{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}} {{Use British English|date=September 2012}} {{Infobox sportsperson | name = Jimmy Marku | image = Jimmy Marku 2010.jpg | birth_name = Xhimi Marku | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1974|8|27|df=y}} | birth_place = Tirana, Albania | known = | occupation = Strongman | title = | term = | predecessor = | successor = | party = | boards = | religion = | spouse = | partner = | children = | relations = | website = | footnotes = | employer = | height = {{height|ft=5|in=10}} | medaltemplates = {{CompetitionRecordSport | Strongman}} {{CompetitionRecordCountry | {{GBR2}} }} {{CompetitionRecordCompetition|World's Strongest Man}} {{CompetitionRecordQualifier | 2007 World's Strongest Man | }} {{CompetitionRecordQualifier | 2008 World's Strongest Man | }} {{CompetitionRecordQualifier | 2009 World's Strongest Man | }} {{CompetitionRecordCountry | {{ENG}} }} {{CompetitionRecordCompetition|Britain's Strongest Man}} {{CompetitionRecordFirst | Britain's Strongest Man 2008 | }} {{CompetitionRecordCompetition|UK's Strongest Man}} {{CompetitionRecordThird | UK's Strongest Man 2006 | }} {{CompetitionRecordSecond | UK's Strongest Man 2007 | }} {{CompetitionRecordThird | UK's Strongest Man 2008 | }} {{CompetitionRecordFirst | UK's Strongest Man 2009 | }} {{CompetitionRecordCompetition|England's Strongest Man}} {{CompetitionRecordFirst | England's Strongest Man 2006 | }} {{CompetitionRecordFirst | England's Strongest Man 2007 | }} {{CompetitionRecordFirst | England's Strongest Man 2008 | }} }}
'''Jimmy Marku''' (Albanian: '''''Xhimi Marku'''''; born 27 August 1974) is an Albanian-born British strongman competitor.
==Early life== Jimmy Marku was born 27 August 1974 in Lac, Albania. He then moved to England where he pursued his strongman career.
==Strongman career== Marku burst on to the higher echelons of the strongman circuit when he won the England's Strongest Man competition in 2006. He went on to compete at the UK's Strongest Man (known as the "UKSC" because it is run by the UK Strength Council) that year where he came third behind Glenn Ross and Terry Hollands. In 2007 he repeated his feat of winning the England's Strongest Man. In that same year he competed at both the Britain's Strongest Man ("BSM") finals and in the UKSC where he went one better than in 2006, coming second (again to Glenn Ross). That year he participated in the qualifying round of the 2007 World's Strongest Man contest, finishing third by half a point in Group 4 behind the eventual winner Mariusz Pudzianowski and Dave Ostlund.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.theworldsstrongestman.com/wsm/2007/results.html |title=The World's Strongest Man |access-date=15 July 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080705190951/http://www.theworldsstrongestman.com/wsm/2007/results.html |archive-date=5 July 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
In 2008 he had his most successful year claiming the England's Strongest Man title once again, and then going on to win the BSM competition, beating the WSM 3rd place holder and defending BSM champion, Terry Hollands. This was despite having been in a car crash only days before. The BSM win secured him an invitation to the 2008 World's Strongest Man contest.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.ironmind.com/ironcms/morenewsv6.php?id=2508 |title=Archived copy |access-date=15 July 2008 |archive-date=26 January 2013 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130126105210/http://www.ironmind.com/ironcms/morenewsv6.php?id=2508 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 2008 he also secured third spot in the UKSC.
Marku is known for his crowd pleasing demeanour and has been described as a ''"Fantastic showman"''.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.theworldsstrongestman.com/wsm/news/2007/06/29/6782800000.html |title=theworldsstrongestman.com Official Site |access-date=10 September 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081024071742/http://www.theworldsstrongestman.com/wsm/news/2007/06/29/6782800000.html |archive-date=24 October 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
==Personal records== * Keg drop Squat – {{convert|260-340|kg|lb|abbr=on|0|}} x 7 reps in 20.83 seconds (2007 World's Strongest Man, group 4) (World Record)<ref name="srsquats">{{cite web|url=https://strengthrecord.com/strongman-world-records/#S2 |title=STRENGTH RECORD, Section 02 - Squats |website=www.strengthrecord.com |access-date=9 April 2025}}</ref> *Car flip – {{convert|800|kg|lb|abbr=on|0}} x 4 times in 31.16 seconds (2008 Britain's Strongest Man) (World Record)<ref name="srflips">{{cite web|url=https://strengthrecord.com/strongman-world-records/#S11 |title=STRENGTH RECORD, Section 11 - Flips |website=www.strengthrecord.com |access-date=11 April 2025}}</ref>
==Personal life== Marku resides in Harrow, Middlesex, England.
On 1 June 2011, Marku was stopped by police who found a large quantity of marijuana in the boot of his car. Police charged him with possession with intent to supply. He was found guilty and sentenced to nine months in prison.<ref>{{cite news|last=Slater|first=Anna|title=England's strongest man jailed for cannabis possession|url=https://www.harrowtimes.co.uk/news/9571574.England_s_strongest_man_jailed_for_cannabis_possession/|accessdate=3 January 2014|newspaper=Harrow Times|date=6 March 2012}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20080325014938/http://www.theworldsstrongestman.com/wsm/strong_man/marku.html Profile from World's Strongest Man website]
{{s-start}} {{Succession box| before=Terry Hollands| title=Britain's Strongest Man| after=2012 next competition<br />Laurence Shahlaei| years=2008 }} {{Succession box| before=Adam Townsend| title=England's Strongest Man| after=Two competitions in 2009:<br />Laurence Shahlaei <br /><br /><small>England's Strongest Man (WSM)</small><br />Terry Hollands | years=2006-2008 }} {{Succession box| before=Glenn Ross| title=UK's Strongest Man| after=Glenn Ross| years=2009 }} {{s-end}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Marku, Jimmy}} Category:1974 births Category:English strength athletes Category:Albanian strength athletes Category:Living people Category:Albanian emigrants to England