Gavin Bilton, a 37-year-old rugby player and bouncer at Cardiff's Bonnie Rogues on St Mary's Street, is Wales' strongest man. He has won Wales' Strongest Man four times and plans to claim a fifth title this Sunday.
Career Highlights
Bilton has competed in every major strongman show except the Rogue Invitational. He has taken part in the Arnold Classic, World's Strongest Man, and the Strongman Champions League, and has won UK's Strongest Man twice.
Speaking to WalesOnline, Bilton said: "I've done every show that there is to do in the world of Strongman, except the Rogue Invitational. I've done the Arnold Classic, I've competed at World's Strongest Man, I've competed all over the world with the Strongman Champions League, I've won the UK's Strongest Man twice and I've won Wales' Strongest Man four times - hopefully that will soon be five times."
Training and Diet
Bilton eats around 8,000 calories a day and weighs about 27 stone. He says he is in the best shape he has been in for a long time. He once set a record with fellow Welshman Mark Jeanes by flipping a 750-kilogram car 14 times in four minutes.
He began strongman training seven years ago after leaving the Welsh Guards, having served two tours of Afghanistan. A year later, he competed at World's Strongest Man.
Dual Life as Bouncer
Bilton works as a bouncer at Bonnie Rogues, where fellow strongman Jamie Butler also works. Bilton praised Butler, saying he has the attributes to become World's Strongest Man.
He has also done security work at major boxing fights in Saudi Arabia, involving fighters such as Anthony Joshua, Kubrat Pulev, Oleksandr Usyk, Andy Ruiz, Tyson Fury, and Canelo Alvarez. He finds dealing with small drunks in Cardiff harder than working with boxers.
His immediate goal is to win Wales' Strongest Man again on Sunday, with the World's Strongest Man as the ultimate aim.
