NAIROBI, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- Reigning champion of Africa's Strongest Man competition has hailed Kenya's growth in the sport, saying that the East African nation has the potential to host global events.

Johan Ells said Thursday Kenya has made great leaps in the game and the country's athletes are able to compete with the best in the world.

"I have seen very good athletes here who can compete globally and win world titles on behalf of Africa in the next coming years," the South African national told Xinhua during an interview in Nairobi.

The Strongest Man competition encompasses raw strength through power to lift, pull, push, speed, and endurance.

The activities range from dead-lifts, giant tyre flipping, giant log-carrying, pulling a seven-ton truck among others.

Ells, who holds the sixth position globally, was in the country for this year's Kenya's strongest man finals held in Nairobi, did not compete against Kenyans but instead attempted a new continental record in the deadlift.

The star athlete attempted to break the 404kg record but managed only 370kg. During the event, Christopher Oketch, reigning Kenya's strongest man, successfully defended his title after he managed to lift 370kg.

Oketch, who doubles up as a bodybuilding athlete went into the finals with two international titles already in his bag this year.

He clinched the world Natural Bodybuilding and the natural bodybuilding world cup earlier in August 2019 before sealing a 2019 hat trick with the national strongest man title.

Oketch, who based in Dubai and is famed for dragging cars and trucks using his teeth, also retained his crown as Qatar's strongest man this year in September after he beat Mohamed Dweidar of Egypt and countryman Joseph Iroo Ekadeli.

Mercy Obiero, Kenya's weightlifting Olympian, lifted 220kg dead-lift to upset the 2018 women's overall champion Phona Akinyi. Enditem

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