Hafthor Julius Bjornsson Misses Deadlift Record at Enhanced Games 2026

Hafthor Julius Bjornsson came up short in his bid to break his own deadlift world record at the Enhanced Games this past weekend. The 37-year-old Icelandic strongman and actor, renowned for his role as "The Mountain" on Game of Thrones and his multiple World's Strongest Man titles, took on a 515 kg deadlift at the competition held at Resorts World in Las Vegas on Sunday, May 24.

Bjornsson currently holds the world record for the heaviest deadlift at 510 kg—equivalent to approximately 1,124 pounds—a mark he was attempting to eclipse at the inaugural event.

The Enhanced Games, which launched this year, is positioned as a new international athletic competition designed to showcase elite performers operating at peak capacity. The organization emphasizes an evidence-based framework that prioritizes athlete welfare through medical supervision and scientific oversight while celebrating competitive excellence.

Following his unsuccessful attempt, Bjornsson posted a video of the lift and shared his reaction. "Not tonight. But thank you all for the support, I truly appreciate every single one of you. Huge thanks to @maximilianbmartin and the @enhanced_games for putting up such an awesome event! First of many I hope!" he wrote.

He also extended gratitude to his wife for standing by him throughout the competition. "And a very special shoutout to my beautiful wife @kelc33 for her endless love, support, and strength through it all," he added.