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The Mountain from 'Game of Thrones' Gets In a Spin With Washing Machine World Record

Hafthór “Thor” Björnsson sure is a busy man these days.

By Tom ChapmanPublished 6 years ago 2 min read
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'Lo Show Dei Record' [Credit: Canale 5]

Hafthór “Thor” Björnsson sure is a busy man these days. Between massacring Shame nuns, selling his own brand of sparkling water, and popping eyeballs, The Mountain from #HBO's #GameofThrones continues to live up to his strongman credentials. For anyone who tuned into Italian TV recently (if not, why not?), you may have seen Björnsson trying to set a new world record — by throwing washing machines.

For me, the '90s heralded an era for UK television obsessed with breaking Guinness World Records thanks to Linford's Record Breakers, hosted by Linford Christie. The original Record Breakers ran on the BBC from 1972 to 2001, but other versions limped onto the likes of ITV2 and Sky1. Well, it seems like Italy is still caught in record fever as Björnsson took to the stage in Lo Show Dei Record. Clearly angry that his mommy shrunk his favorite Lycra bodysuit, The Mountain faced off against Lithuania's Zydrunas Savickas in an attempt to throw a washing machine the furthest.

Savickas trounced The Mountain, successfully setting the record by throwing a 46 kg washing machine 4.13 meters. It is actually the fifth time the two strongmen have competed against each other, having previously battled tossing beer kegs, lifting logs, and even hurling fridges. Savickas may have won, but the audience was on The Mountain's side, with the bulging Icelander rousing the crowd to his cause.

As Iceland's Strongest Man since 2011, Björnsson was also Europe's Strongest Man in 2014 and 2015, but is (yet) to nab that elusive World's Strongest Man title, coming second to Savickas in 2014. However, it is as Gregor Clegane on HBO's ice and fire epic that he is best known, being the third actor to take on the mantle of The Mountain.

Moving Mountains

Moving Mountains

It is expected that Björnsson will continue to pay an increasing part in the seventh season of Game of Thrones, standing firmly at the side of sadistic Queen Cersei as her zombified bodyguard — Ser Robert Strong. After his seeming demise toward the end of Season 4, The Mountain's body was reanimated by Maester Qyburn and came to the aid of Cersei after her nude walk through the capital. Although it was his first acting role, Björnsson was clearly bitten by the acting bug, and has been cast alongside Jean-Claude Van Damme in Kickboxer: Retaliation.

Personally, I don't think I could throw much more than a Nutribullet, but it seems that tossing household appliances is a genuinely serious competition for Guinness. You can bet that this won't be the last time that Björnsson and Savickas face off. It brings a whole new meaning to having a "mountain" of washing to do!

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About the Creator

Tom Chapman

Tom is a Manchester-based writer with square eyes and the love of a good pun. Raised on a diet of Jurassic Park, this ’90s boy has VHS flowing in his blood. No topic is too big for this freelancer by day, crime-fighting vigilante by night.

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