Mark Felix Announces Retirement: 2023 World’s Strongest Man Will Be His Final Competition
Mark Felix to retire from World’s Strongest Man after decades, but not from strength sports.
Mark Felix, one of the strongest men in the world, has announced that the 2023 World’s Strongest Man competition will be his final appearance at the event. Felix has competed in the contest for over two decades and has become a fan favorite due to his impressive strength and friendly demeanor. Despite his retirement from the contest, he plans to continue strength training and competing in other events.
Felix, who hails from Grenada, began his strongman career at the age of 35, which is relatively late for the sport. However, he quickly made a name for himself due to his natural strength and dedication to training. Over the years, he has become known for his incredible grip strength and has set multiple world records in grip-related events.
Despite his impressive achievements, Felix has never won the World’s Strongest Man competition, although he has come close on multiple occasions. He has finished in the top 10 a remarkable 14 times, including two second-place finishes. His longevity in the sport is a testament to his dedication and love for strength training.
While Felix’s retirement from the World’s Strongest Man competition marks the end of an era, it is clear that he still has plenty of strength and passion for the sport. Fans can expect to see him competing in other strongman events and continuing to push the limits of what the human body can achieve.
Mark Felix’s World’s Strongest Man (WSM) journey started in 2004, and he steadily climbed up the ranks. In 2006, he achieved his best result, finishing fourth. For almost two decades, he has been among the world’s best in lifting Atlas Stones each spring. However, the 56-year-old Grenadian athlete has decided to channel his strength and energy elsewhere.
In a recent Instagram post on February 19, 2023, Felix announced his upcoming retirement from WSM competition. After his 18th appearance in the 2023 contest in April, he will no longer participate in WSM. Joining the ranks of veteran strongman Brian Shaw, Felix will retire from WSM. However, it is important to note that this will not be the end of Felix’s career as a professional strongman.
“So incredibly excited to be a confirmed athlete for my 18th [World’s Strongest Man] show and the oldest strongman ever to compete at the WSM,” Felix wrote. “I have decided that this year will be my last time I compete at the [WSM] show, but I will continue to compete at [Giants Live] shows and [Official Strongman Games] shows. Strongman is in my blood, and I will hopefully be able to continue to compete for many many years to come.
Felix’s strongman career began with a sixth-place finish at the 2004 Britain’s Strongest Man competition, as reported by Strongman Archives. Over the years, he has achieved numerous accomplishments, including an impressive 17 appearances at the WSM and four Finals appearances. Notably, he placed fifth at the 2021 Arnold Strongman Classic UK and is the current Men’s Masters 50-plus champion at the Official Strongman Games.
Recently, Felix set a new World Record in the Wrecking Ball Hold event at the 2022 WSM, holding the implement for an incredible two minutes and 20.49 seconds, solidifying his position as a world-class strongman athlete.
Courtesy Image @markfelixwsm on Instagram
