Former Cheetahs rugby player crowned World's Strongest Man
Rayno Nel, a former Cheetahs rugby player, has become the first African to win the World's Strongest Man title.
Nel switched to strongman competitions in 2023 and won South Africa's Strongest Man event twice before claiming the global title as a rookie.
The 30-year-old is over 1.9m tall and weighs 148kg.
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Former Cheetahs rugby player Rayno Nel has made history by becoming the first African to win the prestigious World's Strongest Man title.
The 30-year-old Nel ousted defending champion Tom Stoltman by half a point in the two-day final to claim the title in Sacramento, California on Sunday.
It was also the first victory by a rookie at the event since 1997.
Nel, who is 1.91m tall weighs 148kg, played loose forward for the Cheetahs and also captained CUT in the Varsity Cup for three seasons.
🥇🥈🥉 @SBDApparel | #WSM2025 pic.twitter.com/m94tL5nOx7
— SBD World's Strongest Man (@WorldsStrongest) May 19, 2025
'I'm just over the moon,' he told USA TODAY Sports.
'To represent (South Africa) in any way whatsoever, it feels surreal. I mean, we're a small country with a lot of struggles. To have something like this I know means a lot to my people.'
𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚: Rayno Nel is your 2025 @SBDApparel World's Strongest Man 🇿🇦🏆🌎 #WSM2025 pic.twitter.com/yxxEGTvvQw
— SBD World's Strongest Man (@WorldsStrongest) May 18, 2025
Nel switched to strongman competitions in 2023 and won South Africa's Strongest Man competition two years in a row.
'Rugby was what I thought I would do for my sport career. I didn't think I'd do any sport ever again. But I always had this competitive side to me, so when I stopped playing rugby, I knew I needed to do something competitive. That's just who I am,' he added.
Nel works as an electrical engineer.
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