"He came in hungry," IFSA Managing Director Christian Fennell said of Vasyl Virastyuk, who put together strong days back to back and won the 2007 IFSA World Championships today, becoming the first person to win both this competition and the World's Strongest Man contest.


Vasyl Virastyuk won the IFSA World Championships today, followed by Michail Koklyaev and Zydrunas Savickas. Virastyuk won the 2004 World's Strongest Man contest, and he is the first person to win both of these competitions. IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Christian Fennell.
 

Today was the second and final day of the finals, and the action started with the stones, which had been postponed from yesterday, due to the rain.

The Apollon's Wheels for maximum weight were next, and Zydrunas Savickas won with 200 kg, followed by Michail Koklyaev at 195 kg, Andrus Murumets at 190 kg and Vasyl Virastyuk at 185.

The Louis Cyr deadlift was next, and Fennell pointed out that the weight had been raised from 320 kg to 340 kg for this event. Koklyaev and Sasvickas tied at 11 reps, and Van Hatfield was third, with 8 reps. "Vasyl is not a deadlifter," said Fennell, "and this is where he opened the door a little . . . he only got one rep."

Virastyuk came roaring back on the medley, though, the final event, with a first-place performance, followed by Savickas and then Koklyaev.

The full results will be on the offical IFSA website later today, but here are the top four places and points:

1. Vasyl Virastyuk 57.5 points
2. Michail Koklyaev 52.5
3. Zydrunas Savickas 51.5
4. Derek Poundstone 50.5

Total prize money was US$130,000 cash, Fennell said, with $40,000 to the winner, $25,000 to second place and $15,000 to third place.

"This was the third year of the IFSA World Championships," said Fennell, "and it's been the same three guys each year, but this year, Vasyl came in hungry . . . it showed in his strength and in his conditioning."