Hjalti Arnason

CompetitionRecordCompetition| NPF Nordic Powerlifting Championships is an Icelandic former strongman, powerlifter and a strength sports promoter.

Known by the nickname 'The Great Ursus', Hjalti coached and trained together with Jón Páll Sigmarsson. He won the highly acclaimed Le Defi Mark Ten International in 1988 and podiumed at World Muscle Power Championships in 1990. Hjalti also competed with Magnús Ver Magnússon in Pure Strength team competitions in 1989 & 1990, and won gold and silver. He grew up in the same neighbourhood as Jón Páll Sigmarsson and they attended the same school. His sports career began with training in karate and he also participated in soccer, handball, and track and field.

Career 1983–1985 Hjalti had a talent for powerlifting and shot to fame when he began competing internationally from 1983. In that year, he came first in the Junior European Championships and made the senior national team, and won third place at 1983 NPF Nordic championships. Hjalti won third at 1985 EPF Europe's however he noticed how powerlifting had little money or publicity associated with it and began began to compete in Strongman to make a living as a semi-professional. Along-with his good friend, Jón Páll, he began to make waves in the higher-profile world of the World's Strongest Man competition and its associated circuit.

In 1985, Hjalti competed in the very first Iceland's Strongest Man contest and was second to Jón Páll whilst Magnús Ver Magnússon came third. He would repeat podium finishes in this contest a total of 9 times whilst in the company of two men who between them won the World's Strongest Man title eight times.

1986 Hjalti's forays into strongman consisted of a mixture of Strength athletics including Highland Games. It was noted that he primarily relied on his 'brute strength' and sacrificed technique and suffered from a lack of proper, regular coaching. which featured several unique events including the sward and chalice hold, scrum push, lumberjack's log chop, and sack, hay and barrel loading race. At Kraftur championships he placed fourth.

At 1989 Icelandic Powerlifting Championships, Hjalti became the first Icelander to total in powerlifting.

1990 At 1990 EPF Europe's powerlifting championships, Hjalti won the bronze medal in the +125 kg weight class. Him and Magnús Ver won second place at the 1990 Pure Strength team championships and he won third place at 1990 World Muscle Power Classic. He also secured his sixth consecutive Iceland's Strongest Man podium finish.

1991 After placing third at 1991 World Strongman Challenge, Hjalti won bronze again in 1991 EPF Europe's powerlifting championships in the +125 kg weight class. During 1991 IPF World Powerlifting championships held in Örebro, Sweden, Hjalti squatted . He placed fifth at 1991 Europe's Strongest Man, fourth at 1991 World Viking Challenge and secured his seventh consecutive Iceland's Strongest Man podium finish.

1992–1995 Hjalti placed eighth at 1992 Kraftur championships and volunteered to take part as an event tester, alongside his friend Mark Higgins.

In 1993 World Viking Challenge, Hjalti placed fifth to Magnús Ver, Andrés Guðmundsson, Riku Kiri and Manfred Hoeberl.

Hjalti placed second at 1994 Le Defi Mark Ten International and won 1995 Icelandic Power Trial Championships.

1996 In his only appearance at the World's Strongest Man competition in 1996, Hjalti gave a good battle but couldn't qualify for the finals. Prior to 1994 in his prime, WSM had a limited field with no heats. As such countries were rarely granted multiple competitor places. For Hjalti, this left him in the shadow of Jón Páll and Magnús Ver, where David Webster described it as a pity saying "Hjalti was undoubtedly one of the world's strongest men". Machine Squat – (1991 World Strongman Challenge) Car walk – for 30 metres in 28.7 seconds (1993 World Viking Challenge) Log press – (1993 World Viking Challenge) Húsafell Stone carry – for (1993 World Viking Challenge) → Hjalti has carried the Húsafell Stone during training in late 80s Natural stone loading to 4 ft platform – (1991 World Viking Challenge) Braemar Stone throw – for (1988 Le Defi Mark Ten International) Weight over bar – over (1991 World Viking Challenge) Caber toss – for (1987 Viking Power Challenge) Sheaf toss – light sheaf over (1987 World Muscle Power Classic) Scottish hammer throw – super-heavy hammer for (1991 World Viking Challenge)

Personal life and career after sport From his marriage to Ethel Karlsdóttir, Hjalti has two sons, Greipur (born 1989) and Árni (born 1992). After divorcing, he moved in with his girlfriend, Halla Heimisdóttir. His brother is a noted musician in Iceland. and to this date organizes and hosts the countries main Strongman title Iceland's Strongest Man.