Vegan Crowned Natural World’s Strongest Man In Category For Third Year

Tom Butts has won his category at the World Natural Strongman Games three years in a row

6th September 2025

2 Minutes Read

Tom Butts, a vegan athlete and strength coach based in the UK, was recently crowned the Natural World’s Strongest Man in the 90kg weight class for the third consecutive year.

Butts, who is a member of the Vegan Strong PlantBuilt Team, competed at the World Natural Strongman Games in Galway, Ireland, at the end of August.

Butts took first place in four out of seven events overall, competing against what Vegan Strong PlantBuilt described as a “fiercely competitive” national field.

According to Vegan Strong, Butts rallied from behind on day two, taking first in three categories and completing movements such as Sandball Loading, the Max Axle Press, the Bag Toss, and the “notoriously punishing” Zercher Yoke into Sandbag Medley.

“People think you need meat to be strong. I’m living proof that’s just not true,” said Butts. “Three world titles. All natural. All powered by plants. My performance shows what’s possible when performance meets compassion.”

Earlier this year, Butts took first place in the under 90kg category at the Official Strongman British Championships. He has also competed in the US with the Vegan Strong team, making it to the podium in the 100kg class at the Mr America Sports Festival in 2024.

Protein, diet, and plant-based athletes

Photo shows plant-based athlete Tom Butts, who just became the vegan World’s Strongest Man, on the podium alongside his competitors — Tom Butts According to Vegan Strong PlantBuilt, Natural World’s Strongest Man 2025 featured a “fiercely competitive” field

Butts switched to a plant-based diet about five years ago primarily for animal welfare reasons, as reported by Great Vegan Athletes. He said that he prioritizes carbs and protein, and favors nutrient-dense staples like oats, rice, and potatoes.

Vegan Strong PlantBuilt is an athlete collective that participates in a diverse range of strength-based disciplines, including powerlifting, CrossFit, Olympic weightlifting, kettlebell, and Strongman. The collective aims to challenge mainstream myths linking animal protein to athleticism by displaying peak plant-powered performance.