Van's the Lanarkshire's Strongest Man after nailbiter

Sunday’s enthralling contest at Motherwell’s Hostile Strength and Conditioning Gym saw the leading three contenders separated by just a point with six of the seven events completed.But a stunning final round display by South African Eben van Wyk saw him lift three cylinders weighing 100kg, 120kg and 140kg onto a 55 inch platform in just 19.21 seconds.This was enough for van Wyk to finish second in this last event and pip Hostile member Scott Beveridge and Lithuanian challenger Sarunus Meitulis, who finished second and third overall after finishing third and fourth respectively in the cylinder load.This drama came one year on from a similarly dramatic finale at the same event when Dean Caldwell eventually prevailed after an eighth round tie breaker.Hostile Gym boss Martin Lennox, of Newmains, said: “You can’t get any better than the excitement we’ve had at this event.“If Eben had slipped at all in the final event then Scott would have won. It was that close.”