Gerrit Badenhorst

Gerrit Badenhorst (born 10 October 1962) is a South African former powerlifter and strongman. Badenhorst was WPC world champion and a runner-up at the World's Strongest Man competition. He also won World Strongman Challenge, World Mighty Man and South Africa's Strongest Man eight times in the national circuit.

Some strength analysts and historians regard Badenhorst as the best athlete to have never won World's Strongest Man title.

Powerlifting Badenhorst was born on 10 October 1962 in De Aar, Northern Cape, South Africa. As a sportsman he played rugby union, but excelled in the sports of weightlifting and powerlifting.

Before Badenhorst competed for South Africa internationally on the strongman stage, he first represented his country as a powerlifter. Between 1988 and 1990, Badenhorst won three world titles in the World Powerlifting Congress organization. In so doing, he broke world records in the squat at , and the deadlift at 402.5 kg (887.4 lb). Badenhorst was also a seven time World's Strongest Man finalist, coming second at the 1995 World's Strongest Man and third at the 1996 World's Strongest Man where he established the inaugural strongman deadlift world record from the standard 9 inch height with .

In strength athletics Badenhorst had already made an impact in South Africa having been crowned South Africa's Strongest Man in 1989, 1990 and 1992. At the 1992 World's Strongest Man as a newcomer he placed fourth. In 1993 he won the highly regarded World Strongman Challenge and entered the 1993 World's Strongest Man contest as one of the favourites but had to retire due to an injury in the Pole Push.

Personal records Powerlifting Squat – single ply squat suit, with knee wraps (1990 WPC World Championships) Bench Press – single ply shirt (1990 WPC World Championships) Deadlift – raw (1990 WPC World Championships) Total – single ply except for the deadlift (1990 WPC World Championships, Italy)

Strongman Flintstone Deadlift – raw with straps (1996 World's Strongest Man) (former strongman world record) Block press – (1998 IFSA Grand Prix Hungary) (former world record) → First man in history to block press Power stairs (3 x duck walks / total of 15 steps) – 21.37 seconds (1993 World Strongman Challenge) (World Record) Car flip – x 1 time in 11.51 seconds (1996 World's Strongest Man) (World Record) Keg toss – over (1999 IFSA Hungary Grand Prix) Keg toss – over (1997 European Open)

Personal life Badenhorst is married to Olivia, and loves to spend his time with his two Yorkshire Terriers in the outdoors.

Honours 8 times South Africa's Strongest Man (1989, 1990, 1992–1995, 1998 and 2001) 4th place 1992 World's Strongest Man 8th place (withdrew due to injury) 1993 World's Strongest Man 4th place 1994 World's Strongest Man 2nd place 1995 World's Strongest Man 3rd place 1996 World's Strongest Man 7th place 2000 World's Strongest Man DNP (qualified for finals, injured during heats) 1998 World's Strongest Man