[2] Having competed in 38 International strongman competitions and winning 8 of them, de Ruiter is among the 50 most decorated strongmen of all time.

[3] A carpenter by profession, he first noticed his talent for lifting heavy objects while working part time in a local breaker's yard.

After training initially with his father, de Ruiter was mentored by former World’s Strongest Man bronze medalist Wout Zijlstra.

[2] Having competed prolifically in the Strongman Champions League[4] and known for his prowess in vehicle pulling, de Ruiter is a three-time World Truck Pull Champion.

[2] He is also the third greatest vehicle puller of all time behind Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson and Žydrūnas Savickas.