First-ever Wrexham’s Strongest Man a ‘massive success'

17 strongmen took part in the first event of its kind in the town, held at the Spartan Training Centre in Ruabon.

More than 100 spectators watched as Jon Crossland pipped fellow competitor Joe Bromley to victory – becoming Wrexham’s first strongest man.

The event was organised by gym owner Jason Jones, himself a former competitor and Guinness World Record holder, and his dedicated gym volunteers.

Joe Wills pulls the stone over the yoke. (Image: Simon Warburton) Participants were put through their paces across five gruelling stages, with the first event a maximum weight deadlift.

This was followed by a press medley, composed of a 120kg log, a 130kg axle, a 70kg spartan dumbbell and a 60kg stone kettlebell.

The third event was a running medley with sandbags, whereby competitors were tasked with carrying 120kg and 140kg sandbags to a sled and running back.

The podium - Jon Crossland in first place, Joe Bromley in second, and Shaun Paul in third. (Image: Simon Warburton) The sled, up to 300kg, was then pulled back in what Jason said was a “real lung buster”.

The fourth event was a daunting truck pull, requiring participants to pull a 13-and-a-half tonne truck 20 metres - only six men finished this section of the course.

The final stage was the Atlas stones, which ultimately decided the winner.

With first and second place neck-and-neck, the winner of this stage took home the prize and Jon Crossland defeated Joe Bromley to seal victory and become Wrexham’s Strongest Man.

Wrexham's Strongest Man competitors and organisers. (Image: Simon Warburton) Third place went to Shaun Paul.

Dean Evans also set a deadlift world record on just his second attempt at lifting 425kg.

“The competition was amazing, a really good day - we had well over 100 spectators come to watch,” Jason told Leader Live.

“It was a real good finish, everybody loved the day, social media has gone crazy with it.

“I couldn’t have asked for more.

Spartan Training Centre owner and event organiser Jason Jones with a competitor. (Image: Simon Warburton) “For the first big competition we’ve actually run, it was a massive success, we’re really happy with it.

“Without the crew that I’ve got here – they don’t get paid for it – it was a week of work to get everything done and they were amazing.

“It’s a small gym and everybody gets involved to run it.”

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Jason, who has run Wales’ Strongest Man in the past, aims to make the event bigger each year and confirmed it will be returning in 2025.

He added: " Next year, my plan is to take it from the gym and into Wrexham somewhere – I want to build it year on year.

“I want to make Wrexham’s Strongest Man a bigger thing, even running it in somewhere like Queen’s Square.”

In April, the gym will be hosting Spartan’s Strongest Woman, with other ‘Spartan Gatherings’ also scheduled.