Last weekend, Amman, Jordan witnessed a unique and exciting sporting event: the truck pulling championship. This inaugural event attracted top athletes from around the world, most notably Brian Shaw, the American four-time winner of the “World’s Strongest Man” title.
Brian Shaw, a muscular athlete, failing at the 21-ton truck pull competition in Jordan
In an event unlike any other strength competition, the muscular athletes did not compete in weightlifting or obstacle courses, but directly confronted massive trucks. Their goal was simple: to pull a 21-ton truck over a certain distance in the shortest possible time. This was not just a battle of pure muscle strength, but also a challenge to the will and technique of each athlete.
The event was dramatic and full of surprises. Heavy favorite Brian Shaw, with his imposing physique (192kg, 2.03m tall) and illustrious reputation, failed to win the championship. Instead, the crown went to a lesser-known name: Kelvin De Ruiter from the Netherlands.
Kelvin De Ruiter, a muscular athlete who had never appeared in the “World’s Strongest Man” competitions, caused a major shock by surpassing Brian Shaw. This victory showed that in truck pulling, experience and skill can be more important than mere muscle strength. The saying “practice makes perfect” is entirely true in this case. Brian Shaw, although a versatile and extremely strong athlete, may not have had enough experience and specialized skills in truck pulling compared to De Ruiter.
To illustrate the difficulty of the challenge, it is worth noting that a few years ago, “Thor” Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson, another world-famous strongman, made a strong impression by successfully pulling a 13-ton truck. However, this number is still far from the 21 tons that the athletes had to conquer at the tournament in Jordan. This further highlights the extraordinary strength and skillful technique of Kelvin De Ruiter and the participating athletes.
As the runner-up, Brian Shaw received $5,000 (over 113 million VND). Meanwhile, Kelvin De Ruiter, the surprise champion, took home double the prize, deserving of his efforts and impressive performance in this challenging truck pulling competition.
