This year’s Rogue Invitational was different.
Not just because I came away with another title, but because this one meant more than any competition I have ever done. This was the first time a strongman show meant more to me than strongman itself.
Why This One Mattered So Much
Over the past six months, my life has been heavy.
Behind the scenes, I have dealt with death threats, hate messages, and more personal turmoil than I ever expected to face. For a while, it stopped being about lifting weights. It became about surviving the noise and finding myself again.
I have always been able to handle challenges. For years, life felt pretty smooth. But this time was different. This was the first time I caught myself thinking, “I don’t actually know how I’m going to get through this.”
And yet, here I am. Winning again.
This victory reminded me of something I had not felt in a while: pride. Pride in knowing I can fall apart, rebuild, and still come back as the best in the world.
Competing Through Chaos
When I broke my foot during the competition, something strange happened.
It almost felt right.
In a weird way, it was like the final obstacle. The last test of resilience that I needed to face. I remember thinking, “One more hurdle. One more thing I will not let stop me.”
Despite the injury, I have never been more focused in my life. Every lift, every rep, every breath was a statement that I am still here and still capable of greatness.
Event by Event
We started with the Overhead Medley.
I was chasing rep for rep with Trey Mitchell. I came close to hitting that fifth rep on the dumbbell, and even though he edged me by a few seconds, we both pulled ahead of the rest of the field.
Then came the Power Drive into the Arm-Over-Arm pull, and that is when I felt the crack. My right foot went, and I thought I had torn through my shoe. Turns out it was worse: a broken foot.
I pushed through the pain and still finished second, even with a ten-second penalty for grabbing the rope too early. By that point, Trey and I had separated ourselves from the pack. It was going to come down to the Stones.
Stones have never been my event. Usually, I am in damage-control mode there. But this time, with a broken foot and all the pressure from everything that had happened this year, I just told myself to execute.
A few painkillers from Tom, a pep talk from Luke, and I locked in.
That run might have been the cleanest I have ever done. First or second place, it did not even matter. What mattered was that I did it.
What This Win Means
When it was all over, the emotions hit me hard.
All the noise, all the doubt, all the moments this year when I did not feel proud of myself, it finally broke. I felt calm. Grateful. Free.
Strongman is a small part of life, but this sport has taught me that I can come back from anything. It has given me something to be proud of again, and hopefully given others a bit of joy in the process.
For a long time, I questioned whether my success was sustainable. I wondered if maybe I was just a flash in the pan. This win silenced that voice. It proved to me that resilience matters more than perfection.
Looking Ahead
I will get my foot checked out, but if I can hit stones like that with it broken, I am not too worried.
More importantly, I am walking away from this weekend with confidence that I can keep evolving, physically, mentally, and emotionally.
This sport is not just what I do anymore. It is who I am.
And I am going to be here for a while.
To everyone who supported me, thank you.
To everyone who cheered against me, thank you too. It is an uphill battle to root against me, and I plan to keep it that way.
We are raising money through LHBK and Moose Coaching for the next generation of strongmen and for causes that actually matter. If you want to be part of that, check out the merch and join the community.
This is just one chapter. The comeback is only getting started.
Mitchell Hooper
Three-Time Rogue Invitational Champion