Nagys journey from carrying fridges to Rio Games

Hungarian Peter Nagy used to carry fridges, pull vehicles, toss kegs and engage in tug of war during his previous career as a contestant in the world’s strongest man competition.

The 30-year-old competed in seven editions, lifting everything from giant logs above his head to raising heavy stones onto platforms, before packing it in to focus on qualifying for the Olympics.

“Many years ago I played the sport. In 2009 I finished because I wanted to go to the Olympics. And after three years, I was there in London,” the weightlifter said.

Events range from having to pull a small plane behind you to hauling heavy weights up stairs to throwing kegs in a fashion reminiscent of tossing a caber in Scottish Highland Games.

“My favourite was the ‘Yoke’,” Nagy told AFP after competing in the men’s +105kg weightlifting Group B category at the Olympics on Tuesday.

“It’s when you lift a bar that has very heavy weights on each end and try to run as far as you can with them. My best was 25 metres with 420 kilos,” he said proudly.

“I did all of the events. It was a very good part of my life but the Olympics is better though!” Nagy added.

Nagy snatched 193kg and lifted 237 in the clean and jerk for a combined total of 420 to lie second before the Group A class gets under way later on Tuesday.