When fans think of the Arnold Sports Festival, there are a few things that come to mind. Of course, there is the man himself, Arnold Schwarzenegger. Then there is the Arnold Classic and the Arnold Strongman Classic, considered by many to be the two best weekend competitions in Columbus, OH, and the Expo, which is attended by many fans from around the world each year that it occurs.
One competition that has not received the attention it deserves is World’s Strongest Firefighter Contest. In recognition of the bravery and commitment of these officials, Schwarzenegger is organizing this competition in hopes of raising awareness of what they do and giving them the opportunity to achieve glory in one of the the greatest stages of the fitness industry. The seven-time Mr. Olympia is as much of a fan of this contest as he is of any of the many events that take place each year.
“I love giving them our stage and our spotlight to show fans at the Arnold Sports Festival how incredibly strong these firefighters are,” Schwarzenegger said.
The original competition featured six firefighters, but has grown tremendously since then. “Arnold always wanted to bring strength sports back to Muscle Beach,” explains Noah Justin, one of the contest organizers. “Now we’re in Columbus, we had triple the number of competitors, and this time we had more countries represented than ever before, and the goal is to grow this every year.”
The 2022 contest was held on Sunday, March 6 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center and featured 16 firefighters from around the world. The competition was broadcast in its entirety on Schwarzenegger’s Facebook. All of these competitors trained, ate and did their best to prepare for this contest while working on their careers and passion for civil service in their communities.
One contestant, Cathal McNally, felt that this competition was so important that it required traveling from Dublin, Ireland just to be a part of this event.
“I am very proud to be a firefighter (as are all firefighters) and just last year I took on the strong man sportMcNally shared. “When I saw the ad for the world’s strongest firefighter, I knew it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to represent my fire department and my country on an international stage.”
The stage and the audience also provided additional motivation and incentives to compete. McNally placed ninth overall, but being in front of the crowd and meeting some special people back home meant a lot to the firefighter.
“The other competitions I have done so far have been in a gym or in a parking lot. This was on the main stage at the Arnold Expo and in front of a few thousand people. My entire extended family was able to have a house party and watch me compete online.”
Competitors had to compete in four events: Log Press for reps, Sandbag Carry for distance, Deadlift for reps, and Sled Drag. The variety of events served as a blend for both the sport of strongman and the actual tasks that firefighters may have to perform in extreme situations. The 2022 champion was Daniel Camacho of the Phoenix, Arizona Fire Department. Camacho placed third in the Log Press, lifting the 250-pound log overhead for six reps. He then took second place in the Sandbag Carry, dragging the 220-pound bag for 10 laps around the course.
Camacho then pulled out 525 pounds for 11 reps in the Deadlift event, which was the second most in the field. Two men tied with 12 reps. Last but not least, he placed second in the sled drag. Although he did not win an individual event, it was the consistency of placing well in all four events that gave him the overall victory.
- 1st – Daniel Camacho – 58 points
- 2nd – Brooks Larkin – 52 points
- 3rd – Marcus Waugh – 49.5 points
When asked about the decision to compete, Camacho revealed that he was nearing the end of his 11-year strongman career when he made the decision to run.
“In fact, I had seen the first one in 2019 when they had it in Santa Monica,” Camacho explained. “From then on, I knew I wanted that title for myself.”
He applied in 2020 but was not accepted. He obviously got the call to compete this year and was accepted two weeks before the competition. Camacho explained that the circumstances that he and the other competitors faced are quite different from those compete in strongman full time to live
“We have calls to answer and long shifts. On any given day here in Phoenix, we may get 10 to 15 calls per shift,” Camacho said. “We can skip a meal, have to skip a workout, or not sleep before a workout, which of course is very important for recovery and essential health.”
However, it was worth it in the end. Camacho went from nearly retiring to winning the entire contest on the Arnold stage in front of a packed house. He had received numerous positive messages and comments from his fellow firefighters, supporters, and is receiving interview requests from the media. Clearly, retirement is the furthest thing from his mind, and he has already said that he will return to defend his title in 2023.
“The way they treated us was unlike any other pageant I’ve ever been to. We saw Arnold several times, his security and his team took great care of us, and that was the best scenario he had ever been on. I will definitely defend my title again next year.”
The World’s Strongest Firefighter contest may have kicked off in the past few years, but if the 2022 contest was any indication, it will definitely be back for several years. Schwarzenegger said it best when asked why it was so important to have this as part of his festival every year.
“I play an action hero in the movies, but our firefighters and first responders are true action heroes,” he says.
