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| Nationality | New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1991-09-21) 21 September 1991 (age 32) New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Occupation | Strongman | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 155–160 kg (342–353 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Mathew 'Matt' Ragg (born 21 September 1991) is a Strongman from New Zealand[1] and the reigning and six-times winner of New Zealand's Strongest Man competition.[2]
Ragg started his sporting career as a sprinter but a recurring shin injury caused him to move towards weight training.[2] In 2013, he started competing in local strongman competitions and broke some national records in the process. This paved him to join 2016 Arnold Amateur World Championships, where he secured third place behind Zach Hadge and Evgeny Markov, resulting in his pro debut.[citation needed]
Following a hiatus due to COVID-19 pandemic,[3] Ragg competed at 2022 Official Strongman Games and won third place which qualified him for the World's Strongest Man.[4] At 2023 World's Strongest Man, he managed to qualify into the finals and emerged ninth place. At 2023 Giants Live World Tour Finals, he won second place behind Tom Stoltman and ahead of the reigning World's Strongest Man champion Mitchell Hooper.[citation needed]
In 2024, he won the Beasts of Burden competition by scoring 41 of a possible 45 points[4] Ragg came fourth place at the 2024 World's Strongest Man and Giants Live Strongman Classic.
Ragg is of Samoan descent.[5] He works full time as a shift supervisor at McDonald's.[2]
