2020 Arnold Strongman Classic
The 2020 Arnold Strongman Classic was a strongman contest that took place in Columbus, Ohio, from March 6–7, 2020 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center. The Arnold Strongman Classic is the finale of the Arnold Strongman Tour and is seen as one of the biggest and most prestigious strongmen events on the circuit.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year's competition was closed to general spectators with the crowd consisting of athletes' family or team members.
Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson won the competition for the third time, becoming only the second man to win the competition three consecutive times after Žydrūnas Savickas, with Mateusz Kieliszkowski finishing close behind in second place, despite winning 4 of the 6 events outright.
Qualifying
To qualify for the Arnold Strongman Classic athletes have to either win a sanctioned event on the Arnold Classic Tour or gain enough points to be invited through a wildcard system. Athletes that qualified and their method for qualification are as follows:| Name | Nationality | Method of Qualification |
| Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson |  | 2019 Arnold Strongman Classic Champion |
| Rob Kearney |  | 2019 Arnold Classic Australia Champion |
| Bobby Thompson | | 2019 Arnold Amateur World Champion |
| Oleksii Novikov |  | 2019 Arnold Classic South America Champion |
| Mateusz Kieliszkowski |  | 2019 Arnold Classic Africa Runner-Up |
| JF Caron |  | 2019 Arnold Pro Strongman Forts Warwick Champion |
| Mikhail Shivlyakov |  | 2019 Arnold Pro Strongman Europe Fourth-Place Finisher |
| Martins Licis | | 2020 Arnold Pro Strongman USA Champion |
| Matjaz Belsak |  | First Place, Season Qualifying Points |
| Jerry Pritchett | | Second Place, Season Qualifying Points |
Event Results
Event 1: Trial by Stone
- Weight: 1 x stone overhead press, 1 x stone overhead press, 1 x natural stone load, 1 x natural stone load, 1 x Husafell Stone carry.
- Time Limit: 60 seconds per stone.
- Course Length:
- Notes: Stones must be attempted in ascending order. Each stone apparatus is worth a differing number of points, the order of the event will be determined by number of points, then time.
| # | Name | Nationality | Points | Event Pts | Overall Pts |
| 1 | Mateusz Kieliszkowski | Poland | 10 in 0m 53.72 | 10 | 10 |
| 2 | Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson | Iceland | 10 in 0m 55.47 | 9 | 9 |
| 3 | Rob Kearney | United States | 10 in 2m 11.00 | 8 | 8 |
| 4 | JF Caron | Canada | 10 in 2m 19.00 | 7 | 7 |
| 5 | Oleksii Novikov | Ukraine | 8 | 6 | 6 |
| 6 | Jerry Pritchett | United States | 7 | 4.5 | 4.5 |
| 6 | Martins Licis | United States | 7 | 4.5 | 4.5 |
| 8 | Bobby Thompson | United States | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| 9 | Matjaz Belsak | Slovenia | 1 | 1.5 | 1.5 |
| 9 | Mikhail Shivlyakov | Russia | 1 | 1.5 | 1.5 |
Event 2: Bag Over Bar
- Weight: going up in increments.
- Bar Height:
- Time Limit: 30 seconds per throw
- Notes: All athletes start at. Athletes are allowed to skip weights
| # | Name | Nationality | Weight Thrown | Event Pts | Overall Pts |
| 1 | Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson | Iceland | 10 | 19 | |
| 2 | Mikhail Shivlyakov | Russia | 9 | 10.5 | |
| 3 | JF Caron | Canada | 7.5 | 14.5 | |
| 3 | Mateusz Kieliszkowski | Poland | 7.5 | 17.5 | |
| 5 | Martins Licis | United States | 6 | 10.5 | |
| 6 | Rob Kearney | United States | 3.5 | 11.5 | |
| 6 | Oleksii Novikov | Ukraine | 3.5 | 9.5 | |
| 6 | Bobby Thompson | United States | 3.5 | 6.5 | |
| 6 | Jerry Pritchett | United States | 3.5 | 8 | |
| 10 | Matjaz Belsak | Slovenia | N/A | 1 | 2.5 |
Event 3: Wheel of Pain
- Weight: for max distance.
- Time Limit: 60 seconds.
- Notes: Athletes are only to push using their hands and shoulders, the usage of the neck is not allowed.
| # | Name | Nationality | Distance | Event Pts | Overall Pts |
| 1 | Mateusz Kieliszkowski | Poland | 10 | 27.5 | |
| 2 | Martins Licis | United States | 9 | 19.5 | |
| 3 | Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson | Iceland | 8 | 27 | |
| 4 | Oleksii Novikov | Ukraine | 7 | 16.5 | |
| 5 | Rob Kearney | United States | 6 | 17.5 | |
| 6 | Matjaz Belsak | Slovenia | 5 | 7.5 | |
| 7 | Jerry Pritchett | United States | 4 | 12 | |
| 8 | Bobby Thompson | United States | 3 | 9.5 | |
| 9 | JF Caron | Canada | 2 | 16.5 | |
| 10 | Mikhail Shivlyakov | Russia | 1 | 11.5 |
Event 4: Elephant Bar Deadlift
- Time Limit: 60 seconds per lift
- Notes: 3 lifts per athlete. Figure-8 straps and deadlift suit are not allowed.
| # | Name | Nationality | Weight Lifted | Event Pts | Overall Pts |
| 1 | Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson | Iceland | 10 | 37 | |
| 2 | JF Caron | Canada | 9 | 25.5 | |
| 3 | Mikhail Shivlyakov | Russia | 8 | 19.5 | |
| 4 | Bobby Thompson | United States | 7 | 16.5 | |
| 5 | Rob Kearney | United States | 6 | 23.5 | |
| 6 | Martins Licis | United States | 4.5 | 24 | |
| 6 | Jerry Pritchett | United States | 4.5 | 16.5 | |
| 8 | Mateusz Kieliszkowski | Poland | 3 | 30.5 | |
| 9 | Oleksii Novikov | Ukraine | 2 | 18.5 | |
| 10 | Matjaz Belsak | Slovenia | N/A | 1 | 8.5 |
Event 5: Frame Carry
- Weight:
- Course Length: ramp.
- Time Limit: 30 seconds
- Notes: No straps are allowed. Fastest time wins, then distance
| # | Name | Nationality | Time | Event Pts | Overall Pts |
| 1 | Mateusz Kieliszkowski | Poland | 0m 7.00 | 10 | 40.5 |
| 2 | Jerry Pritchett | United States | 0m 10.31 | 9 | 25.5 |
| 3 | Martins Licis | United States | 0m 17.37 | 8 | 32 |
| 4 | Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson | Iceland | DNF | 7 | 44 |
| 5 | JF Caron | Canada | DNF | 6 | 31.5 |
| 6 | Mikhail Shivlyakov | Russia | DNF | 5 | 24.5 |
| 7 | Oleksii Novikov | Ukraine | DNF | 4 | 22.5 |
| 8 | Bobby Thompson | United States | DNF | 3 | 19.5 |
| 9 | Matjaz Belsak | Slovenia | DNF | 2 | 10.5 |
| 10 | Rob Kearney | United States | N/A | 1 | 24.5 |
Event 6: Strategic Cyr Dumbell Challenge
- Weight:
- Time Limit: 1m 30 seconds
| # | Name | Nationality | Repetitions | Event Pts | Overall Pts |
| 1 | Mateusz Kieliszkowski | Poland | 1 rep | 10 | 50.5 |
| 2 | Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson | Iceland | 1 rep | 8.5 | 52.5 |
| 2 | Oleksii Novikov | Ukraine | 1 rep | 8.5 | 31 |
| 4 | Matjaz Belsak | Slovenia | 1 rep | 7 | 17.5 |
| 5 | Martins Licis | United States | 1 rep | 4.5 | 36.5 |
| 5 | Mikhail Shivlyakov | Russia | 1 rep | 4.5 | 29 |
| 5 | Bobby Thompson | United States | 1 rep | 4.5 | 24 |
| 5 | Rob Kearney | United States | 1 rep | 4.5 | 29 |
| 9 | Jerry Pritchett | United States | N/A | 1.5 | 27 |
| 9 | JF Caron | Canada | N/A | 1.5 | 33 |
^ Mateusz Kieliszkowski lift of is a new record for single cyr dumbbell press.