In 2023, in the sports environment, when the name “Levan Saginashvili” is mentioned, only one association arises – the strongest man in the world (this has been recognized many times internationally) in the field of arm wrestling. The strongman-Georgian proved many times that he “both right and left” (quote from his words) can easily overcome almost any opponent. For more than ten years, this Georgian has attracted attention, and received the official nickname “Georgian Hulk” in the sports world. He himself modestly says about this pseudonym: “I like it! They began to call me that, but I didn’t mind.”
An athlete in 2023 is in his prime, at the peak of his career, and one hundred percent – he still has a lot of victories and records ahead of him. Of his latest achievements, for example: 2021, Ukraine, the Vendetta Top 8 tournament – first place. And yet, in 2022: Dubai, “King of the Table 4”, also the first place, a victory in the fight with Devon Larratt. Of course, Levan Saginashvili inspires respect and admiration for his mighty forms – with a height of 190 cm and a weight of under two hundred kilos. And at the same time (this is noted by both journalists and just acquaintances of Levan) an amazing positive warmth emanates from the athlete, and he is a very kind, calm and well-mannered person.
Official data
- First name, surname: Levan Saginashvili/Levan Saginashvili;
- Sports pseudonym : Georgian Hulk/Georgian Hulk;
- Place of birth: Republic of Georgia;
- Date of birth: 1988, September 15;
- Zodiac sign: Virgo;
- Nationality: Georgian;
- Height, weight: 190 cm, about 180 kg;
- Sport activity details: professional armwrestler;
- Marital status, children: not married, no children.
Life before big sports
Athletes are often asked about what led them to a particular area, how a person began to get involved in this particular sport. Of course, Levan Saginashvili was also asked about this many times. The armwrestler told as much as possible about his childhood and the path to big sport in an interview with his colleague Ivan Makarov (almost a colleague, Ivan is a powerlifter). The mighty Georgian shared with Ivan that he actually played football as a child, and he did it well. But as a teenager, he had to give up the idea of becoming famous and succeeding in football …
Levan Saginashvili in his youth
At the age of 16, the guy began to grow very quickly. And not just quickly, but with lightning speed, he grew up! “I left for the summer holidays in the village with my grandmother, and in the fall I returned … 30 cm taller,” according to Levan in the interview mentioned. Yes, he grew thirty centimeters in three months! There is also a quote from there: “When school ended, I was one of the smallest in the class, and returned to school in the fall – the tallest.” I had to give up sports in general for about six months, because such a rapid growth caused health problems …
His path to armwrestling and champions
The future Georgian Hulk started arm wrestling by mistake! Again, a quote from a conversation with Ivan Makarov: “Many of my peers were into fitness, and I went and signed up for a new sports complex that opened nearby.” And he signed up … in the arm wrestling section. There, the famous coach Lado Khutsishvili immediately took note of the young man – he became the first mentor of the future champion. The trained look of an experienced trainer drew attention to the height, weight of the guy, and his powerful physique, and huge hands.
For the first time, Levan Saginashvili entered serious competitions in 2012 – at the national championship, where he took second place. Then, a year later, there were the same successes at the same Georgian armwrestling championship, and then, in 2013, his first appearance at an international tournament (he did not reach prizes then). In 2014, strongman-Hulk became the first in the Georgian championship, and at the same time – the first in the right and left hands at the WAF (World Arm-wrestling Championship): it was not in vain that the conversation was earlier about “both left and right”!
Levan Saginashvili has a total of victories:
- Seven-time WAF championship;
- Six once – victory at the European Championship in this sport;
- Champion title at the “World Cup” in arm wrestling in 2017.
These are major victories for the Georgian Hulk. All references to the performances of a strongman – in the sports Wikipedia, the list takes one and a half pages.
Advertising
I'll have to tell you more about this – because advertising in the life of famous personalities occupies a significant place. This is especially important for athletes, and even more so for such famous and titled ones as Levan Saginashvili. Many companies are willing to pay decently for a strong athlete to advertise their business – here the Georgian has a huge choice.
A spectacular commercial was filmed in the fall of 2022 by the Georgian company “caveaplus”: the project is releasing films, series, TV shows and other film products in Georgian, and the project’s applications for smartphones and TV are being developed. The most famous actors and media personalities of the country were invited to the promotional video, among which was Levan Saginashvili.
And again the company of the native country! “Vitamini ge” – are engaged in the sale of food and vitamin supplements in Georgia, and the arm wrestler gladly agreed to take part in the next promotion of the chain of stores. In the fall of 2022 (this autumn was generally rich for a strong man for advertising shoots), he starred in a big video from the new branch of the project – the store opened in the Vake district of Tbilisi.
It is rare that any of the athletes avoids contact with projects involved in betting on the Internet. Saginashvili cooperates with the company “leaderbet” – the name of the national portal speaks for itself, these are leaders in this field in the country. And only the best are invited to advertise, including Levan. Well, “to the heap”, as they say – another fact of the advertising work of the armwrestler – advertising posts about the auto transportation company “Auto Market Logistik”.
Interesting facts and latest news
- This giant armwrestler does not adhere to any special diets. He does not strive and never tried to lose weight, and when he gained weight, he did not make a problem out of it. “For me, weight, by and large, is not important now, because I still perform in the super-heavy category. Why diets? I just try to eat well several times a day, ”according to the champion about nutrition.
- He willingly talks about any period of his life, shares the details of his sports career, but there is a question that cannot be answered either in Georgian sources, or in Russian-speaking or English-speaking ones – this is the personal life of an athlete. He does not tell, in the social. He doesn’t post photos on this topic on networks, and journalists somehow don’t ask him about it. Levan Saginashvili is not married – otherwise he would have shared details about the family in the media.
- “A very warm person, and I can’t believe that this cool guy is lonely!” – a quote from an article about a Georgian athlete. And the truth – is it really not a single girl who has received his attention, has not won his heart? Even Levan's friends cannot say anything specific. Some especially close people to the athlete hinted that he was dating a very good girl, he just kept it a secret.
- “Levan remains the strongest armwrestler in the world,” they write in the sports media at the beginning of 2023. True, they name some who could compete with the strongman in the next fights – for example, they talk about Zurab Paizulaev. Opinions were divided on Ermes Gasparini's plan. Ermes' new world record in clean weight lifting by hand is impressive, but it's one thing to pull irons, another to measure strength with a live Georgian Hulk.