (353lb) in each hand for 92.37 seconds (2020 Europe's Strongest Man) (World Record)[17]
→ Felix also held the former world record when he held the Hercules pillars for 87.52 seconds at 2019 Giants Live World Tour Finals.
IronMindRolling Thunder (V1) – 136.5kg (301lb) (2008 Mohegan Sun Grand Prix) (former world record)
→ After 15 years since its inception in 1993, Felix became the first man ever to break the 300lb barrier with Rolling Thunder V1. However, V1 was discontinued following this performance because it was observed that the expected rotation of the handle was not happening anymore at that weight. Yet, it remains the final world record with V1.[18]
→ However, this was identified with being performed on a flawed V2 handle which resembled the same error V1 had, hence was nullified upon introduction of V3. This lift with V2 was not beaten until 2013 when Alexey Tyukalov did 150.5kg (331.8lb). Please see: Progression of the Rolling Thunder world record.
Double Thomas Inch Dumbbells farmers walk – 78kg (172lb) in each hand for 34.91 metres (114ft 6in) (2019 Rogue record breakers)
Rogue replica Dinnie Stones hold – 333kg (734lb) for 31.40 seconds (2020 Rogue record breakers) (former world record)
Equipped Deadlift (with suit and straps) – 420kg (926lb) (2011 Giants Live London and 2016 World Deadlift Championships) [has achieved this feat twice][19]
Hummer Tire Deadlift (with straps) (15 inches off the floor) – 509kg (1,122lb) (2013 Arnold Strongman Classic)[20]
Silver Dollar Deadlift (with straps) (18 inches off the floor) – 515kg (1,135lb) (2021 UK's Strongest Man)[21]
Manhood Stone (Max Atlas Stone) – 243kg (536lb) over 4 ft bar (2011 Arnold Strongman Classic)
Deadlift (raw)/ without wrist straps) – 405kg (893lb)[22]
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