Mike Jenkins Athlete
Mike Jenkins(born 1982) is a professional strongman competitor from Westminster, Maryland. Mike works as a High School athletics director outside of strongman. Mike was a college and professional football player before switching over to strongman competition in 2007. Mike won the Maryland's Strongest Man contest in 2007 which qualified him for the North American amateur national strongman championships later that year and he placed sixth in that contest. Mike placed second in the North American nationals in 2009. Mike competed in the inaugural Arnold Amateur Strongman World Championships in 2010 and won that contest. This victory earned Mike his pro strongman card, as well as an invite to the 2011 Arnold Strongman Classic. Mike competed in the 2010 America's Strongest Man later in the year and placed second behind 3 time champion Derek Poundstone. Mike came into the 2011 Arnold Strongman Classic placing second overall ahead of the reigning World's Strongest Man, Zydrunas Savickas. Mike qualified for the finals of the 2011 World's Strongest Man contest, and after winning the first 2 events, he suffered a back injury and had to withdraw from the contest and finished in eighth place overall. Mike won the 2012 Arnold Strongman Classic, finishing ahead of former champions Derek Poundstone, Zydrunas Savickas and Brian Shaw. Mike won the Giants Live event in Melbourne, Australia on March 17, 2012, this victory qualifies Mike for the 2012 World's Strongest Man contest later in the year. Mike set a joint world record in the hip lift event with Nick Best with a lift of 1,150 kilograms (2,500 lb).