Favorite Strongman: #6 - Svend Karlsen

The viking from Norway, Svend Karlsen, worked his way up the podium over the course of three years to finally take first place in World's Strongest Man 2001. He held off a very motivated Magnus Samuelsson for the win.

Svend has competed as a bodybuilder, powerlifter, and strongman and achieved great success in all three.

Why I like him:

• He is versatile and mastered a number of disciplines across a wide range of strength sports
• He has "Viking" tattooed on the right forearm and "Power" across the left so that when he brings his fists together it says his catch phrase "Viking Power"
• He is facebook friends with me, most of what he says is in Norwegian, but still, it's cool.
• He rocked some awesome purple tights during the WSM'01 competition
• From Ironmind :"It was only about a week after 9/11, but Jim Davis wasn't going to let a few terrorists stop something as big as his United in Strength strongman contest, and one of the guys who hopped on a plane to compete was Svend Karlsen, who won the contest and then grabbed the mike and declared "It is important that the whole world stand together and show that terrorism has no right!" Svend Karlsen went on to win the 2001 World's Strongest Man contest . ---militant Muslims beware, Svend gonna find you.
• Overcome much adversity including kidney disease, dialysis and finally a kidney transplant in April of 2009.

• Made this video , and this video

I mentioned that Svend has overcome much adversity, but I would be remiss if I didn't mention Svend's late wife, Lene Alexandra Karlsen.

On April 5, 2009 after having suffered with bipolar disorder for years, Lene took her own life after enduring a particularly severe episode of depression. It was a devastating blow to the strongman community and of course to Svend. I, frankly, cannot imagine the grief and devastation of losing the wife of your youth.

Lene was a constant presence in the international strongman scene while Svend was competing and serving as a host for various contests. Randall Strossen of Ironmind wrote a short piece in memory of Lene Karlsen that you can read here.

And if you know someone who needs help, play the strongman, and intervene before it's too late.