He's limping badly, with a black and blue calf, but Mariusz Pudzianowski has not pulled out of the 2008 MET-Rx World's Strongest Man contest, although he might be skipping this afternoon's Truck Pull.

Reportedly torn at a recent exhibition, Mariusz Pudzianowski's calf is causing the four-time World's Strongest Man winner some grief in this year's contest, although he has been doing his best to soldier on. One possibility is that Mariusz Pudzianowski will sit out this afternoon's Truck Pull, with the hope that even with a null score in that event, he can make it to the finals, and that by forgoing this event, it will spare his injured calf additional damage.

Mariusz Pudzianowski is known for being a fierce competitor and as someone close to the core of strongman told IronMind®, "Regardless of what he does or doesn't do this afternoon, I can't imagine Mariusz Pudzianowski not showing up tomorrow morning. He's in phenomenal shape." An indefatigable performer, Mariusz Pudzianowski's exhibition schedule would do in any six lesser strongmen, but the question now is, was this pace too much even for Poland's iron man, and will this injury stall his bid for an unprecedented fifth World's Strongest Man title?

This morning, two groups did the Fingal Fingers: Derek Poundstone won in group one, and Brian Shaw won in group four, posting the fastest time of the day. All groups will be doing the Truck Pull this afternoon, as the qualifying rounds continue at the 2008 MET-Rx World's Strongest Man contest.