Eddie Hall, UK’s strongest man, is challenges Asian fayalwans (strongman) to test their might in Britain or in their home turf. British-Asian millionaire businessman Mo Chaudhry offers cash prize for the winner…writes Kaliph Anaz
Eddie Hall, UK’s strongest man, is challenges Asian fayalwans (strongman) to test their might in Britain or in their home turf.
Mo Chaudhry, ‘Secret Millionaire’ and the owner of Waterworld in Stoke-on-Trent, the UK’s most popular aqua park, is offering a cash reward for the winner.
Eddie, the four-time winner of strongest man title, is an ardent fan of Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan. Besides his training, the ‘Gentle Giant’ is polishing his acting skills test waters in Bollywood as a baddy.
Fitness entrepreneur Mo has turned his sights to making Eddie Hall a global celebrity after agreeing a deal to become his agent. The owner of the M Club gym chain will handle all commercial activities so the Newcastle-under-Lyme 27-year-old can concentrate on becoming the World’s Strongest Man, having won the UK title four times.
An amateur power-lifter in his youth, Chaudry is determined to help the 6’3”, 27st strongman achieve his goals of breaking into the top three this year – after finishing 6th in his debut competition last year – and winning the title in 2016.
He grew up in the Rawalpindi area of Pakistan, sharing his bedroom with the family cow, and moved to the UK aged eight in 1968 not speaking a word of English. He has since built an extensive commercial property portfolio, alongside Waterworld and the M Club gym chain, and is now one of the UK’s richest Asian businessmen. He appeared on Channel Four’s Secret Millionaire in 2007.
“When I saw Eddie training at M Club it brought back some happy memories,” Mo told Asian Lite. “My father Iqbal was a strongman in Pakistan when I was young and was a local hero, and I was a weight-lifter at university, winning a silver medal in the Student Olympics in 1982 and bronze in 1983. So I can appreciate what Eddie has to go through to prepare for competition and also how the winners are revered around the world.
“Ultimately I’d like to create an Asia’s Strongest Man competition, as strongman contests in the sub-continent have huge potential, but first I want to help Eddie achieve his ambitions. By taking commercial negotiations out of his hands, I can leave him to concentrate on his training.
“I am very passionate about promoting unique local talent and helping it to reach its full potential, and this partnership enables me to do that and hopefully put the area on the map.”
This year Eddie will compete in the world championships in Malaysia, and two competitions organised by Arnold Schwarzenegger in Australia and the USA.
Eddie said: “My food bill is large as I need to consume 7,000-10,000 calories a day, and more than 10,000 a day during competitions.The agreement with Mo has already helped to generate TV and commercial opportunities. It’s great to have such a driven guy looking after my best interests, as now I can fully concentrate on becoming the World’s Strongest Man.”