Former British Army Lance Corporal Martin Tye may be paralyzed from the knees down, but he hasn’t let his disability stop him from setting and achieving fitness goals. This past weekend at the North Somerset’s Strongest Man event in Wraxwall, UK, he completed a historic 505 kg (1,113-pound) seated deadlift, setting a new Guinness World Record in the process.
Just for reference, 2017 World’s Strongest Man, Eddie Hall, deadlifted 5 kg (11 pounds) less back in 2017 when he set the heaviest strongman deadlift world record.
Tye suffered his life-changing injury when a suicide car bomber drove into his vehicle during a tour in Afghanistan back in 2009. He has no sensation from the knees down, and he also suffered injuries to his shoulder and lungs. Stricken with PTSD following the incident, Tye eventually began to use sports to help cope with his traumatic experience.
In addition to lifting, over the last three years Tye has participated in the Invictus Games twice, winning medals in events including indoor rowing, wheelchair rugby, and wheelchair basketball.
In the coming months, he’ll be participating in the World’s Strongest Disabled Man competition in June, and plans to attempt an Atlas stone record in the future, as well.
