Hafthor Bjornsson - The Icelandic strongman has powered his name into the annals of folk history after he broke a thousand-year-old Viking weightlifting record in the beginning of this month.
Hafthor Bjornsson walked five steps with a 32-foot-long, 1,433-pound log on his back during the World Strongest Viking competition in Norway on Jan. 31 to break the earlier record and win the competition.
Promoter IIkka Kinnunen told IronMind.com about the significance of Bjornsson's achievement. "The record has been described in Icelandic Saga book. The legend of the Icelander Orm Storulffson says that he walked three steps with this monster wooden log which weighed over 650 kg and was 10m long...Thor [Bjornsson] carried the 650kg and 10m log for 5 steps. The result was unbelievable and puts Hafthor Julius Bjornsson in Viking history books," he said.
Bjornsson, who plays 'The Mountain That Rides' on The Game of Thrones, also commented on his achievement via Instagram.
"The legend of the Icelander Orm Storulfsson says that he walked three steps with this MONSTER WOODEN LOG which weighs over 600kg's/1320lbs!" he wrote on Monday." It took 50 mere mortals to help him placing it on his back! After he took his third step his back broke under the enormous pressure and he was never the same after that! Well today my friends I made history!! As well as winning the title of The World's Strongest Viking for the second time in a row I carried this MONSTER LOG 5 steps! My back help up fine!! As I'm on my way to my ultimate goal to win The World Strongest Man! NOTHING CAN STOP ME!! NOTHING CAN BREAK ME!!"
Bjornsson placed second in the World Strongest Man competition last year, but his impressive performance at the annual display of muscular strength is said to have landed him on The Game of Thrones.
According to CBS Sports, the management of the Indianapolis Colts had briefly contemplated on signing the Icelander in 2013 - despite the fact that he may have never actually played football.
