Prestatyn man competes at Wales’ Strongest Man 2023

Joe Roberts, 26, faced off against 11 other finalists at Cardiff International Sports Campus on July 23, finishing in eighth place.

He had to complete five different qualifying challenges to make the final, including a 320kg container “deadlift”, a “log press”, and pushing a pickup truck after loading items onto it.

Cheered on by his fiancée and her sister, as well as two friends from Prestatyn, Joe was competing in his fourth strongman competition, but this was his first appearance at Wales’ Strongest Man.

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Joe Roberts (Image: Ultimate Strongman)

Joe said: “It was quite tough – there was a ‘duck walk’, where you had to carry a 200kg weight across 50 metres, and a ‘block press’, with blocks weighing 80-110kg.

“Then there was a ‘car lift’ where the car weighed 305kg – that was probably my favourite; I came second in that!

“Then we had to push an eight-tonne lorry 15 metres, and then pull it back 15 metres. It was really, really good fun.”

Now working on an intensive care unit in Coventry, where he has lived since the age 18 when he began studying at the city’s university, Joe had previously spent his entire life in Prestatyn.

He was only two points behind those who finished in both sixth and seventh, but has his sites set on winning the competition by 2028.

For the time being, though, he plans to take some time off before throwing himself into the qualifiers for next year’s event.

Joe added: “I’d like to be in the top five next year, if I can qualify and improve a little bit more. I think that’s a realistic goal.

“I want to win it within the next five years - I’m looking at the top five next year, and the top three the following year.

“While it’s quite a solitary sport, because you don’t have team-mates, you have a good laugh with everyone in-between challenges, and everyone’s very supportive of each other.

“That’s where I get the enjoyment from; meeting new people and competing against them.

“I’m going to relax now and take some time off, and then improve my weaknesses and go back to the qualifiers for next year’s event.”

Joe also used to represent Coventry University’s rugby team while studying there, prior to injuring his knee.