The 2023 Europe’s Strongest Man competition is set to take place tomorrow, April 1st at the First Direct Arena, in Leeds, England. However, the lineup will look significantly different from the one that was announced almost two months ago. Since then, the one of the greatest competitions in the world experienced some athlete withdrawals, with the most recent one being Rauno Heinla.
Known as a very consistent competitor, Rauno Heinla was definitely supposed to put on a show at the 2023 Europe’s Strongest Man. However, he has decided to prioritize his health and not put his body under any unnecessary stress.
The reason for Rauno Heinla’s withdrawal from the 2023 Europe’s Strongest Man competition was attributed to an unspecified illness. So, it seems to be just a stroke of bad luck for Heinla, as the illness caught up with him in the final days leading up to the contest. Rauno has not yet released a statement, but the withdrawal was officially announced by the organizer, Giants Live. So far, Giants Live hasn’t revealed who will replace Rauno or if there will be one.
Related: Strongman Pavlo Nakonechnyy Announces Withdrawal From 2023 Europe’s Strongest Man
What’s Next For Rauno Heinla?
Rauno Heinla is still registered to compete at the 2023 World’s Strongest Man competition on April 19-23, in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. With three weeks to go before the competition, Rauno appears to have enough time to regain his health. However, he will still want to bring an incredible shape to the competition. So, the upcoming few weeks will be very difficult for him.
Despite competing professionally for the past 14 years, this will be just the second appearance at the WSM for Rauno Heinla. His first one took place in 2011, following which he encountered some setbacks. He even encountered instances where he was invited, but injuries prevented him from competing. Hopefully, that won’t be the case this time as well.
Rauno Heinla At A Glance
Overall, Rauno Heinla took part in 50 International Strongman competitions and came out with four victories. Apart from that, Rauno also stood on countless podiums and earned many medals throughout his career.
However, he is mostly recognized for his stationary strength, as there are not many athletes who are on his level. Most notably, Rauno excels in the deadlift event, as he claimed the Masters’ World Record of 476 kilograms (1,049.4 pounds) at the 2022 Giants Live World Deadlift Championships.
Related: Strongman Rauno Heinla Sets a Massive 580-kg (1,278.7-lb) Silver Dollar Deadlift World Record
The 2023 Europe’s Strongest Man show will certainly not be the same without Rauno Heinla, but it will no less be an incredible spectacle. Additionally, it still remains to be seen what the severity of Rauno’s illness is and if he will be able to take part in the WSM.
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