Strongman excels in late call-up to UK competition

A body builder says he is "mega proud" after receiving a late call-up to the UK's Strongest Man competition and then battling through to reach the final.

Drew Redfern pulled a 20-tonne lorry and shoulder-pressed a 150kg motorbike in the televised final at the Braehead Arena in Glasgow on Sunday, and was awarded the Geoff Capes Sword by fans for his efforts.

The 31-year-old joiner, from Ashbourne, Derbyshire, said it had been an amazing, albeit unexpected, experience in a packed stadium of "fantastic" supporters.

"It's been the competition that I'm most pleased with myself, put it that way. It's definitely the highlight of my strongman career so far," he said.

In November, Redfern came fifth at the England's Strongest Man competition held in Doncaster, missing out on qualification for the UK competition but listed as first reserve.

The 6ft 2in (1.87m) athlete, who weights 22st (142kg), competed in back-to-back tournaments at the turn of the year but then relaxed his training, given he had no other scheduled tournaments.

Then four weeks before the quarter-finals of the UK event, he was called by organisers asking if he was available due to a late drop-out.

"I would obviously never turn it down. You never know when it's going to be your last, do you?" he said.

He progressed through the quarter-finals on 1 and 2 August and then finished second in the semi-final on Saturday to qualify for the finals the following day.

"It felt incredible. I was hoping to get to the semis, and then when I got into the finals, I was absolutely over the moon," he said.

The torturous challenges began soon after his semi-final triumph, dragging a 20-tonne lorry a distance of 20m on Saturday evening, in a pre-recorded event for Sunday's final.

Other final events included a 40m farmers walk carrying a 125kg weight in each hand, shoulder pressing a 150kg motorbike and carrying five concrete "dragon eggs" which ranged from 110kg to 150kg.

"The dragon eggs, I really struggled with that because they're such an unusual shape," said Redfern.

He stuck to his pre-event 5000 calories-per-day diet of eggs, sourdough bread, protein, Greek yoghurt, rice, mince and chicken, but admitted sneaking in a last-minute treat.

"My nutritionist doesn't actually know this yet - hopefully he doesn't read this before I speak to him - but I had some doughnuts," he said.

"They were easy to eat, easy to get down and it just sat with me quite well."

Redfern finished 8th in the final and the audience voted for him to be awarded the the Geoff Capes Sword, a prize named in honour of the British shot-putter and two-time World's Strongest Man.

"I was dead pleased with that," Redfern said. "One of the commentators said, 'You're still a late call-up and you've made the final - it's incredible.'"

He thanked the crowds in the stadium and said he could not have competed without the support of his girlfriend, Kerry Harrison, and her children.

"It's definitely reignited the fire inside me to go and compete again next year," he said.

In the meantime, after a gruelling and unexpected fortnight, Redfern has made plans to recuperate at a spa with his partner.

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