For years, Rhys Calland was one of the faces in the crowd — buying tickets, watching from the sidelines, and imagining what it would feel like to stand under the lights himself.
Now, he’s the man everyone’s turning up to see.
The 30-year-old British soldier has officially been crowned Europe’s Strongest Man after taking first place in the open-weight category at a major contest in Doncaster earlier this month, marking a landmark moment not just for his own career, but for the British Armed Forces too.
Calland saw off fierce competition to secure the title, finishing ahead of Czech powerhouse Stepan Bystrinec, who claimed second, while fellow Brit Andy Harkin completed the podium in third.
It’s a result that sends a clear message across the Strongman world — and one that makes history.
The Devon-born athlete is now the first serving member of the armed forces to compete at European level in the men’s open category, adding another huge milestone to a career that has been building serious momentum in recent years.
For Calland, the moment still hasn’t quite sunk in.
“It’s surreal – such a good feeling,” he told BBC News.
And perhaps the strangest part of all?
“I’d paid to watch these events before, so knowing I was now the person people had come to see and meet was very strange.”
That shift — from spectator to champion — says everything about the rise of the man from Paignton.
Before the world of atlas stones, yokes and axle bars, Calland was working locally as a bicycle mechanic. But after joining the military in 2016 and becoming a corporal in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME), his sporting path took a dramatic turn.
Strongman became more than just a hobby.
It became an obsession.
And the results came quickly.
His resume already included two Devon’s Strongest Man titles, the Armed Forces Strongest Man crown, and victory at the World Heavy Events Association (WHEA) World Championships.
But his breakthrough at elite level arguably came during his debut Ultimate Strongman qualifier, where he placed third out of 17 competitors — beating athletes with established national and international podium finishes.
That performance secured him a historic place at England’s Strongest Man.
Now, Europe’s Strongest Man has followed.
The sport itself is brutal by design.
Strongman competitions demand complete physical dominance across multiple disciplines — heavy lifts, carries, drags, presses and explosive loading events, all designed to test raw power and endurance.
And Calland’s winning performance in Doncaster was no exception.
Across the competition, he faced an unforgiving set of events:
The axle deadlift saw athletes lifting a 310kg loaded bar for maximum reps. Calland powered through four.
The press medley demanded competitors drive a 140kg log overhead — one of the sport’s most punishing upper-body tests.
Then came the yoke and carry, where athletes dragged a monstrous 360kg frame over 10 metres, loaded it with a 140kg sandbag, and hauled it back.
There was also the sandbag throw, launching bags weighing up to 28kg over a 4.2m bar.
The dumbbell ladder ramped up from 60kg all the way to 90kg overhead.
And finally, the sandbag loading event, where 140kg bags had to be repeatedly lifted and loaded against the clock.
It’s the kind of punishment that breaks most athletes.
But Calland is built for it.
His numbers are staggering.
He can deadlift 325kg (717lbs) — a figure that places him among the elite of British Strongman — but behind the raw strength is relentless preparation.
He trains twice a day, balancing military commitments with the demands of one of the toughest sports on the planet.
And he says the army’s decision to officially recognise Strongman as a sport has been crucial in helping him climb the ranks.
That recognition has opened up access to funding, structure and training support — giving him the tools needed to compete with the country’s top civilian athletes.
It also gave him the push to try something different in the first place.
“I got really bored of doing the same thing for 10 years. When I tried strongman, I just loved everything about it,” he said.
That spark has now turned into something much bigger.
Because this isn’t just another title.
For Calland, it’s proof that the path from military service to Europe’s biggest strength stages is possible.
And for British Strongman, it’s another reminder that some of the sport’s most dangerous competitors are still only getting started.
Featured image credit: Rhys Calland / Instagram
