Kommetjie strongman Reuben Jansen van Rensburg, 20, a newcomer to SA’s Strongest Man competition, finished in second place on his debut at this year’s event held in the Northwest Province. Jansen van Rensburg gave the eventual winner Markus Jansen van Vuuren, who has now won this competition for seven consecutive years, a good run for his money.
The show had six events: a Viking Press, Axle Deadlift, Sandbag and Keg Moving Medley, a Circle Walk, Fatpack Farmer’s Walk and Truck Pull.
Jansen van Rensburg won both the Sandbag and Keg Moving Medley and the Circle Walk but finished both the Fatback Farmer’s Walk and Truck Pull in less than half a second behind Van Vuuren. As they both had two wins and two events that were literally neck-and-neck, it made for a really thrilling ultimate measure of strength, skill and endurance.
Jansen van Rensburg, a completely natural athlete, only started competing earlier this year when he won third place at the Arnold Classic Africa Strongman and then got gold at the Southern Cape Strongman, to qualify for the SA’s Strongest Man competition. After two bouts of bronchitis before this last competition, he is looking forward to a period of rest before he starts preparing for next year.
