Five-time Estonia’s Strongest Man Tarmo Mitt finished sixth at the international competition The World’s Strongest Man 2005. The event took place in Chengdu, China, where 25 of the strongest strongmen from various leagues had been invited to compete. Tarmo successfully completed the six-event qualifying round to become one of the ten finalists.
How Tarmo Mitt reached the final
The qualifying rounds lasted a full week and featured six different events. The ten best competitors from the first week advanced to the final. Estonia was represented this time by Tarmo Mitt, who faced competitors from Poland, the United States, Canada and Finland.
The final got off to a very promising start for him. The opening event involved holding enormous pillars upright for as long as possible as they threatened to topple outwards in opposite directions. Tarmo held on for 71 seconds — a result recognized as a new world record that earned him first place in the event. This opening performance immediately boosted his confidence.
Tarmo Mitt in the final events
His opening win was followed by tougher and more varied challenges. Each event called for a different type of strength — some demanded raw pulling strength, others balance, and others rapid recovery, as the breaks between events were short.
- pushing five logs of different sizes upright
- carrying two refrigerators with a combined weight of 450 kg, known as the fridge carry
- pressing a 122 kg log overhead for reps, starting from the ground each time
- carrying a 170 kg Chinese vessel, known as the ding walk
- performing squats with an apparatus that added weight after each squat, ranging from 210–340 kg (viewers of The World’s Strongest Man 2003 would have recognized this exercise)
- Tarmo’s favorite — lifting concrete balls, or Atlas stones, onto platforms
Among his best performances was third place in the ding walk, where Tarmo finished behind only Mariusz Pudzianowski and Janne Virtanen. In the concrete ball event, only Pudzianowski himself beat him — Tarmo was faster than everyone else.
Pudzianowski gets his revenge in his rivalry with Tarmo Mitt
Mariusz Pudzianowski, now a three-time winner of The World’s Strongest Man, got his revenge against Tarmo this time. At their previous meeting in Austria, the “king of the stones” had lost to the Estonian by a second. At the top, the margins are extremely fine — one failed lift or a run that is a couple of seconds slower can change the standings.
The World’s Strongest Man 2005 final standings
- Mariusz Pudzianowski (POL) — 60 points
- Jesse Marunde (USA) — 45 points
- Dominic Filiou (CAN) — 44 points
- Jarek Dymek (POL) — 37.5 points
- Janne Virtanen (FIN) — 37 points
- Strongman Tarmo (EST) — 34 points
- Ralf Ber (AUT) — 33.5 points
- Don Pope (USA) — 33 points
- Dave Ostlund (USA) — 32 points
- Elbrus Nigmatulin (RUS) — 29 points
This competition marked a strong comeback for Finland’s Janne Virtanen, who had returned to regular competition over the course of the year. Another Finnish great, Jouko Ahola, has stepped away from competing but took on the important role of head referee this time. ESPN filmed the event, and DWI holds the broadcast rights.
Tarmo Mitt: what comes next
Tarmo Mitt, who works at Wilde Irish Pub in Tartu, continues his demanding but successful season in the World Strongman Cup series. He currently sits third in the series, behind Latvia’s Raivis Vidzis and Austria’s Ralf Ber. The final competition in the series takes place in November in Siberia, Russia, and will determine whether the Estonian strongman can secure a podium finish.
FAQ: Tarmo Mitt and WSM 2005
Where did Tarmo Mitt finish at The World’s Strongest Man 2005?
Tarmo Mitt finished sixth with 34 points, behind five Finns as well as the Poles, an American and a Canadian.
What was his best event in the final?
The opening event — holding a pillar upright for 71 seconds as it threatened to topple to either side. The result was recognized as a world record and earned Tarmo first place.
Who won The World’s Strongest Man 2005?
Mariusz Pudzianowski of Poland, who scored 60 points to win his third WSM title.
Kind regards,
Estonian Strongman Association
Author: Estonian Strongman Association
Source: WHO – physical activity.
Come work out! ArtGym
