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Photos of Egypt’s ‘strongman’ pulling ships, trains and cars in jaw-dropping feats

Amr Nabil
Tuesday 07 October 2025 17:07 BST

Ashraf Mahrous is Egypt’s “strongman.”

The Egyptian wrestler known as Kabonga has built his reputation on raw strength and relentless discipline. From Cairo to Hurghada, he’s become a familiar figure, training daily and performing extraordinary feats that test the limits of human endurance.

Mahrous, 44, has pulled cars and trains — and most recently, two ships weighing over 1,100 tons using only his teeth. Earlier this year, he was recognized for pulling a 279-ton train in Cairo.

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This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.

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