Hjalti Árnason


Hjalti 'Úrsus' Árnason, is an Icelandic former strongman, powerlifter and a strength sports promoter.
Known by the nickname 'The Great Ursus', Hjalti coached and trained together with Jón Páll Sigmarsson. He won the highly acclaimed Le Defi Mark Ten International in 1988 and podiumed at World Muscle Power Championships in 1990. Hjalti also competed with Magnús Ver Magnússon in Pure Strength team competitions in 1989 & 1990, and won gold and silver.

Early life

Hjalti was born in Reykjavík in 1963. He grew up in the same neighbourhood as Jón Páll Sigmarsson and they attended the same school. His sports career began with training in karate and he also participated in soccer, handball, and track and field.

Career

1983–1985

Hjalti had a talent for powerlifting and shot to fame when he began competing internationally from 1983. In that year, he came first in the Junior European Championships and made the senior national team, and won third place at 1983 NPF Nordic championships. Hjalti won third at 1985 EPF Europe's however he noticed how powerlifting had little money or publicity associated with it and began began to compete in Strongman to make a living as a semi-professional. Along-with his good friend, Jón Páll, he began to make waves in the higher-profile world of the World's Strongest Man competition and its associated circuit.
In 1985, Hjalti competed in the very first Iceland's Strongest Man contest and was second to Jón Páll whilst Magnús Ver Magnússon came third. He would repeat podium finishes in this contest a total of 9 times whilst in the company of two men who between them won the World's Strongest Man title eight times.

1986

Hjalti's forays into strongman consisted of a mixture of Strength athletics including Highland Games. It was noted that he primarily relied on his 'brute strength' and sacrificed technique and suffered from a lack of proper, regular coaching. In one contest, his 'animalistic approach' was demonstrated when he broke his opponent's arm in an arm wrestling bout. In 1986 Le Defi Mark Ten International competition Hjalti emerged fifth.

1987

In 1987 Le Defi Mark Ten International, Hjalti broke the world record in the platform lift. Upon being asked to do 'something spectacular for the TV cameras' by a sponsor, Hjalti was reported to have picked the sponsor up by an arm and a leg and hurled him some distance to the astonishment of bystanders. He also secured third place at 1987 Viking Games.

1988

In 1988, Hjalti became the first European to win the prestigious Le Defi Mark Ten International in Canada, by defeating the likes of Magnús Ver and Tom Magee. He also secured third place in 1988 Kraftur championships and his fourth consecutive podium finish at the Iceland's Strongest Man.
On the world stage, Hjalti was also a top performer in Highland Games. His wrestling match with Bill Kazmaier at Earlshall has been described as one of the best ever.

1989

At 1989 Pure Strength team championships, Hjalti and Magnús Ver Magnússon defeated United States, Great Britain and Netherlands to become champions. The competition featured 16 events which spanned over 4 days which featured several unique events including the sward and chalice hold, scrum push, lumberjack's log chop, and sack, hay and barrel loading race. At Kraftur championships he placed fourth.
At 1989 Icelandic Powerlifting Championships, Hjalti became the first Icelander to total in powerlifting.

1990

At 1990 EPF Europe's powerlifting championships, Hjalti won the bronze medal in the +125kg weight class. Him and Magnús Ver won second place at the 1990 Pure Strength team championships and he won third place at 1990 World Muscle Power Classic. He also secured his sixth consecutive Iceland's Strongest Man podium finish.

1991

After placing third at 1991 World Strongman Challenge, Hjalti won bronze again in 1991 EPF Europe's powerlifting championships in the +125kg weight class. During 1991 IPF World Powerlifting championships held in Örebro, Sweden, Hjalti squatted. He placed fifth at 1991 Europe's Strongest Man, fourth at 1991 World Viking Challenge and secured his seventh consecutive Iceland's Strongest Man podium finish.

1992–1995

Hjalti placed eighth at 1992 Kraftur championships and volunteered to take part as an event tester, alongside his friend Mark Higgins.
In 1993 World Viking Challenge, Hjalti placed fifth to Magnús Ver, Andrés Guðmundsson, Riku Kiri and Manfred Hoeberl.
Hjalti placed second at 1994 Le Defi Mark Ten International and won 1995 Icelandic Power Trial Championships.

1996

In his only appearance at the World's Strongest Man competition in 1996, Hjalti gave a good battle but couldn't qualify for the finals. Prior to 1994 in his prime, WSM had a limited field with no heats. As such countries were rarely granted multiple competitor places. For Hjalti, this left him in the shadow of Jón Páll and Magnús Ver, where David Webster described it as a pity saying "Hjalti was undoubtedly one of the world's strongest men".
With another second place finish, Hjalti secured his ninth podium finish at the Iceland's Strongest Man.

Personal records

Powerlifting
Strongman

Personal life and career after sport

From his marriage to Ethel Karlsdóttir, Hjalti has two sons, Greipur and Árni. After divorcing, he moved in with his girlfriend, Halla Heimisdóttir. His brother is a noted musician in Iceland.
Outside of sports, his careers were multiple and varied. He was a bouncer, a caring supervisor in a psychiatric hospital, a security agent, a debt collector, and a system administrator for Post and Telecom in Iceland.
Hjalti also remained close to sport and became a major promoter of strongman and other strength athletics in Iceland. He created and organized the Jón Páll Sigmarsson Classic from 2010 to 2012 and to this date organizes and hosts the countries main Strongman title Iceland's Strongest Man.