Mariusz Pudzianowski
Mariusz Pudzianowski is one of the leading strongmen competitors. He began training strength sports at age 13. He entered his first Strongman competition in 1999 in Poland. He achieved his first major international success in 2000 when he finished fourth in his first World's Strongest Man competition. He retained the title in 2002 and again in 2003. In 2004 he became the Strongman Super Series World Champion. He returned to win the title for a third time in 2005.

In the 2006 World's Strongest Man contest, he came second to the Phil Pfister, the first American to win the championship since 1982. Pudzianowski led the competition until the final event, where Pfister completed a come-from-behind victory, having finished the first event in last place.

Mariusz maintains his conditioning by practising Kyokushin karate, competitive boxing. Mariusz is a strong favourite in strongman competitions, having been defeated only twice in Poland through 2002.