Game of Thrones star for KL event

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian fans of the hit television series Game of Thrones will be delighted to know that one of the stars Hafthor Julius "Thor" Bjornsson (pix) will be in Malaysia in November to compete in the Strongman Champions League World Finals in Dataran Merdeka.
Bjornsson, who plays the character Gregor Clegane, was the 2011 champion of this international sports competition, which pits some of the world's strongest athletes against one another in a year-long series of events held in different cities worldwide.
Fans may get a chance to meet the actor as an autograph session will be held during the world finals on Nov 14 and 15, which will also see the 2013 champion Krzysztof Radzikowski of Poland and local 18-year-old Zarol Alfiyan, taking part.
This is the second year that KL is hosting the event, said Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Seri Ahmad Phesal when he made the announcement of the event today.
During the two-day competition, the athletes will compete against one another in eight specific events, each designed to push the limits of their strength.
Competitors show their might by performing several arduous task like carrying weights in excess of 300kg, flipping a 400kg tyre and lifting cars, among others.
At the event today, Zarol, who also competed last year, showcased his strength by pulling a full-sized bus by using just a harness.
"Although he is very young, we are hoping he will do well at this year's competition," said Phesal.
Zarol's performance was one of the reasons City Hall is planning to host Asean Strongman Champions League in the future.
Phesal said this event would encourage local athletes to strive to compete with the world's best as well as cementing KL's status as a leading sports venue.
The mayor also said that this competition will help Malaysia's campaign to build Kuala Lumpur's profile as one of the world's event cities.
He also hopes that this competition will help the city achieve its targeted 10 million international visitors this year in conjunction with Visit Malaysia Year 2014.