Hafthor Bjornsson is a well-known basketball player, strongman, and actor from Iceland. He became the first individual to win the Arnold Strongman Classic, Europe’s Strongest Man, and the World’s Strongest Man in the same year. He is also recognized for portraying The Mountain in Game of Thrones. As of 2022, Hafthor Bjornsson has a net worth of $2 million.
Background
Bjornsson was born on November 26, 1988, in Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland. He got good physical genetics from his parents, Bjorn and Ragnheidur, who are both very tall. As a child, he helped with their family farm outside of Reykjavik.
He put his stature to use by learning basketball. Hafthor played the center position for his senior team in the Division I Club in 2004. He turned pro in 2005 by becoming a member of the FSu Selfoss.
The sportsman sustained a broken bone during play, necessitating surgery. Injuries became a recurring problem in his basketball career. He got to be part of his country’s U-18 national team and played in the European Championships. He eventually retired because of an ankle injury.
Strongman Career
In 2010, he made a striking strongman debut by winning the Strongest Man in Iceland, Westfjords Viking, Iceland’s Strongest Viking, and five events at the OK Badur Strongman Championships. He moved on to bigger stages after this.
After receiving a wild card invitation to the 2011 World’s Strongest Man competition, he joined and finished sixth overall. He persistently came back the following years. From 2012 to 2017, he only got runner-up positions.
It was in 2018 that he became the buzz of the strongman industry. After winning Europe’s Strongest Man, he conquered his first World’s Strongest Man title. In the same season, he became the champion of the Arnold Strongman Classic.
Acting Career
In August 2013, he was chosen to play Ser Gregor “The Mountain” Clegane in season four of HBO’s Game of Thrones. With his performances in seasons four to eight, he became the first star to play Clegane for more than one season.
Then, in the Philadelphia Renaissance Faire, he played the starring role of King Thor in 2015. In 2017, he was cast as Mongkut in Kickboxer: Retaliation. Around this time, Hafthor Bjornsson revealed that he was suffering from Bell’s palsy, a condition that paralyzes one side of his face.
Boxing Career
Sources stated that the athlete had shed 121 pounds in September 2021 throughout the course of 18 months in preparation for a boxing debut. He was set to fight arm wrestler Devon Larratt. Bjornsson clinched the match in the first round.
His next fight is against fellow former World’s Strongest Man Eddie Hall. The two have some sort of rivalry. With a 501 kg lift, Hafthor broke Eddie’s deadlift record of 500 kg in 2020. They are set to fight on March 19, 2022.
Personal Life
Kelsey Henson, a Canadian waitress, is Bjornsson’s partner. They announced their marriage in 2018. The couple had their first child together in 2020, a boy named Stormur Magni. Hafthor also has a daughter with his ex-girlfriend Thelma Bjork Steimann.
