Riku Kiri

Riku Kiri (born April 5, 1963 in Kotka, Finland) is a Finnish former strongman and powerlifter. He is best known for competing in the World's Strongest Man competition, narrowly missing out on capturing the title on more than one occasion. Several strength analysts and historians regard him as "the strongest man never to win World's Strongest Man".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Having competed in 25 International strongman competitions, he has won 11 of them, including Europe's Strongest Man title three times.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Early life and career

Kiri was a child prodigy and started lifting weights at the age of seven.<ref name="kiriarchive">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

At 19 years old in 1983, Kiri held a World Record in powerlifting in the squat in IPF competition, with a lift of Template:Convert in 125 kg weight category. In one of his first ever strongman competitions in 1985, he defeated the reigning World's Strongest Man Jón Páll Sigmarsson.

The 1.94 m (6 ft 4 in), Template:Convert prime Kiri is particularly noted for his static strength including a Template:Convert single-arm deadlift and a Template:Convert raw bench press.<ref name="kiriarchive"/> He squatted Template:Convert in the Dutch Open strongman contest of 1995 in a Smith machine apparatus. He also bench pressed Template:Convert raw in an official WPC meet along with many other records.

For most of his appearances in World's Strongest Man competition, Kiri was hampered by ankle injuries. Although Kiri placed 3rd and 2nd respectively in 1993 and 1996, ankle injuries plagued him during both contests. In reference to the Car Carry event in 1993, Kiri's coach, Markku Suonenvirta, famously said: "His ankle is broken but he's a tough guy." Kiri's ankle was in fact not broken but badly injured and weakened. In the 1996 WSM final event (Power Stairs) Kiri was about to go head to head with Magnus Ver Magnusson. However, just after the starter's whistle, Kiri dropped out due to another ankle injury. Kiri was also forced to drop out of the 1998 World's Strongest Man final due to an ankle injury, finishing in 6th place.

His background is in security work, and he holds shares in Gold's Gym-Helsinki.

Personal records

Strongman

• Deadlift (for reps) – Template:Convert x 4 reps, Template:Convert x 7 reps (raw)<ref name="mmalinker.com"/>
• Silver dollar safe squat (for reps) – Template:Convert × 4 reps (1999 AFSA Dubai Full Strength Challenge) (World Record)<ref name="srsquats">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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• Smith machine Squat – Template:Convert (1995 Dutch Open) (partial lift not to parallel depth)
• Log press – Template:Convert (1997 World's Strongest Man, group 2)
• Log press (for reps) – Template:Convert x 15 reps (1998 IFSA German Grand Prix)
• Atlas stones – 5 stones weighing Template:Convert (1998 IFSA Hungary Grand Prix)
• Hercules hold – Template:Convert in each hand (direct weight) for 63.60 seconds (1993 World's Strongest Man) (former world record)
• Natural Stone press – Template:Convert (1997 Europe's Strongest Man)
• Stone block throw – Template:Convert over Template:Convert (1992 World Muscle Power Classic) (World Record)<ref name="srthrowing">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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• Keg toss – Template:Convert over Template:Convert (1997 European Open) (former world record)
• Duck walk – Template:Convert for 12m course in 15.03 seconds (1999 AFSA Dubai Full Strength Challenge) (World Record)<ref name="srstawal">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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• Cable drum push – Template:Convert on a 5 hump course in 38.41 seconds (1999 AFSA Dubai Full Strength Challenge) (World Record)<ref name="srrpc">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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• Arm over arm plane pull – Template:Convert for 15m course in 27.70 seconds (1993 World Viking Challenge) (World Record)<ref name="srarmoverarm">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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Powerlifting

• Squat – Template:Convert (raw)<ref name="mmalinker.com">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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• Bench press – Template:Convert (raw)<ref name="mmalinker.com"/><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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• Bench press (for reps) – Template:Convert x 14 reps (raw)
• Deadlift – Template:Convert (raw)<ref name="mmalinker.com"/>
• Total – Template:Convert (raw)<ref name="mmalinker.com"/>

External links

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• Interview at Samson Power Template:Dead link