ENGLAND’s Strongest Man has been rushed to hospital after suffering a horrific injury while lifting 172kg.
Kane Francis, the reigning England‘s Strongest Man, suffered the devastating tendon injury whilst training for a log press event.
The 32-year-old, known to fans as “The Hurricane”, described hearing a “pop” whilst pressing a 172kg weight – and immediately rushed to hospital.
Kane was told that his adductor tendon in his leg had severed, and he would need surgery within three weeks to have any chance at a full recovery.
He said: “I was training the log press, and I lifted 172kg – and as I pressed it over my head, I extended my leg and hips forward and felt this huge pop in my leg.
“I instantly knew that something bad had happened, because there was no pain. That made me instantly think it was a tendon, so I went to the hospital.”
Kane was told it would be several weeks before he would be able to receive an MRI to begin the treatment plan on the NHS, and felt that his only option was to seek private treatment as soon as possible.
After a year of success at home, and the chance to compete with some of the top athletes in the sport at World’s Strongest Man earlier this year – including reigning champion Tom Stoltman – Kane was devastated to receive the news.
“As lucky as we are to have the NHS, they couldn’t get me in for an MRI for a number of weeks,” he said.
“I’d been advised that with this kind of injury, a full tendon and muscle detachment, there’s a three-week window where you can get the surgery done before there’s a retraction of the tendon and the muscle.
“The tendon has already retracted 10cm down my leg – it’s quite a significant injury.”
Kane, who has been competing in strongman for five years, began powerlifting in 2017, before attending a strongman event as a spectator – and began his training in 2022.
By 2023, Kane was on the world stage – competing at events across the globe with the strongest athletes alive, taking his biggest title to date after his 2024 victory at England‘s Strongest Man in York.
Sadly, his tendon injury has shattered his chances at taking the title of Britain’s Strongest Man 2025 in February – but hasn’t shaken his love for the sport.
He said: “I started powerlifting in 2017 because I was quite underweight, and I just wanted to get into the gym.
“I’ve won England’s Strongest Man this year, after coming second last year and first in my first year competing.
“I love going to these shows and performing. I love speaking to people in the crowd.
“I was looking more forward to it this year than any other year I’ve done – and this would have been the qualifier to get back to World’s Strongest Man.
“Sadly, with this recovery time, I’m not going to be back to World’s Strongest Man this year.”
In the hopes that he would make a full recovery, friend and fellow strongman competitor Evans Nana launched a GoFundMe – aiming to raise £12,500 to fund Kane’s operation.
The pair met two years ago at a competition, and have been close friends and regular competitors ever since, both appearing at 2024’s World Strongest Man, held in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
The fundraiser has been donated to and shared by World’s Strongest Man Tom Stoltman and his brother Luke, currently Europe‘s Strongest Man, as well as several other athletes and promoters in the sport.
Both Kane and Evans are “overwhelmed” by the support shown by strongman fans and fellow athletes alike – with the fundraiser currently standing at around half of its goal.
Evans added: “I’ve no doubt he can bounce back stronger. He’s the current England’s Strongest Man after three competitions, and that shows he perseveres and is resilient enough to get better and better.
“This is going to make him hungrier and come back stronger. I have no doubts that he’s going to come back to his peak.”
Kane described the support as “humbling,” stating: “I’ve donated to GoFundMes before, but there was part of me – probably my ego – that didn’t want to set one up or ask for handouts.
“But Evans, being the friend that he is, he’s done that for me. It’s quite a serious surgery and he wanted to help me all he can.
“The support has been a little bit overwhelming and incredibly humbling. It’s got me feeling emotional. I can’t believe people want to help me as much as they have.”
Despite facing a complicated surgery with a lengthy recovery process, Kane is eager to return to the sport – and has vowed to take his recovery as seriously as he takes training.
The strongman said: “The athlete in me wants to go back as soon as I possibly can, but I’ve got to think with my head and not my heart in this.
“It’s not a minor injury. I need to make sure I take things slowly and ease myself back into it. In my head, I’m accepting now that the 2025 season is probably done for me.
“This year, instead of the goal being a competition, it’s a goal to stay healthy and be able to move properly again.
“I don’t want to stop strongman over an injury – that’s why I have to ease myself back in. If I risk this by being stubborn and going back too quickly, I risk it happening again – and that could be the end of me professionally.”
Kane continued: “Winning England’s Strongest Man was one of my biggest achievements and I would definitely like to win it more than once.
“To stand on top of the podium at Britain’s would be insane – the talent in Britain right now is amazing, it’s a tough show. But like anyone who does strongman, I want to be the World’s Strongest Man.
“I love the sport, the fans, the other athletes. Thank you to the people that have helped and donated go get me back to the level I want to do that – they’re doing that because they want to help me and see me do well.
“I owe it to myself and I owe it to them to make sure that I do everything in my power to get back to where I need to be and get back to competing.”
You can donate to the GoFundMe here.
