| Mark Felix | |
|---|---|
| Born | Mark Felix April 17, 1966 Grenada |
| Residence | England |
| Occupation | Strongman |
| Height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) |
| Weight | 294 pounds (133 kg) |
Mark Felix (born April 17, 1966 in Grenada[1]) is a strongman competitor and regular entrant to the World's Strongest Man competition. In winning the Rolling Thunder World Championships in 2008 and 2009, as well as holding the world record in the event, he is regarded as having a powerful grip.
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Mark Felix was born in 1966 in Grenada. At the age of 23 he moved to Great Harwood, Lancashire, England.[2] He was a dedicated body builder and turned his attention to strongman competitions in 2003 at the age of 37, comparatively late in relation to other strength athletes.[2]
Having turned his attention to strength athletics, Mark Felix turned pro within a year when the IFSA Strongman professional team was launched in 2004.[3] He had come third in England's Strongest Man in 2004, and in 2005 he went on to come second to Eddy Elwood in the IFSA version of England's Strongest Man (England's Strongest Man (IFSA)). This led him to the IFSA British Championships which he won in 2005. Of the five events, Felix won three (Deadlift, Farmer’s Walk and Atlas Stones).[3] Aftwerwards Felix credited his victory to "Big hands, big heart"[3] Felix was invited to the IFSA World Team Championships in which he competed in the "World" team as a representative of Grenada. The team was placed third. From 2006, Felix turned his attention towards the more established strongman competitions that could lead to the World's Strongest Man ("WSM"), from which IFSA had parted company in 2004. In 2006 he placed second in the Britain's Strongest Man competition and this led to a place in the World's Strongest Man in which he came a highly respected fourth.[2] In 2007 he repeated his second place finish in Britain's Strongest Man but was disappointed with his seventh place finish in the 2007 WSM. In the same year he also finished third in the Mohegan Sun Grand Prix of the World's Strongest Man Super Series. In 2008 he came fourth in Europe's Strongest Man[2] and went on to finish third in Britain's Strongest Man, qualifying him for a third successive WSM final.[2] Felix has said "Every year I gain more experience and learn more about what I am capable of."[2]
In June 2009 Felix successfully defended his Rolling Thunder world championship title. He had previously won the championship in 2008 by breaking the world record for the event lifting a weight of 302 lb.[4]
Recently, Felix won the 2011 Vice Grip Viking Challenge[5] and placed third at the All-American Strongman Challenge[6] both taking place on Jan. 29, 30th 2011 at the LA Fitexpo.
Felix continues to work as a self-employed plasterer out of season. He lives in Great Harwood with his wife Denny and three children.