Powerlifter John Haack (U90KG) Takes Bronze In His Strongman Debut at 2023 Kaos Classic

John Haack is regarded as potentially the greatest pound-for-pound powerlifter in history, since he set multiple World Records. John is incredibly strong, but he decided to test his skills in Strongman, which involves a bit more unconventional events. After some training, John took part in the 2023 U90KG Kaos Classic, which took place on July 23rd, in the UK. Despite it being his Strongman debut, John managed to finish in third place, which is beyond impressive.

2023 Kaos Classic Point Standings

1. Dan Benson – 117.5 points
2. Nick O’Hare – 102 points
3. John Haack – 102 points
4. Benjamin Donin – 100 points
5. Jim Mitchell – 98.5 points
6. Mike Deli – 98 points
7. Tyler Davis – 91 points
8. CJ Krause – 89 points
9. Leigh Shaw -87.5 points
10. Tyler Young – 83 points

John Haack’s Performance

The lineup for the 2023 U90KG Kaos Classic was huge, having featured 23 athletes. So, John Haack managed to outperform 20 of his rivals. In fact, he almost finished in second place, but John and Nick O’Hare had the same points in the end. Unfortunately, John lost the tie-breaker and dropped down to third place.

Event One — Max Log Press

The first event of the competition was the Log Press for max weight. John Haack managed to lock out 130 kilograms (286.6 pounds) and tie for 11th place. The Log Press is a very technical event. So, Haack’s adaptation to it in a short time is praiseworthy.

Related: Powerlifter John Haack Cracks 415-kg (914.9-lb) Raw Deadlift PR Ahead of 2023 Ghost Clash

Event Two — Axle Deadlift

The second event was more up John Haack’s alley, as the deadlift is one of the three events in powerlifting as well. So, with the task being to perform as many reps with 290 kilograms (639.3 pounds), John managed to finish second. His final score was 10 repetitions, just one less than the winner of the event, Dan Benson.

However, Dan Benson and other athletes put on a deadlift suit for this event, while John Haack completed it with just a lifting belt and lifting straps.

Related: Powerlifter John Haack Cruises Through a Humongous 275-kg (606-lb) Raw Bench Press PR

Event Three — Husafell Distance

The third event tasked the athletes with picking up and carrying a 150-kilogram (330.7-pound) Sandbag Husafell and carrying it for max distance. John was surprisingly good in this event, finishing in third place with a distance of 65.90 meters.

Event Four — Farmer’s Carry

For the fourth event, the athletes had to pick up a 135-kilogram (297.6-pound) Farmer’s Carry implement in each hand and carry it for three lengths of 10 meters as quickly as possible. John Haack’s grip strength from raw deadlifts transferred well to this event, securing him a fourth-place finish with a time of 27.09 seconds.

Event Five — Yoke Into Sandbag Load

The fifth event was devastating for John Haack since he finished in 15th place and lost a lot of points. He was able to complete the 340-kilogram Yoke carry and one of the 120-kilogram Sandbag loads in a time of 21.26 seconds. Had he performed better in this event, John would have had a legitimate chance at winning the competition.

Event Six — Power Stairs

The final event of the competition was the Power Stairs, and John Haack spent some time preparing for them in training. So, it is no surprise that he won the event and took max points. In fact, it only took him 27.92 seconds to carry 160-kg / 170-kg / 180-kg implements up a flight of three stairs.

However, he then had to perform a Husafell Hold tiebreaker for second place against Nick O’Hare, but lost as he was the first man to drop the implement.

Related: Elite Powerlifter and Bodybuilder Hunter Henderson Wins Her Debut Strongwoman Competition

John Haack Powerlifting Competition History

It is not clear if John Haack plans on continuing his journey in Strongman, but he definitely has loads of talent for it. Powerlifting, however, remains his first love and he is also the undisputed champion of his weight class. There are numerous possibilities, so it remains to be seen what John thinks is best for him.