1. Svend Viking Karlsen was born on 6 October 1967 and is a Norwegian former strongman, powerlifter, bodybuilder and 2001 World's Strongest Man.
18 Facts About Svend Karlsen
1. 2.
Once he started showing remarkable strength gains, Svend Karlsen started out as a powerlifter in 1986, winning a number of titles and setting 30 Norwegian records, 3 European records, and 1 world record by 1989.
3.
Svend Karlsen traveled on the road doing posing exhibitions with some bodybuilding friends to help pay the bills.
4.
Svend Karlsen won the Mr Norway title, and took second place at the World Games.
5.
Svend Karlsen moved to California to focus on his bodybuilding career, and his first pro show was the IFBB Night of Champions.
6.
Svend Karlsen suffered a severe muscle tear that forced him to retire from bodybuilding, and in 1996 he quickly moved on to strongman competitions.
7.
Svend Karlsen competed in one of the 1996 World's Strongest Man qualifying heats and narrowly missed qualifying for the finals.
8.
Svend Karlsen won his first international podium at 1997 World Strongman Challenge.
9.
Svend Karlsen returned to 1999 World's Strongest Man in Valletta, Malta, finishing in third place behind Jouko Ahola and Janne Virtanen.
10.
Svend Karlsen managed to win the Super Yoke and final medley and emerged second at deadlift.
11.
Svend Karlsen won Super Yoke, Fingal's Fingers and Atlas Stones and was consistent across all the events.
12.
Svend Karlsen finally became victorious at the 2001 World's Strongest Man competition in Victoria Falls, Zambia defeating his good friend Magnus Samuelsson and Janne Virtanen, becoming the thirteenth man to win the title.
13.
Svend Karlsen was the second athlete inducted into the World's Strongest Man Hall of Fame in 2010 as voted by the fans.
14.
Svend Karlsen has a larger than life personality and, similar to his Nordic strongman predecessor Jon Pall Sigmarsson, is known for his catchphrase "Viking Power".
15.
Svend Karlsen retired from competition in 2006, and began serving as presenter and producer of the Norwegian version of the World's Strongest Man contest and the qualifying tour Giants Live.
16.
Svend Karlsen is the event organizer for the Norway's Strongest Man competition, introducing events and commentating.
17.
Svend Karlsen was a co-commentator for the final event at the 2010 Arnold Strongman Classic.
18.
Svend Karlsen ran the Viking Power Challenge event in Norway, which was a part of the Super Series and later Giants Live tour for qualification into the World's Strongest Man competition.