2014 to Žydrūnas Savickas by half a point, again in 2016 to Brian Shaw by two points, and finally in 2017 to Eddie Hall by one point, before becoming the World's Strongest Man in 2018, winning the competition by six-and-a-half points over the runner-up, Mateusz Kieliszkowski. Hafþór was also the third Icelander to win the title, after Jón Páll Sigmarsson and Magnús Ver Magnússon. In his attempt to defend the title, Hafþór suffered a torn plantar fascia during the group stages and emerged in third place overall, behind Martins Licis and Mateusz Kieliszkowski, after doing all the events of the final while suffering from the injury, thus achieving the longest continuous podium streak in World's Strongest Man history with eight (2012–2019). Hafþór has also won more vehicle pulls, stone events, and medleys and loading races than any other competitor in the history of the competition. Among the past winners who have managed to qualify for the finals at a 100% ratio, Hafþór and Mariusz Pudzianowski top the list, with nine finals out of nine appearances. In May 2020, Hafþór stated that he would not return to Giants Live or World's Strongest Man competitions. Arnold Strongman Classic Hafþór entered the Arnold Sports Festival's limelight after winning second place in the 2011 Arnold Amateur competition, which was also his first-ever competition abroad. This paved the way for him to qualify for the Arnold Pro Strongman World Series, eventually winning the Arnold Brazil, Arnold Australia, Arnold South Africa, and Arnold Canada competitions. Widely recognized as the heaviest and most difficult strongman contest in the world, Hafþór first participated in the Arnold Strongman Classic finals, held annually in Columbus, Ohio, in 2012, placing tenth (last place). But after a continuous progression, placing eighth in 2013, fifth in 2014, seventh in 2015, fifth in 2016, and second in 2017, Hafþór defeated the defending champion, Brian Shaw, and won the 2018 Arnold Strongman Classic, becoming only the seventh person to win the prestigious title. In the fourth event, Hafþór broke the elephant bar deadlift world record with , beating Jerry Pritchett's , established the previous year. Hafþór successfully defended his title at the 2019 Arnold Strongman Classic in dominant fashion and improved on his elephant bar deadlift world record, increasing it to in only his second attempt out of the three allowed. After successfully defending his crown again in 2020, Hafþór became only the second person