Jon Pall Sigmarsson is regarded as one of the greatest strongmen of all time and the reason for this is quite obvious. Sigmarsson was a strongman, powerlifter, and bodybuilder from Iceland who became the first man to win the World’s Strongest Man title four times. During his time, he was also considered as one of the best athletes in Iceland and was credited and applauded for developing the country’s national identity.
Sigmarsson competed in several challenges and championships such as world strongest man, world muscle power, world strongman challenge, Europe’s strongest man, Iceland’s strongest man amid others. He was first introduced to weightlifting in 1976 and started training in 1978 at Jakabol. Even though he had an energetic and boastful personality when competing, Sigmarsson was said to be a soft-spoken man.
Why Sigmarsson Is Being Remembered Nearly 30 Years After His Death
During his lifetime, Jon Pall Sigmarsson achieved incredible feats that have kept his name alive long after his passing. He has an incredible record in powerlifting with his best performances noted in the deadlift event and other multiple world records in strongman competition deadlift variations like the rectangular handled wheel and one-handed deadlift. He attained commendable feats in powerlifting categories like bench press, deadlift, and squat. In the first year at the world’s strongest man event, he won the runner-up title, and then the following year, he won the title for four consecutive years.
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He also clashed with his greatest rival, Bill Kazmaier from Burlington Wisconsin, the USA who was a 3 times world’s strongest man winner to retain his title even though it was a tough one, Sigmarsson always comes victorious even when his opponent was always boasting.
Jon Pall Sigmarsson has certainly remained an icon for the strongman sport. He was the crowd’s favorite because of his charm and charisma off stage. The way and manner he manifested his strength in his infamous and exuberant Viking chanted performances on stage. The powerlifter is remembered for his outstanding and jaw-dropping achievements during his lifetime. He possessed martial arts skills which he demonstrated during his game.
He made his reputation in the 1980s as the strongest man who ever lived by breaking several strongman world records. His last appearance was at the 1990 world’s strongest man where he surpassed the Icelandic number one fellow countryman, Magnus Ver Magnusson who won Iceland’s strongest man title in the year 1988 and 1989.
He was regarded as an aggressive person on the court but soft-spoken outside the court. He had a very disciplined attitude towards his diet and training. He was dearly believed in Iceland and is even credited with developing Iceland’s national identity.
Check Out 10 Interesting Facts About The Unforgettable Strong Man
1. – Where he was born
Jon Pall Sigmarsson was born in Hafnarfjordur, Iceland on April 28, 1960, to Sigmar Jonsson and Dora Jonsdottir. He was raised by his mother and his foster father, Sveinn Gudmundsson. He spent his childhood in different villages before his family relocated to Reykjavik, the capital city of Iceland when he was 9 years old.
2. – How he died
Jon Pall Sigmarsson died doing what he loved. Our findings show that the strongman, unfortunately, suffered an aortic rupture while deadlifting in his gym and he collapsed died at the spot. It was later reported that his death was due to a congenital heart defect which had affected several members of his extended family. It was also said that his condition might have worsened by his regular use of anabolic steroids. It was said that the strong man was at the peak of his career.
3. – He worked on a farm
While he was growing up, he worked as a farmhand. He assisted his foster father to carry pails of water and in seal hunts.
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4. – Started Wrestling as a teenager
When he was still a teenager, he began trying in the traditional Icelandic wrestling, Glima. Aside from wrestling, Sigmarrson was also good at swimming, karate, football, and also handball.
5. – When he made his career debut
Jon Pall Sigmarsson made his career debut in the 1980s when he started competing in professional championships not just in his country, he had European records too and his best performances came in the deadlift category.
6. – He mastered all forms of strength
Sigmarsson was among one of the few strongmen who had the genetics that allowed him to master all forms of strength. He was able to master the Olympic weightlifting lifts and still had tremendous static stamina that allowed him to defeat some of the greatest powerlifters of all time.
7. – He is in the World’s Strongest Man Hall of Fame
In 2012, Jon Pall Sigmarsson was inducted into the World’s Strongest Man Hall of Fame. There was a documentary titled larger than life which was made about his life. Also, Hjalti Arnason a lifelong friend of his created the Jon Pall Sigmarsson classic international strongman contest in 2010 in Sigmarsson’s honor.
8. – He had his many quotes
The strong man was known for his aggressive quotes while on stage. When he won his first world’s strongest man, he shouted ‘the king has lost his crown’ referring to his opponent. On another occasion, when he won another prestigious title, he shouted, ‘there is no reason to be alive if you can’t deadlift.’ This quote was his most famous quote. He was a role model to many Icelanders.
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9. – All about his son
Jon Pall Sigmarsson had only one child, Sigmar Freyr Jonsson who was born in 1983 by Ragnheiour Sverrisdottir. His son admitted the use of steroids on a news program claiming that it makes him feel energized and confident. He added that the side effect of such is mostly loss of sex drive and breast development which has made him undergo several surgeries. He stopped using steroids because according to him, he wanted a better quality of life.
10. – He received praise from different quarters
Jon Pall Sigmarsson was praised by many people during his lifetime. He was described by David Webster as a man who boasted pure static strength as well as versatile athletic strength in every form which facilitated his supreme performances.
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