Tom Stoltman wins World’s Strongest Man 2021 as Brit beats Brian Shaw in Atlas Stones showdown to take first-ever title

TOM STOLTMAN is the new World's Strongest Man after beating the legendary Brian Shaw in a dramatic Atlas Stones showdown.

The Scot, 27, claimed his first-ever crown in front of a packed crowd in Sacramento, California on Sunday.

Stoltman is the first Brit to win World's Strongest Man since Eddie Hall in 2017, and the first Scot to ever triumph too.

The behemoth, who stands at an incredible 6ft 8in, had to overcome four-time winner Shaw in Sunday's grand finale.

Having stormed into an early lead the day before, Stoltman found himself pegged back by Shaw going into the last event.

The American laid down a marker by breaking his own keg toss record with a throw of 7.75 metres.

But Stoltman, who holds the world record for the heaviest Atlas Stone ever lifted at 630lb (286kg), ultimately triumphed in his favourite strongman event.

The Brit also has the world record in the quickest time to lift all five stones, finishing in just 16.01 seconds at Britain's Strongest Man in January 2020.

And after completing the event today in 20.21 seconds, Stoltman can now call himself the strongest man on the planet.

His performance saw Shaw claim silver, with Canada's Maxime Boudreault taking third.

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Stoltman finished second at last year's event, which only took place in November after being delayed by the coronavirus pandemic.

2020 champion Oleksii Novikov failed to make this year's grand final, with Stoltman joined by older brother Luke and fellow Brit Adam Bishop.

Scottish champions Rangers tweeted a congratulatory message to Stoltman on Sunday night.

Steven Gerrard's side said: "Congratulations to the World's Strongest Man from the World's Most Successful club.

"Tom Stoltman, one of our own."

Meanwhile, strongman fans can look forward to seeing fellow Brit Hall take on strongman rival Hafthor Bjornsson, who starred in Game of Thrones, in a boxing grudge match in Las Vegas later this year.