He’s known across the world as The Mountain — a bearded, six-foot-nine slab of Icelandic muscle who’s torn through Strongman competitions and even crushed skulls on Game of Thrones. But a new photo shared by Hafthor Björnsson this week has fans seeing him in a completely different light.
The 36-year-old strongman posted a throwback snap from his teenage years, showing a tall but rail-thin version of himself — dressed in baggy jeans, a green hoodie and cap, with long hair and a clean-shaven face. In the image, he’s barely recognisable from the 510kg-deadlifting powerhouse he’s become.
Fans flooded the comments in disbelief, dropping lines that perfectly captured the transformation, with one person typing: “Bro uploaded a photo of his X-ray and didn’t think we’d notice.”
“He was a skater boi,” another joked – referencing Avril Lavigne’s hit.
“Little did that young man know, that a few years later, he’d be breaking world records,” one fan commented. Another added: “This gives me hope when I grow up I can be huge too (I’m 33).”
“So only Quarterthor in this picture,” another joked, with one person quipping: “Skinny Thor still stronger than me.”
The post quickly went viral, as fans marvelled at just how far the Icelander has come — from lanky teenager to the undisputed king of the deadlift.
It’s been a huge few weeks for Björnsson, who broke his own deadlift world record for the third time in September at the 2025 World Deadlift Championships in Birmingham.
The Icelandic powerhouse lifted an astonishing 510kg (1,124lbs) to extend his own world record, having previously set the bar at 505kg in July — and before that, 501kg in 2020.
Sharing a video of the monumental lift to Instagram, Björnsson wrote: “Crazy how easy it felt. I honestly believe I could have deadlifted 530kg yesterday. What do you guys think?”
It’s a bold claim, but few would doubt him. His latest feat cements his place in history as a three-time deadlift world record holder, surpassing rival Eddie Hall’s 500kg mark set in 2016.
The pair’s rivalry has long been one of Strongman’s most talked-about storylines — from Hall’s controversial World’s Strongest Man win in 2017, which Björnsson publicly disputed, to their eventual boxing showdown in 2022, which Thor won by unanimous decision.
What makes this new record even more impressive is Björnsson’s return to competition after a five-year break. He stepped away from Strongman in 2018, briefly shifting focus to boxing and acting, before coming back last year to dominate once again.
Now, after three world records in just five years, he’s teasing an even bigger lift. “I could have deadlifted 530kg yesterday,” he told fans — a statement that’s set the strength world buzzing about what comes next.
At 36, Björnsson shows no signs of slowing down. With his eyes on a potential fourth world record, he’s once again proving that there’s always another mountain to climb.
For fans scrolling past that teenage photo, it’s hard to believe it’s the same man who once portrayed Ser Gregor Clegane, the fearsome “Mountain” of Game of Thrones.
Back then, Björnsson was all limbs and no bulk — more “skater boi” than Strongman. But the throwback shows something else too: a reminder that even the mightiest transformations have humble beginnings.
As one fan perfectly put it: “Little did that young man know, that a few years later, he’d be breaking world records.”
From the skinny kid to the man who lifts over half a tonne, Hafthor Björnsson’s journey continues to prove that strength isn’t just built in the gym — it’s forged over time, with grit, discipline, and just a hint of Nordic thunder.
Featured image credit: YouTube/Hafthor Bjornsson (Screenshot)
