The world's strongest men are coming to Ohio
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Ilya Khazov, a strongman who lives and trains in Columbus, pulls an ambulance at a summer event in Sandusky. Photo: Courtesy of Shores & Islands Ohio
The Strongman Champions League makes its U.S. debut in Ohio later this month, largely thanks to a Columbus power couple.
Why it matters: The league is the only global competition circuit for professional strongmen and has a big following. The premiere in Toledo and Sandusky will surely lift Ohio's reputation in the world of strength sports.
Flexing the news: Columbus has already built its own legacy for quite a while, strongman Ilya Khazov tells Axios.
- Khazov, also known as "Lion of Limassol," is the strongest man from Cyprus, a Mediterranean island nation. He lives and trains here during the league's offseason.
- He has hosted some events, and through his connections and networking, was able to lure the competition to the picturesque Lake Erie shores.
Flashback: Lily Starobin, one of the world's top female power lifters and Khazov's wife, is how Khazov ended up in Central Ohio.
- From Westside Barbell's innovations in the '80s, to the rise of local fitness giants like Rogue and EliteFTS, Columbus has been considered "mecca of powerlifting," Starobin, who moved here years ago, tells Axios.
- That was even before the Arnold Sports Festival took off.
How it works: The Strongman Champions League hosts 16 contests a year, each in a different country.
- Athletes collect points and a champion is crowned in November.
- The competitions are globally televised and available on Amazon Prime and Peacock, and BCSN and its app will broadcast Ohio's events.
Zoom in: Toledo will host a preview Sept. 19 and Sandusky will host the competitions Sept. 20, featuring spectacles like truck and ferry pulls and a dramatic keg toss into the bay.
- The festivities include family-friendly entertainment and food trucks.
- Events are free to attend, and Khazov and Starobin expect lots of Central Ohioans will be road tripping.
The bottom line: Though they aren't Ohio natives, both say they're "Ohio proud" and are excited to showcase local communities on a global stage — for the first time, and hopefully not the last.