Career
In 1984 Jón won the Icelandic bodybuilding title in the +90 kg. class. His achievements in powerlifting also include Icelandic records in the bench press (with 192.5 kg, 195 kg, 210 kg and 222.5 kg) and the squat (with 320.5 kg, 330 kg, 342.5 kg and 357.5 kg), but his best performances were usually in the deadlift event, in which he set the European record many times (with 350 kg, 352.5 kg, 360 kg, 362.5 kg and 370 kg) and multiple world records in strongman competition deadlift variations, such as the rectangular handled wheel and one handed deadlift.
In 1986, Jón first wrestled English Author and Guinness World Record Holder Sir Brian Sterling-Vete in a demonstration match for the TV news and print media held at Finnur Karlsson’s gymnasium in Reykjavik, Iceland. Halfway through the match Jón and Sterling had plotted to surprise the audience with a supposed angry outburst leading to the two of them demonstrating their skills as martial artists. This very typical ‘showmanship’ became synonymous with both Jón and Sterling.
In 1987, a contest called Pure Strength 1987 was held on the grounds of Huntly Castle in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. In this event, Jón Páll, Bill Kazmaier and Geoff Capes competed to crown the strongest man of all time, where Jón Páll won 8 out of 10 events. A famous quote, "there is no reason to be alive if you can't do deadlift" was shouted by Jon Pall when he won the deadlift event at this contest.
During the deadlift event at the 1985 World's Strongest Man competition, someone in the audience called him an eskimo. Sigmarsson shouted back: "I am not an Eskimo, I am a Viking!".
Two other famous quotes are, "I am in seventh heaven" which was his translation of an Icelandic saying, and "Ekkert mál fyrir Jón Pál" which roughly translates as "No problem for Jon Paul".
Jón Páll was namechecked in Iceland's entry to the Eurovision Song Contest 1988, "Sókrates" by Sverrir Stormsker.
Hjalti Arnason, a lifelong friend of Jon Pall, created the Jon Pall Sigmarsson Classic international strongman contest in 2010 in honor of Jon Pall. The event is held annually during the Icelandic fitness & health expo in Reykjavik, the inaugural winner was America's Brian Shaw in 2010.
On March 9, 2012, it was announced that Sigmarsson was voted into the World's Strongest Man Hall of Fame.
Read more about this topic: Jon Pall
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