PREVIEW: Strongman Paul Smith calls on home crowd support to lift 2020 Britain's Strongest Man title

BUY TICKETS: Sheffield FlyDSA Arena will host the Giant’s Live promoted Britain’s Strongest Man 2020 competition on Saturday, January 18 – tickets are £28.13 to £196.88, with VIP tickets available including goody bags and the chance to meet the strongmen. Visit www.flydsaarena.co.uk, call 0114 256 565 or visit www.giants-live.com.

The jaw dropping strength competition, filmed for TV's Channel 5 as part of the World’s Strongest Man series, will see the City of Steel welcome the return of the iron men for a third consecutive year.

And 25-year-old local hero Paul – England’s Strongest Man 2016 and World’s Strongest Junior 2017 – is training hard to unleash his true potential after showing his superhuman powers when he set a world record there two yers ago.

He made history with a time of 62.68 seconds in the Hammer Hold, a brutal test of strength where athletes grit their teeth and take the pain to hold a giant 30kg so-called Thor’s Hammer at arms length, as long as they can.

Paul beat all the household names including then World’s Strongest Man, Eddie ‘The Beast’ Hall and he finished fifth when the adrenaline-pumped competition returned earlier this year.

A truly awesome line-up of heavyweights is set to feature British legends like Terry Hollands, veteran Mark Felix and Scotland’s strongest brothers Luke and Tom Stoltman also competing, the 2020 event is going to be a close-fought competition.

They will take on five gruelling challenges – hoisting giant logs, lifting atlas stones... and more... to prove they have what it takes to become the next big thing.

Rising star Paul, a World’s Strongest Man competitor in 2018, knows a good result will see him compete on the world stage again as this is the start of the 2020 World’s Strongest Man Qualifying Tour.

He also believes he can better his previous performances with the support of a home crowd.

Paul said: “I'm ready to do battle at Britain's Strongest Man and I need all my home town support to help me bring home the title!”

The Sheffield strongman added: “I first competed in strongman in 2011 at a local novice competition, began competing regularly in open division in 2013 and I’ve been trying to ascend through the ranks ever since.

“I won my first junior national title in 2015 with my first senior national title coming in 2016. My goal is to qualify for Worlds Strongest Man.”

Giants Live Director, Darren Sadler, said: "The inspirational, edge-of-seat action has to be seen to be believed– this is a sports entertainment at its biggest and best! "We are delighted to return to Sheffield where we get great support with huge crowds. We offer a VIP ticket and fans can also get the chance to meet Paul and the other strongmen.

"But with Christmas coming and the World's Strongest Man on TV during the festive period tickets will sell fast so buy now to avoid disappointment."

Fans at the Giants Live shows also get to see and can meet strongman legends who are now pundits, judges and commentators including the likes of three times WSM Bill Kazmaier, four times WSM Magnús Ver Magnússon and Britain’s own retired WSM Eddie Hall, who is also pursuing a Hollywod film career and stars in TV shows such as The Strongest Man in History – which airs on the History Channel, from Sunday, November 10, 9pm.

For details and all ticket packages, for the Sheffield and other Giant’s Live events, visit www.giants-live.com and for the Sheffield event also visit www.flydsaarena.co.uk.

*Please note, due to the nature of the event, the line-up of stars is always subject to change.