William Kazmaier | |
---|---|
Born | Burlington, Wisconsin, U.S. | December 30, 1953
Nationality | American |
Other names | Kaz |
Occupation(s) | Strongman, powerlifter, wrestler, sports commentator |
Years active | 1978–1992 |
Height | 6 ft 2.5 in (189 cm) |
Children | 1 |
Billed height | 6 ft 3 in (191 cm)[1] |
Billed weight | 326 lb (148 kg)[1] |
Billed from | Burlington, Wisconsin |
Trained by | Brad Rheingans[1] Verne Gagne[1] |
Debut | 1986[1] |
Retired | 1992[1] |
Competition record | ||
---|---|---|
Strongman | ||
Representing United States | ||
World's Strongest Man | ||
3rd | 1979 World's Strongest Man | |
1st | 1980 World's Strongest Man | |
1st | 1981 World's Strongest Man | |
1st | 1982 World's Strongest Man | |
2nd | 1988 World's Strongest Man | |
4th | 1989 World's Strongest Man | |
World Muscle Power Championships | ||
3rd | 1985 | |
1st | 1988 | |
4th | 1989 | |
4th | 1990 | |
6th | 1992 | |
Le Defi Mark Ten International | ||
1st | 1987 | |
2nd | 1990 | |
Pure Strength | ||
2nd | 1987 | |
1st | 1988 w/Stuart Thompson | |
2nd | 1989 w/O.D. Wilson | |
1st | 1990 w/O.D. Wilson | |
World Strongman Challenge | ||
3rd | 1988 | |
2nd | 1990 | |
Scottish Power Challenge | ||
1st | 1984 | |
1st | 1985 | |
1st | 1986 | |
1st | 1987 | |
1st | 1988 | |
1st | 1989 | |
Strongbow Strongman[2][3] | ||
1st | 1980 | |
1st | 1981 | |
Iceland's Strongest Man | ||
1st | 1988 | |
Powerlifting | ||
Representing United States | ||
IPF World Powerlifting Championships[4] | ||
1st | 1979 | +110kg |
1st | 1983 | +125kg |
USPF National Powerlifting Championships[4] | ||
1st | 1983 | +125kg |
AAU National Powerlifting Championships[4] | ||
1st | 1978 Juniors | 125kg |
1st | 1978 Seniors | 125kg |
1st | 1983 Seniors | +125kg |
William Kazmaier (born December 30, 1953) is an American former world champion powerlifter, world champion strongman and professional wrestler. During his illustrious career, he set over 40 powerlifting and strongman world records, and won two International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) World Championships and three World's Strongest Man titles. In the 1980s, Kazmaier became famous for his claim to be "the strongest man who ever lived" by equaling and surpassing spectacular and versatile feats of strength of famous strongmen of the 20th century. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest strength athletes of all-time,[5] and was inducted into the International Sports Hall of Fame in 2017.[6]