Benedikt "Benni" Magnússon (, ; born 4 June 1983) is an Icelandic strongman and powerlifter, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest deadlifters of all-time. He held the raw deadlift world record from 2011 to 2022 with 460.4 kg, and it remains the heaviest raw deadlift ever done in conventional stance. Benedikt also holds the record for the heaviest raw conventional deadlift ever performed within a full powerlifting competition at 442.5 kg. He also set the world record for the heaviest strongman deadlift in 2014 with 461 kg and briefly shared it with 465 kg in 2016.

Powerlifting career

Benedikt started his powerlifting journey at the age of 16, in 1999, deadlifting 200 kg in single ply equipment during Íslandsmeistaramót national championships. By 2001, he progressed to a 720 kg total in singly ply equipment. In 2004, at the age of 21, he totaled 1000.5 kg and the following year took it to 1090 kg with a 405 kg squat, 275 kg bench press and a 410 kg deadlift, in singly ply equipment. Benedikt's breakthrough performance came in 2005, when he switched from equipped to raw division in powerlifting. At 2005 WPO European Semi Finals, in Helsinki, Benedikt broke Andy Bolton's all-time deadlift world record by pulling 426 kg raw as his opener. Andy who was also competing at the same competition, responded with a 427.5 kg equipped pull to re-claim the record. But it did not last very long as Benedikt shattered it in his second lift with a massive 440 kg raw pull, increasing the record to a never approached territory. The record stood only four months until Bolton pulled 440.5 kg equipped during 2006 Arnold Classic. Benedikt suffered an injury and for the next three years was out of the limelight, where Bolton took the record to 455 kg and 457.5 kg by 2009. In his return after the injury, Benedikt pulled 442.5 kg raw at 2010 FPO Bullfarm Championships in Helsinki but was surpassed by Bolton who pulled 445 kg equipped in the same meet. At 2011 Ronnie Coleman classic - Clash of the Titans IV, Benedikt reclaimed the all-time world record with 460.4 kg which remained the heaviest raw or equipped deadlift for 11 years until 2022, and to this day remains the heaviest raw deadlift ever done in conventional stance.

Strongman career

Benedikt's strongman career started in 2003 where he won both Iceland's Strongest Man and Iceland's Strongest Man IFSA version. The following year he won the IFSA version but lost the main title to the veteran Magnús Ver Magnússon. In 2006 he was invited to the Arnold Strongman Classic where he placed fifth. Benedikt won the timber carry event and placed second to Brian Siders at the 15 inch elevated Hummer tyre deadlift, where hummer tires were used instead of standard powerlifting plates, and lifting straps were allowed. In 2007, he won Iceland's Strongest Viking and returning to the Arnold Strongman Classic in 2008, again emerged fifth, sharing the hummer tyre deadlift world record with Oleksandr Pekanov with a pull of 471 kg before pulling 500 kg on the record breakers attempt following the competition. In 2010 Iceland's Strongest Man he emerged runner-up to Stefán Sölvi Pétursson. Benedikt's next competition was the 2014 Giants Live FitX Melbourne where he broke Brian Shaw's strongman deadlift record with 445 kg. A few months later at World Deadlift Championships, Benedikt broke the strongman deadlift record again with 446 kg and then in his last attempt, pulled 461 kg, surpassing his own powerlifting all-time world record, in strongman standards. In 2015, Benedikt qualified to the World's Strongest Man but couldn't enter the finals and was eliminated at the group stage. At 2015 World Log Lift Championships Benedikt pressed a 180 kg log, surpassing Ari Gunnarsson as the Icelandic national log press record holder. He held the record for one year until Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson pressed 200 kg at 2016 Arnold South America. At 2016 Europe's Strongest Man, Benedikt deadlifted 465 kg to equal the, now all-time deadlift world record (irrespective of strongman or powerlifting) with Jerry Pritchett and Eddie Hall. Hall then went on to be the first person to deadlift 500 kg, which Benedikt also attempted, but was unsuccessful. Benedikt's last competition was 2016 Giants Live Scandinavian Open in Sweden.

Personal records

Done in official powerlifting meets Done in official strongman competitions

Personal life

Benedikt is the brother of fellow Iceland's Strongest Man winner Magnús Magnússon. Benedikt and his Britain's Strongest Woman winner ex wife Gemma Taylor co-owned the Super Gym in Iceland, which ran monthly 'raw' competitions including Deadlift, Squat, Bench press, Log press and Rolling Thunder. Benedikt lays out his training routine leading up to his 460.4 kg deadlift in two simple steps, starting with the pre-conditioning phase and ending with the muscle-building phase. Between the two phases, he would spend 4–6 days in the gym per week. He was sponsored by online sports nutrition brand Myprotein.