Brian Shaw Reveals 2023 Shaw Classic Roster While Announcing Strongman Retirement

The 2023 Shaw Classic (SC) is set for Aug. 19-20, 2023, in Loveland, CO. With the contest roughly a half-year away, the growing competition’s namesake recently revealed what’s partly in store.

On Feb. 27, 2023, strongman legend Brian Shaw posted a YouTube video announcing the roster of competitors for this year’s SC. In the process, Shaw also announced that the 2023 SC would be the final professional strongman contest of his illustrious career.

Shaw disclosed that there would be a 16th athlete at the contest. That athlete is unnamed at the time of this writing. Here’s an overview of the roster for the 2023 SC this summer:

2023 Shaw Classic Roster

• Trey Mitchell (United States) — Reigning two-time Champion
• Brian Shaw (United States) — 2022 runner-up
• Mitchell Hooper (Canada) — 2022 third place
• Tom Stoltman (United Kingdom)
• Luke Stoltman (United Kingdom)
• Oleksii Novikov (Ukraine)
• Bobby Thompson (United States)
• Adam Bishop (United Kingdom)
• Graham Hicks (United Kingdom)
• Pavlo Nakonechnyy (Ukraine)
• Thomas Evans (United States)
• Maxime Boudreault (Canada)
• Kevin Faires (United States)
• Aivars Šmaukstelis (Latvia)
• Evan Singleton (United States)

Given his career of accomplishments — including four World’s Strongest Man (WSM) titles (2011, 2013, 2015-2016) and three Arnold Strongman Classic (ASC) victories (2011, 2015, 2017) — Shaw was understandably emotional. It seemed to be a bit of a challenge revealing he’d soon put a bow on his professional strongman endeavors. Earlier in the year, Shaw also said that the 2023 WSM, occurring in April, will be his last.

“It’s tough to say those words, ‘this will be my final time,’ but it’s going to be,” Shaw said. It’s time to close this chapter of my career.”

According to Strongman Archives, Shaw made his first major strongman appearance at the 2007 America’s Strongest Man (ASM) contest. He would finish in sixth. Before becoming one of the greatest strongmen in history, Shaw would notch his first victory at the 2009 Venice Beach Grand Prix. After roughly 16 years of high-level competition, he’ll soon lift his final Atlas Stone onto a podium.

As for the 2023 SC, while the roster is confirmed, the events for the contest have yet to be announced. Shaw did not disclose when that reveal will happen, but Shaw says the layout will take the event to “the next level.”

Among the confirmed athletes, Maxime Boudreault recently broke a shin bone. The injury forced the Canadian strongman to withdraw from the 2023 WSM and the 2023 ASC. According to Shaw, Boudreault has maintained that he will be healthy and ready to go by the 2023 SC. The top three from the 2022 edition of the Shaw Classic — Trey Mitchell (defending champion), Shaw, and Mitchell Hooper — will return to the contest. Mitchell will be vying for a “three-peat” in a newer competition that will have had just four iterations come August.

The latest SC would have likely already been a tentpole contest in the 2023 strongman calendar. The announcement that an icon like Shaw will be stepping away from the sport at its conclusion adds a powerful and sentimental note.

More Strongman Content:

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• Mark Felix Reveals 2023 World’s Strongest Man Will Be His Final Appearance at the Contest
• Strongman Tyler Scott Obringer Axle Presses a Massive 192.8 Kilograms (425 Pounds)

Featured image: @theshawclassic on Instagram