Magnus Samuelsson

Samuelsson holds the record for reaching the World's Strongest Man finals 10 times, a feat which he achieved over a 13-year span from 1995–2007. He has also achieved a podium place in WSM on five separate occasions.

In 2001, Samuelsson became the overall champion of the Strongman Super Series. After competing in the IFSA Strongman World Championship in 2005, he returned to compete in the 2006 World's Strongest Man but failed to make it past the qualifying rounds due to a back injury. A year later, Samuelsson reached the 2007 finals, eventually finishing in 5th place. However, after failing to make the finals in the 2008 World's Strongest Man contest, Samuelsson announced his retirement from competition after 14 years competing in the sport. He achieved a 31 podium finish making him one of the all-time most successful strongman competitors. Samuelsson also remains one of only five men to have successfully closed the No. 4 Captains of Crush hand-gripper under official conditions.

Torbjörn Samuelsson (Samuelsson' brother) also competed in strongman competitions between 1996–2002, winning Sweden's Strongest Man twice and competing at the World's Strongest Man 2000–2002.

In 1995, Samuelsson accidentally broke the arm of Australian wrestler Nathan Jones during heats of the World's Strongest Man contest in Nassau, Bahamas. The injury occurred because Jones employed the novice technique of side twisting. The action combined with Samuelsson's own body strength resulted in a snapped humerus.[2]

Magnus Samuelsson was offered a role in the film Gladiator, but declined.[3] One of the reasons he declined was that he believed the film was going to be a B movie. The agent who had phoned him to offer the role had told him that he would "fight with swords and so", and also named a couple of actors in the cast, which Magnus Samuelsson did not recognize.[4]

In 2009 Samuelsson won the Swedish version of the television series Dancing with the Stars, beating songwriter Laila Bagge in the final.

Samuelsson plays Gunnar Nyberg, a detective in the 2011 Swedish crime thriller series Arne Dahl. It has also been aired in Germany and UK. The series are now available on Netflix.

Samuelsson plays Clapa in the BBC's The Last Kingdom. A hulking Danish warrior, Clapa become one of the main protagonist Uhtred's best fighters, but his savagery in battle belies a warm heart and loyalty to his comrades that holds no bounds.

Samuelsson lives in Tidersrum in Östergötland. He and his brother, Torbjörn, are both full-time farmers. Throughout his career, he has been supported at every competition by his wife Kristin, a former two-time winner of Sweden's strongest woman. They have one son, David, and one daughter, Sara.

Samuelsson is also an automobile racing enthusiast. In 2010 he competed in Rally Sweden, part of the World Rally Championship, finishing in 35th position out of 55.

Done in the gym (according to Samuelsson himself)

• Squat: 280 kg (617 lbs) for 10 reps raw
• Bench press: 300 kg (661 lbs) for 1 rep raw[5]
• Deadlift: 375 kg (826 lbs)[6]

• Year Place Competition
• 1996 2nd World Muscle Power
• 1997 1st Glasgow Open
• 1998 4th Helsinki Strongman
• 1998 3rd World Strongest Team Contest
• 1998 1st Faroe GP
• 1998 1st World Strongman Challenge
• 1999 3rd Faroe GP
• 1999 1st Beauty and the Beast
• 1999 2nd Iceland Viking of the north
• 1999 2nd World Strongest Team
• 1999 4th Helsinki GP
• 1999 1st Czech GP
• 2000 3rd Faroe GP
• 2000 1st Ireland GP
• 2000 2nd Europe Strongman Classic
• 2000 2nd Helsinki GP
• 2000 1st Poland GP
• 2000 1st China GP
• 2000 1st Romanian GP
• 2001 1st Beauty and the Beast
• 2001 2nd World Muscle Power
• 2001 3rd Europe's Strongest Man
• 2001 2nd Santo Domingo
• 2001 3rd Prague GP
• 2001 2nd Dutch GP
• 2001 1st Stockholm GP
• 2001 1st Strongman Super Series
• 2003 3rd World Muscle Power Canada
• 2003 3rd World Record Breakers Poland
• 2004 2nd World Strongman Stars Ukraine
• 2004 1st Superseries GP Gothenburg
• 2007 3rd Viking Power Super Series Norway
• 2008 1st Sweden Super Series Sweden

6. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/profiles/2NGbyg7vtBbQxw4ZfGp4stk/clapa