Vasyl Virastyuk competed in the finals of the
World's Strongest Man contest in 2003 and 2004. He finished third in 2003, behind then-defending champion
Mariusz Pudzianowski and runner-up
Žydrūnas Savickas. The following year, Virastyuk won the
2004 World's Strongest Man title, placing ahead of Savickas and Pudzianowski (Pudzianowski would later be disqualified for testing positive for a banned substance). Virastyuk has also achieved a podium finish on three occasions in three consecutive years (2005, 2006 and 2007) at the
Arnold Strongman Classic coming second on each occasion to
Žydrūnas Savickas. At the 2006 Arnold Strongman Classic, he and
Mikhail Koklyaev power clean and pressed the
Apollon's Wheels for 5 reps (without involving a continental clean), and surpassed
Mark Henry's 2002 performance of 3 power cleans and reps. The shared record was again equaled by
Andrus Murumets in 2007 while Virastyuk performed a 6th power clean, but couldn't perform the final press to take the record outright. At the 2008 Arnold Strongman Classic, Virastyuk was forced to withdraw due to a career ending injury which happened during the timber carry event.
Honours • 3rd place
World's Strongest Man (2003) • 1st place
World's Strongest Man (2004) • 2nd place
World Championship (IFSA) (2005) • 3rd place
World Championship (IFSA) (2006) • 1st place
World Championship (IFSA) (2007)
Personal records • Super Yoke – for in 11.34 secs (2007 IFSA Strongman World Championships) (joint-world record) • Farmer's walk (no straps) – per each hand for 30m course in 12.48 seconds (2004 Strongman Super Series Sweden Grand Prix) (World Record) • Deadlift hold (with straps) – for 87.83 seconds (2006 IFSA Strongman World Championships) (World Record) •
Keg Toss – over (2004 IFSA Grand Prix Cekol Cup) •
Train pull – for 16 meter course in 25.44 seconds (2003 World's Strongest Man, group 4) (World Record) ==Political career==