{{short description|English strongman}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2024}} {{Use British English|date=March 2024}} {{Infobox sportsperson | name = Graham Hicks | nickname = Hicksy | image = Graham Hicks.jpg | image_size = | caption = Hicks at the 2013 World's Strongest Man | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1985|11|15|df=y}} | birth_place = Morecambe, Lancashire, England | education = | height = {{height|ft=5|in=10}}<ref>{{cite web |url=https://theworldsstrongestman.com/athletes/graham-hicks/ |title=Graham Hicks |website=World's Strongest Man |access-date=3 January 2021}}</ref> | weight = 150 kg | sport = Strongman | medaltemplates = {{CompetitionRecordSport | Strongman}} {{CompetitionRecordCountry | {{GBR}} }} {{CompetitionRecordCompetition|World's Strongest Man}} {{CompetitionRecordQualifier | 2012 World's Strongest Man | }} {{CompetitionRecordQualifier | 2013 World's Strongest Man | }} {{CompetitionRecordQualifier | 2014 World's Strongest Man | }} {{CompetitionRecordQualifier | 2015 World's Strongest Man | }} {{CompetitionRecordQualifier | 2018 World's Strongest Man | }} {{CompetitionRecord|10th| 2020 World's Strongest Man | }} {{CompetitionRecordQualifier | 2023 World's Strongest Man | }} {{CompetitionRecordCompetition|Europe's Strongest Man}} {{CompetitionRecord|3rd| 2014 Europe's Strongest Man | }} {{CompetitionRecord|5th| 2018 Europe's Strongest Man | }} {{CompetitionRecord|4th| 2020 Europe's Strongest Man | }} {{CompetitionRecord|3rd| 2021 Europe's Strongest Man | }} {{CompetitionRecord|13th| 2023 Europe's Strongest Man | }} {{CompetitionRecordCompetition|Shaw Classic}} {{CompetitionRecord|11th| 2021 Shaw Classic | }} {{CompetitionRecordCompetition|Giants Live}} {{CompetitionRecord|6th| 2014 Hungary | }} {{CompetitionRecord|4th| 2022 World Open | }} {{CompetitionRecordCompetition|Strongman Champions League}} {{CompetitionRecord|11th| 2017 SCL FIBO | }} {{CompetitionRecord|3rd| 2017 SCL Overhead | }} {{CompetitionRecord|5th| 2017 SCL Holland | }} {{CompetitionRecord|1st| 2025 SCL Poland | }} {{CompetitionRecordCountry | {{ENG}} }} {{CompetitionRecordCompetition|Britain's Strongest Man}} {{CompetitionRecord|4th| Britain's Strongest Man 2012 | }} {{CompetitionRecord|5th| Britain's Strongest Man 2013 | }} {{CompetitionRecord|2nd| Britain's Strongest Man 2014 | }} {{CompetitionRecord|8th| Britain's Strongest Man 2015 | }} {{CompetitionRecord|3rd| Britain's Strongest Man 2017 | }} {{CompetitionRecord|2nd| Britain's Strongest Man 2018 | }} {{CompetitionRecord|1st| Britain's Strongest Man 2019 | }} {{CompetitionRecord|3rd| Britain's Strongest Man 2021 |}} {{CompetitionRecord|3rd| Britain's Strongest Man 2023 |}} {{CompetitionRecord|5th| Britain's Strongest Man 2026}} {{CompetitionRecordCompetition|UK's Strongest Man}} {{CompetitionRecord|2nd| 2019 UK's Strongest Man | }} {{CompetitionRecordCompetition|Other local competitions}} {{CompetitionRecord|7th| 2010 North England's u105kg | }} {{CompetitionRecord|3rd| 2010 England's strongest u105kg | }} {{CompetitionRecord|6th| UK's strongest u105kg | }} {{CompetitionRecord|1st| 2011 Qualifier for Britain's u105kg | }} {{CompetitionRecord|5th| 2011 Qualifier for UK's | }} {{CompetitionRecord|1st| 2011 North England's u105kg | }} {{CompetitionRecord|2nd| 2011 Bodypower Open | }} {{CompetitionRecord|1st| 2011 England's strongest u105kg | }} {{CompetitionRecord|1st| 2011 Britain's Strongest u105kg | }} {{CompetitionRecord|1st| 2011 Team Competition | }} {{CompetitionRecord|1st| 2012 Champion of u105kg | }} {{CompetitionRecord|4th| 2012 Opens Euro Qualifier | }} {{CompetitionRecord|1st| 2012 Northern Qualifier | }} {{CompetitionRecord|6th| 2012 Competition in Marajampoli | }} {{CompetitionRecord|4th| 2013 Opens Euro Qualifier | }} {{CompetitionRecord|1st| 2013 Yorkshire's Strongest Man | }} {{CompetitionRecordSport | Powerlifting}} {{CompetitionRecordCountry | {{GBR}} }} {{CompetitionRecord|2nd| Big Dogs 4 | }} }}
'''Graham Hicks''' (born 15 November 1985 in Morecambe, Lancashire)<ref name="GH">{{cite web |url=https://www.grahamhicks.co.uk |title=Graham Hicks Strongman - Home |website=Grahamhicks.co.uk |access-date=3 January 2021}}</ref> is an English strongman and powerlifter.
A Britain's Strongest Man champion and a two time Europe's Strongest Man bronze medalist, he is one of the best deadlifters in strongman.
==Personal life== Graham Hicks was born in 1985 in Morecambe, Lancashire.<ref name="GH" /> He was a keen sportsman in his childhood and teens although his main interest was football. He started training in the gym as a bodybuilder and at the age of 25, a friend asked him to try strongman training with him. He caught the strength bug, altered his training to accommodate this, and has since been exceedingly successful.
In 2013, Hicks had a full-time job working as a design support engineer for BAE Systems, starting as an apprentice.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Behind the Typhoon stand the power of our people |url=https://www.baesystems.com/en-uk/article/the-strength-behind-typhoon |access-date=2024-12-13 |website=www.baesystems.com}}</ref>
==Strongman career== Hicks' career as a strongman began in 2010 as an under 105 kg competitor. He came seventh at the 2010 Northern England u105kg Qualifier and third at the 2010 England's Strongest Man u105 contests.
In 2011, he dominated the u105kg scene and made his first foray into the Open weight class beating people who were considerably heavier than himself.
In 2012, he came in fourth at the qualifier for Europe's Strongest Man. Whilst this didn't earn him a spot at Europe's, he did get an invitation to Britain's Strongest Man where placed fourth. This placing gave him an invitation to the World's Strongest Man competition, held in LA. He managed fourth place in his group and even won his first event, the loading race.
One of Hicks' key strength has been his pressing power. He was the first person in the UK to lift a {{convert|200|kg|lb|abbr=on|0|}} log and has since gone on to press a {{convert|211|kg|lb|abbr=on|0|}} log in World Log Lifting Championships in 2015, sharing the British log record with Eddie Hall.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.strongman.org/news/world-log-lifting-championships-2015/ |title=World Log Lifting Championships 2015 |date=14 February 2015 |website=Strongman.org |access-date=3 January 2021}}</ref>
In 2017 Strongman Champions League Fibo, Hicks broke Krzysztof Radzikowski's Log press (with SCL giant log) world record with {{convert|207|kg|lb|abbr=on|0}}. In September 2020, Hicks competed at the 2020 Europe's Strongest Man competition and achieved a new British record in the Log Lift, lifting {{convert|220|kg|lb|abbr=on|0|}} and placed fourth in the overall competition.<ref name=ESM-2020-Results>{{cite web |url=https://giants-live.com/news/esm2020-results |title=The Future Is NOW! Europe's Strongest Man 2020 RESULTS |website=Giants Live |access-date=3 January 2021}}</ref> In November 2020, Hicks competed at the 2020 World's Strongest Man competition and qualified for his first final. However, he had to withdraw from the competition due to a bicep tear.<ref>{{cite web |last=Gutman |first=Andrew |title=Novikov Secures 2020 World's Strongest Man Victory (Updated) |url=https://barbend.com/2020-worlds-strongest-man-finals-day-two-results/ |website=BarBend |date=15 November 2020 |access-date=3 January 2021}}</ref>
In September 2021, Hicks placed 3rd at the 2021 Europe's Strongest Man competition.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lockridge |first=Roger |date=5 September 2021 |title=Luke Stoltman Takes the Title — 2021 Europe's Strongest Man Recap |url=https://barbend.com/2021-europes-strongest-man-results/ |access-date=17 July 2023 |website=BarBend |language=en-US}}</ref> This also earned him an invite to the 2022 World's Strongest Man. However, he declined his invitation, as he was not permitted to travel to the United States from the United Kingdom due to his COVID-19 vaccination status.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Blechman |first=Phil |date=30 March 2022 |title=Notable Strongmen Who Declined Their 2022 World's Strongest Man Invitations |url=https://barbend.com/strongmen-who-declined-their-2022-worlds-strongest-man-invitations/ |access-date=17 July 2023 |website=BarBend |language=en-US}}</ref> Hicks returned to the WSM competition in 2023, but did not make the final.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Strongman Archives - 2023 WSM Group 3 |url=https://strongmanarchives.com/viewContest.php?id=1418 |access-date=17 July 2023 |website=strongmanarchives.com}}</ref>
In 2023, Hicks won the World Deadlift Championships by lifting {{convert|470|kg|lb|abbr=on|0|}} in Cardiff,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-09-02 |title=Evan Singleton Victorious at 2023 Giants Live World Open {{!}} BarBend |url=https://barbend.com/2023-giants-live-world-open-results/ |access-date=2024-11-23 |language=en-US}}</ref> becoming the seventh highest deadlifter in strongman at that point.
In 2024, Hicks spent much of the year training to beat Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson's {{convert|501|kg|lb|abbr=on|0|}} all-time world record deadlift from 2020 during 2024 World Deadlift Championships, however he came in joint-seventh place at the event, only being able to lift {{convert|425|kg|lb|abbr=on|0|}}.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-09-29 |title=2024 USA Strongman Championships & World Deadlift Championships Results |url=https://fitnessvolt.com/2024-usa-strongman-championships-results/ |access-date=2024-11-23 |website=Fitness Volt |language=en-US}}</ref>
Hicks returned to competition in 2025 by placing 6th at the Giants Live organized England's Strongest Man. In August, he continued his comeback by winning his first international competition in six years at the Strongman Champions League Poland. He shared victory in the first event and ultimately finished three points clear of Oskar Ziolkowski.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Strongman Archives - 2025 SCL Poland |url=https://www.strongmanarchives.com/viewContest.php?id=1649 |access-date=2025-08-24 |website=www.strongmanarchives.com}}</ref>
==Personal Records== ''Strongman'' * Deadlift (Equipped & with figure 8 straps) – {{convert|470|kg|lb|abbr=on|0}} (2023 World Deadlift Championships) * Log press – {{convert|220|kg|lb|abbr=on|0}} (2020 Europe's Strongest Man)<ref name=ESM-2020-Results/> * Log press (with SCL giant log) – {{convert|207|kg|lb|abbr=on|0}} (2017 SCL Fibo) (World Record)<ref name="sroverhead1">{{cite web|url=https://strengthrecord.com/strongman-world-records/#S3 |title=STRENGTH RECORD, Section 03 - Overhead presses |website=www.strengthrecord.com |access-date=9 April 2025}}</ref> * Max Atlas stone – {{convert|193|kg|lb|abbr=on|0|}} as a part of a 4 stone run (2021 Shaw Classic) * Super Yoke – {{convert|450|kg|lb|abbr=on|0|}} for {{convert|20|meters|feet|abbr=on}} in 8.61 secs (2018 Britain's Strongest Man) (World Record)<ref name="srhipback">{{cite web|url=https://strengthrecord.com/strongman-world-records/#S9 |title=STRENGTH RECORD, Section 09 - Hip lifts & Back carries |website=www.strengthrecord.com |access-date=11 April 2025}}</ref>
''Powerlifting'' *Squat (Raw with wraps) – {{convert|440|kg|lb|abbr=on|0|}} (2019 Big Dogs 4) *Bench press (Raw) – {{convert|270|kg|lb|abbr=on|0|}} (2019 Big Dogs 4) *Deadlift (Raw) – {{convert|405|kg|lb|abbr=on|0|}} (2018 Andy Bolton Deadlift Challenge) *Total – {{convert|1100|kg|lb|abbr=on|0|}} {{small|''({{convert|440 + 270 + 390|kg|lb|abbr=on|0|}})''}} (2019 Big Dogs 4)
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20140508025120/http://forum.britishstrongman.co.uk/forum/questions-answers/live-q-a-with-graham-hicks Interview on British Strongman website] *[https://www.grahamhicks.co.uk/ Official website]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hicks, Graham}} Category:1985 births Category:Living people Category:English strength athletes Category:Sportspeople from Morecambe Category:21st-century English sportsmen