Gary Taylor (strongman)

{{Infobox sportsperson

| name = Gary Taylor

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| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1961|10|14|df=y}}

| birth_place = Cardiff, Wales

| known =

| occupation = Strongman, Olympic Weightlifting, Bodybuilding, Powerlifting

| height = {{height|cm=183}}

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| children = Evan Taylor

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{{CompetitionRecordCountry | {{GBR}} }}

{{CompetitionRecordCompetition|World Muscle Power Championships}}

{{CompetitionRecordCountry | {{WAL}} }}

{{CompetitionRecordCompetition|Other Grand Prix & Internationals}}

{{CompetitionRecord|2nd| Callander Grand Prix (Scotland) 1994 | }}

{{CompetitionRecordCompetition|British Muscle Power Championship}}

{{MedalCountry | {{GBR}} }}

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Gary Taylor (born 14 October 1961) is a Welsh former world's strongest man champion (1993). Competing in bodybuilding, Olympic weightlifting, and strongman.

Strength sports

A former weightlifter, powerlifter, and bodybuilder, Taylor competed at 6 ft (183 cm) and approximately 295 lbs (134 kg) during his strongman career.{{Cite web|url=http://strongestman.billhenderson.org/bios/gary.html|title=Gary Taylor|website=strongestman.billhenderson.org}} He competed in weightlifting at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, taking second in the snatch in the 110 kg class.[https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ta/gary-taylor-1.html Olympic results] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110914065426/http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ta/gary-taylor-1.html |date=14 September 2011 }}

Gary is best known for winning the 1993 World's Strongest Man contest in Orange, France. He also finished 3rd in 1991, 5th in 1992, and 6th in 1995.

Taylor was really strong on the Behind-The-Neck push press. At Brian Batcheldor's Strength Seminar in Birmingham in 1995, he performed an incredible Behind-The-Neck push press of 272.5 kg (600.75 lb) (judged by David Webster, the organizer of the World's Strongest Man competitions).{{citation needed|date=April 2024}}

Gary suffered a career-ending knee injury during the tire flip event at the 1997 Europe's Strongest Man contest. The injury was so severe that it forced Gary to retire from strongman competition permanently.{{citation needed|date=April 2024}}

Personal records

Powerlifting

Squat – {{convert|385|kg|lb|abbr=on|0}} raw
Bench Press – {{convert|235|kg|lb|abbr=on|0}} raw
Deadlift – {{convert|355|kg|lb|abbr=on|0}} raw

Strongman

Flintstone barbell push press (behind the neck) – {{convert|225|kg|lb|abbr=on|0|}} (1995 World Muscle Power Classic){{cite web|url=https://www.strengthresults.com/competitionHome/be70-c352-47d6-b3e4-277b5ab8cef2/1 |title=World Muscle Power Classic 1995.08.05, Mintlaw, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, United Kingdom |website=www.strengthresults.com |access-date=10 April 2025}}

:→ It is often claimed that Taylor has behind the neck push pressed weights such as {{convert|270|kg|lb|abbr=on|0|}} and {{convert|272|kg|lb|abbr=on|0|}}.{{cite web|url =https://irishstrongman.com/gary-taylor/ |title = Gary Taylor WAL Strongman|first =Soweetha |last =Amrina|website =Irish Strength Association|date =February 8, 2015}}{{cite web|url =https://plagueofstrength.com/lifter-snapshot-gary-the-welsh-dragon-taylor/ |title = Lifter Snapshot: Gary “The Welsh Dragon” Taylor |first =Jamie |last =Chaos|website =Plague of Strength|date =July 21, 2021}} {{small|However, his 1995 World Muscle Power Classic lift remains the heaviest weight he has behind the neck push pressed with irrefutable evidence.}}

Log press – {{convert|160|kg|lb|abbr=on|0|}} (1993 World's Strongest Man, group 1)
Atlas stones – 5 stones weighing {{convert|90-136|kg|lb|abbr=on|0}} (no tacky) in 17.19 seconds (1993 World's Strongest Man) (World Record){{cite web|url=https://strengthrecord.com/strongman-world-records/#S7 |title=STRENGTH RECORD, Section 07 - Stonelifting (Regular & Semi-Regular stones) |website=www.strengthrecord.com |access-date=10 April 2025}}
Samson's barrow carry – 10 humans (25m course) in 12.55 seconds (1993 World's Strongest Man) (World Record){{cite web|url=https://strengthrecord.com/strongman-world-records/#S10 |title=STRENGTH RECORD, Section 10 - Arm carries |website=www.strengthrecord.com |access-date=11 April 2025}}

Retirement/later years

Taylor, now retired from competition, worked within the PE department (he was a senior officer) at Aylesbury Young Offenders Institute, a prison for Category A (highest and most considered dangerous), as well as being the Senior Gym Officer and rugby coach for Ampthill youth rugby team. He moved to Littlehey Prison Cat-C/YOI as a Security Governor. Gary currently does commentating and event organizing for the annual UK's Strongest Man contest.{{citation needed|date=April 2024}}

World's Strongest Man results

References

Category:1961 births

Category:Living people

Category:Welsh male weightlifters

Category:Olympic weightlifters for Great Britain

Category:Weightlifters at the 1984 Summer Olympics

Category:Commonwealth Games competitors for Wales

Category:Weightlifters at the 1982 Commonwealth Games

Category:Welsh strength athletes

Category:British powerlifters

Category:World Weightlifting Championships medalists