Czech Strongest Man 2025 - or Strongman's Games Aš

On the same day that the World's Strongest Man 2025 finals started in Sacramento, where Ondřej Fojtů defended the Czech colours, the competition for the strongest Czech for 2025 was also held. Fans of strongman sports know, fans of strength sports may have a hunch, but if I put "Aš" as a hint, it starts to dawn in a wider circle of people, if I add the name of the main organizer and former elite strongman Čestmir Šíma, it must be clear almost everywhere.

After all, in the days of Čestmir's active racing he was impossible to miss, a giant, a titan. Nowadays he's much smaller, but still in great shape, so fit that he could compete in bodybuilding competitions... Plus, when he wasn't concentrating on the race, he was smiling all over the place. This is the 14th time that Čestmir and his team have held the very popular competition, still in the same place and still well prepared. The voice of the whole race was, also as usual, Leoš Kubeš.

The morning part was opened by amateur strongmen, who fought for a possible promotion among professionals. In the afternoon the spectators could watch the Czech professionals, the best that we can see in our country.

Amateurs

There were 25 amateur competitors in total, that's a good portion for a competition organization. But I already mentioned that the whole implementation team and all the loaders had the organization down to a science, so without long delays everything whizzed along as it should. The competitors competed in five events, which were designed solely to test the strength, endurance and overall preparedness of the competitors, and more than once to test the limits of their abilities.

• Deadlift
• Viking press
• Barrel
• Medley
• Atlas stones

The preliminary list of disciplines doesn't say much, so let's describe each discipline.

Deadlift

How else to hit a competitor right from the start? By deadlifting for the maximum number of repetitions. The competitors had to complete as many repetitions as possible with a barbell loaded to 260 kg in one minute. Yes, you heard right and for amateurs. But I have to say that only 3 competitors failed to complete any reps. The others did at least one, the best ones got to ten, and that's great... Split third place for 8 valid attempts Luboš Kučera and Daniel Kollarik.

Shared second place Richard Tabaček and Martin Balász, great 9 repetitions. Kryštof Ptáček took the first place on the discipline, he managed great 11 repetitions and settled in the race lead. Unfortunately, right after the first discipline there was an injury, when Ondra Batelka's hamstring cramped and he had to withdraw from the race.

Viking press

Viking press is one of the hardest disciplines to judge. Unlike the barbell expressions, under-jumping, the so-called double-dipping, is forbidden here. In addition to counting, the judges must also pay attention to technique and correct execution. But Chester, as the main judge, has taken care of that just fine. Moreover, I have to add that in Aš the Viking press was not just an ordinary construction with discs, here instead of weights they used 3 wooden logs, moreover it was lifted with the back to the logs and facing the spectators, which can be different for the competitors, because the lever is the other way around. Well, if the competitors blew their backs off in the last event, why not destroy their shoulders too....

Even some competitors could be seen flexing so mightily without buckling that for a while it seemed like a benchpress standing up without a bench :-). Third place went to Damian Polidar with 15 reps. The second place went to Luboš Kučera, who managed 16 stunts. The strongest shoulders of the morning part were shown by Matěj Brabec, who announced 17 reps in advance and kept them.

Sud

Carrying the barrel for the maximum distance was supposed to destroy the legs and lungs of the competitors who still had some strength left after the last two disciplines. The barrel weighed 120 kg. This is where the hungry ones, who walk to shop and carry their heavy purchases full of meat in bags, could make the most of their strength. I'm kidding, of course. It was a 15-meter route around the cones back and forth until the competitor dropped the barrel or put it down. Michal Neubauer did the best, walking 67.2 meters and taking the bronze medal for the event. Daniel Kollarik managed 69.6 metres and took silver. Kryštof Ptáček took the win and full points for his impressive 90 metres performance.

Medley

The pressure medley, which is very attractive for the watching spectators, was additionally spiced up with interesting parts. The competitor had to get the following over his head in this order: hammer, 65kg single handed, 90kg stone, 120kg axle, 120kg log and hammer. The particular hammer that everyone managed was a smaller copy of Thor's hammer. For about a third of the field, then, the classic one-handed hammer was beyond their capabilities, as it could be moved with both hands, but only one hand was required to go overhead.

The stone then decimated the starting field and only the best advanced. Axle and log most of the competitors can do, but we have to take into account that this is the fourth and fifth part of the medley. And the big Thor's hammer, which could be lifted with both hands in any way above the head, was just the icing on the cake. Matěj Brabec managed to conquer five parts and took the second place. Another victory and a completely completed discipline, i.e. Kryštof Ptáček was the only one who managed to get the big hammer above his head. Another victory on the discipline.

Atlas Stones

The Atlas Stones, which were held in pairs directly in front of the spectators, were a spectacle in themselves. Beautifully staged, prepared. The competitors had to stack 5 concrete balls one by one on different high pedestals. Always the lighter the ball, the higher the pedestal. 100, 120, 140, 160 and 180 kg were lifted.

In this discipline it was great to count the intermediate times for the individual stones, because half of the starting field would have the same result. 3 stones were managed by the vast majority of competitors, but the third place went for 4 pieces, humbled by Ivan Dávidík, he managed 3 balls in a time of 59,06, just before the end of the time limit. Martin Balász was faster, he managed the same number in 44,87 and took the second place. The only one to beat the whole discipline, including the 180 kg heavy cat, is none other than Kryštof Ptáček again.

It was a great duel and a show of strength. The fight for the first place was clear, but the other placings were really a fight to the last point. The third place overall went to Daniel Kokllarik, collecting a total of 94 points. Matěj Brabec managed to score one more point, 95. But the winner of the race Kryštof Ptáček showed everyone that he simply had no competition today, taking a total of 120.5 points. Congratulations

Results

Professionals

The afternoon part of the day was filled with professionals. The disciplines were similar, only much harder. Petr Toman, who last year reigned at the same place among amateurs, made his debut among the pros. Among the 13 competitors there were 12 Czechs and one Pole. The starting field was literally packed with famous names. The title from last year was defended by Stepan Bystrinets, but the giant titan Lubos Klinecky, who was definitely the biggest and the toughest of the whole starting field, wanted to fight for the highest ranks.

He could be compared with Čestmir. Not to forget Pavel Zadražil, the matador of strongman sport, or Jamal Emil Barták was also ready to fight. I have named one Pole, it is none other than Robert Cyrwus Kropek, who cut his teeth for the top post.

A dead move

In the afternoon the pros reported their 3 attempts, the deadlift this time was not for the number of reps but for the maximum weight. And it was definitely something to watch. Zdenda Vávara didn't participate in this disicpline because he brought a broken finger from Hungary last week. The others competed and 320 to 370 was the standard result of the whole competition. However, the first three places did not start with a three, but with a four. Third place Robert Cyrwus equal 400 kg. Lubos Klinecky had definitely trained hard and reported 405 kg, which he kept, taking second place. Jan Lacina won the discipline for a fantastic 410 kg, moreover very lightly lifted from the look of it.

Viking press

This discipline was identical to the morning one, only instead of three logs, 5 were loaded straight. At the same time, the rules stipulated that the competitor could only do the maximum number of repetitions within the time limit of one minute, but only until the first time the viking rests on the mat, it's over. The third place for 8 reps went to Lubos Klinecky, 10 reps to Robert Cyrwus and a great 12 reps to Stepan Bystrinets, who has really massively strong arms and incidentally is grinding out a 200 kg competition record on the log lift.

Super Yoke

The famous Asha super yoke, the one with wheels because the loaders are not able to tighten it... and even if they did, the service was done for 13 competitors. But to reduce the risk of destroying the podium or the yoke itself, the super yoke was only allowed to be laid once, the second laying meant measuring the distance. Ideally, if a competitor wanted to score, they had to walk 2x the 12.5 metre distance. Oh, no problem, except I haven't mentioned the weight yet, it was 500 kg, so half a ton to carry on your back. Now, who's smile is going to get a little stiff? Now it's clear that it was more about inches than time for the whole course.

Let's be honest, given that single-position condition. I might just add that laying down at the end of a 12.5 metre course did not count as laying down. There were no zeros dropped on the discipline, i.e. everyone moved, some by a little, but they moved. The third place went to Stepan Bystrinets for a luxurious 15.3 meters. Second place Jan Lacina, who brought the yoke to 16,7 meters. The only one who brought the yoke to the finish line and still in basically half the time was Robert Cyrwus, he managed 25 meters in 33.4 seconds.

Cross

Barrels were carried in the morning and a huge metal cross weighing 170 kg in the afternoon. The weight wasn't too bad for the competitors, but those lungs, try breathing when you have a huge metal cross clutched to your chest. I can't... really. Plus, the maximum distance means the racer is fighting with his head... The likes of Stepan Bystrinets decided that breathing is for the weak and so he shut down solidly during the discipline, but more fighters came very close.

That's how competitive strongman is. In the end, three competitors, Frantisek Novy, a local fighter from Aš, Robert Cyrwus and Emil Jamal Barták, shared the third place for equal 45 meters. Luboš Klinecký narrowly took the second place with 45.2 metres. But a fantastic 60 meters was performed by Jan Lacina, who raced very well.

Medley

Pressure medley spiced with hammers. A small hammer, which the competitors tore straight from the ground, a big hammer, which troubled even the favorites of the race. Then a stone weighing 110 kg followed by an axel and a log, both weighing the same 140 kg, and finally an 85 kg one-handed bench press for the maximum number of repetitions. The competitor had 90 seconds to do all this. The log and axle was actually light for everyone but they had to work their way up to it. The stumbling block was that big Thor hammer, as most of the fighters left a lot of force or time on it.

Split second place was for 3 parts, so Emil Barták, Pavel Zadražil and Zdenek Vávra mastered both hammers and the stone. The only one who mastered all parts again was Jan Lacoš Lacina and took full points. I deliberately don't mention the third place because 2 parts, i.e. both hammers, were given by half of the starting field... Maybe next time think about intermediate times on all parts of the medley. But more just to give you an idea, it's certainly not a criticism of a well prepared race. Plus, it looks like Robert Cyrwus tore or tore his biceps on this disicpline.

Atlas stones

The finish was the same as in the morning, only 20 kg heavier. It started at 120 kg and ended at 200 kg. Just a small note, that 200 kg of atlas stone was a Czech record not so long ago, nowadays it is part of the race day, moreover at the very end, when the strength is already hunting in the debt trap of the subsequent recovery. Since the intermediate times counted here, it was quite clear. Unfortunately, Robert Cyrwus didn't start again and therefore dropped out of the overall standings.

During the discussions, it became apparent that it hadn't happened before that a Pole hadn't been on the box, meaning in general. Third place in the discipline for the fastest 3 stones was awarded to Lubos Klinecky, who can definitely do more, but from what I heard his hamstring was not quite right either. The second place went to Emil Barták, who unloaded 4 stones. The only one who managed to do everything again, Honza Lacina, all 5 stones and another victory on the discipline.

The main event of the professionals was also finished. Those who read carefully know which name was mentioned the most. He's basically a young kid with huge potential for the future. This year's winner of the Czech Strongest Man title is Jan Lacina. Congratulations. Honza scored a total of 74 points. The second place and collection of 62,5 points belongs to the giant from Hlinsko - Lubos Klinecki. Third place Emil Jamal Barták, Emil accumulated 51,5 points and took the bronze.

Čestmir, thank you for another wonderful race with a great tradition and we are all looking forward to next year's event to see what you and your whole implementation team will be able to prepare.

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