Doug Behrens, a Sault native and Garden River First Nation resident, recently earned arm wrestling glory on the world stage.<\/p>\n
He won the gold medal in the 65 kilogram standing disabled class at the International Federation of Armwrestling (IFA) World Armwrestling Championships held in Tsuchiura, Japan in late September.<\/p>\n
He also competed in the senior grandmaster 70 kg and 63 kg open divisions in Japan.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve won provincials, I\u2019ve won nationals and it was on my bucket list to bring home a world title as a member of IFA Team Canada,\u201d Behrens told SooToday.<\/p>\n
He was the only person from the Sault and area on the 23-member IFA Team Canada squad.<\/p>\n
“You stand on that stage and have the Canadian flag there, and you think about all the training, all your training partners back at your home club, your teammates. It just fills you up with emotion.\u201d<\/p>\n
Victory is doubly sweet for Behrens, a member of Steel City Armwrestling and the Steel City Slammers arm wrestling clubs, because his gold came in the disabled category.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can only train my right arm. I can’t do weight training or pull on the table with my left arm,\u201d Behrens said.<\/p>\n
His left arm was injured in an industrial accident while working at a waste management facility in June\u00a01998.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat was the toughest arm wrestling match I ever had,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Behrens started arm wrestling in 1988.<\/p>\n
\u201cAfter the injury in 1995 and 2019 I only pulled in local tournaments, and then in 2019 I started training regularly again. I found that my muscle memory came back and I got stronger, but I can still only train my right arm.\u201d<\/p>\n
Behrens, 60, said it feels good to have coped with physical obstacles and to bring home the gold.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m happy because arm wrestling gives me something to look forward to every day. I wake up, and outside of work, I train. I enjoy the clubs here in the Sault. It motivates me every day.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNow I’m setting my goals on going to Greece next year to hopefully defend the title and maybe make the podium in some other classes,\u201d Behrens said.<\/p>\n
He said he wants to continue competing for as long as he can, noting there are categories for 70-year-olds in arm wrestling competitions.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe practice every Thursday at five o\u2019clock and we have a group of anywhere from nine to 15 people show up at one of the club member\u2019s garages. We have three tables set up for training, and then I do isolated muscle training at home,\u201d Behrens said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut, like I said, I can only work out my right arm because my left is damaged, so all my strength is focused on my right arm.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt keeps me feeling young,\u201d Behrens said of arm wrestling.<\/p>\n
He added he enjoys the sense of camaraderie among arm wrestlers.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt’s an individual sport but you train with your teammates, your club members. When you compete you want to do good, not just for yourself, but for the guys that got you to that level,\u201d Behrens said.<\/p>\n
He also enjoys the sense of respect between rivals.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou’re enemies at the table and then after the match, win or lose, you’re brothers again. You have to have the mindset of \u2018that’s my enemy across the table from me\u2019 but as soon as one hand hits the pad you\u2019re friends again.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said he\u2019s grateful for the support he\u2019s received from his parents and sponsor Pro North Roofing & General Contractors.<\/p>\n
The Steel City Armwrestling and the Steel City Slammers clubs are currently all male, but Behrens said the clubs are interested in getting females to join.<\/p>\n