High hopes for Banbury strongman Paddy Haynes as he heads to UK's Strongest Man this weekend

The 27-year-old star of professional strongman secured his spot in the finals after dominating his qualifying heat last weekend in Milton Keynes.

Paddy, a former England’s Strongest Man champion and fifth at this year’s World’s Strongest Man, finished top of his eight-man group, four points above the highly experienced Paul Smith.

Now one of the UK’s leading names in strongman, Paddy will be hoping to wrestle the title from Smith, who has been declared the UK’s Strongest Man for the past three years.

Speaking about performing at UK Strongest Man in Nottingham next weekend, Paddy said: “I’m happy to have qualified for the semi-finals of the UK’s Strongest Man.

“I won my qualifying group with a solid performance, which puts me in a great spot going into next weekend.”

Paddy showed his class at the competition by dominating the deadlift and atlas stones events and coming in a close second in the farmer’s walk event.

At next weekend’s competition, Paddy will face off against 15 other athletes for a chance to lift the Ultimate Strongman UK’s Strongest Man title.

Previous winners of the tournament have included legendary strongman Eddie Hall, Gavin Bilton and the founder of the competition Glenn Ross.

To find out how Paddy gets on, the UK’s Strongest Man will be aired live on Channel Five from 1.30pm until 4.30pm on Saturday and Sunday.

For more information, visit: https://www.ultimatestrongman.tv/news/