Jaco Schoonwinkel Withdraws From 2023 World’s Strongest Man Competition

The final day of the 2023 World’s Strongest Man is underway in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, but it has proved to be very unlucky for one man. In the first event of the day, the Max Dumbbell, Jaco Schoonwinkel attempted to overhead press 115 kilograms (253.5 pounds). However, he was unsuccessful and ended up seemingly injuring himself on the attempt.

Jaco Schoonwinkel managed to lift the dumbbell onto his shoulder during the Max Dumbbell event but struggled to fully lock out the weight during the overhead press. As he attempted to lower the weight, he lost control, and it appeared to hit his shoulder. Jaco fell to the ground and remained lying down for a period before getting up and walking off. Fortunately, he seemed to be okay despite the incident.

However, Jaco Schoonwinkel was obviously not fine, as the World’s Strongest Man’s official Instagram page shared the news of his withdrawal from the competition. They did not reveal the exact reason why.

Related: Eddie Hall Reveals His Top 3 Predictions For The 2023 World’s Strongest Man

Jaco Schoonwinkel really lacked luck in the 2023 World’s Strongest Man finals, as he had another incident on day one. During the Reign Shield Carry event, Jaco started off well, but stumbled and fell after 15.92 meters. So, it is not clear if that incident has anything to do with his withdrawal today as well.

Jaco Schoonwinkel was one of the main surprises of the 2023 World’s Strongest Man competition. He was placed in a very tough group with Brian Shaw, Adam Bishop, and Rauno Heinla. Regardless, Jaco kept his cool and managed to win the group ahead of all these big names.

Jaco Schoonwinkel’s performances in the finals were less than desirable for him, but it is understandable as this was his debut at the WSM. Jaco is not too experienced in other competitions either, having only taken part in three more International competitions. Most notably, he finished second in both the 2021 Africa’s Strongest Man and 2022 Official Strongman Games.

Jaco Schoonwinkel’s 2023 WSM Performances

Qualifying

• Loading Race: 5 in 47.10 s (First-Place)
• Deadlift Machine: 6 reps (Fourth-Place)
• Log Ladder: 4 in 34.77 s (Second-Place)
• Conan’s Wheel: 713 ° (First-Place)
• Kettlebell Toss: 6 in 47.32 s (Third-Place)

Finals

• Reign Shield Carry: 15.92 m (Tenth-Place)
• Knaack Deadlift: 5 reps (Tied-Seventh)
• Fingal’s Fingers: 4 in 40.76 s (Tenth-Place)

Related: Mark Felix Retires From World’s Strongest Man Appearances; A Tribute to a Strongman Legend

Jaco Schoonwinkel is the first athlete to withdraw from the 2023 World’s Strongest Man finals, and hopefully the only one. There was only one other withdrawal in the entire competition, and it was Iron Biby at the start of the competition.

2023 WSM Coverage Recap

Discover comprehensive coverage of the 2023 World’s Strongest Man competition at our WSM coverage hub, featuring exclusive interviews, event recaps, in-depth analysis, and results: FitnessVolt.com/wsm