About 600 people flocked to the Northern Meeting Park in Inverness yesterday to witness the fourth annual Highland strongman competition.
Heavies from across the region grimaced and battled their way through five different events which tested their physical limits to the extreme.
But it was Aberdeen man Ben Thomson who stole the show by winning every single event outright.
A particular highlight was the sandbag medley, in which he was the only man to successfully lift and carry all four 120kg bags a distance of 33ft into the back of a trailer in a time of one minute and 53 seconds.
Mr Thompson also stood out in the atlas stones event, where competitors must attempt to lift stones of varying weights over a 5ft high bar, which he managed three times with 160kg.
Event organiser Gavin Laird, of the Forge Gym in Inverness, said: “Obviously Ben was fantastic. Several guys made an attempt at an event and did not manage it but he did everything with aplomb.
“The weather stayed nice all day and we had a crowd of about 600 people throughout the day.”
Special guests at yesterday’s event included Scotland’s strongest man and woman, Invergordon’s Luke Stoltman and the Black Isle’s Karen Sutherland.
Mr Stoltman was there primarily to ensure that all heavy equipment was taken back to its starting point ready for the next competitor.
Spectator Emma Taylor, of Kinmylies in Inverness, said: “I am having a brilliant time. The highlight for me is the atlas stones, because with the different height of the competitors you see how difficult it is for some to get the weight up higher.”
The Strongmen will be back on Sunday, July 19, at the Inverness Gala at Bught Park for a special challenge match with some of the top Highland Games heavies.