Frustration despite title win for McNamee

STRABANE’S Gavin McNamee was left frustrated despite winning his weight category at the Ireland’s Strongest Man qualifiers in Derry on Sunday.

The reigning under-90kg deadlift world record holder went into the competition keen to achieve overall victory but he struggled, as many other competitors did, with his strongest event, the ‘Farmers’, due to an issue with equipment on the day.

Ultimately that cost McNamee his chance of overall glory but he did still finish second, as he did in the under-110kg section and in Ulster’s Strongest Man, while claiming first in the under-95kg ranks.

“I didn’t do what I went to do but I still won my category,” he explained. “I went to win the whole thing but the Farmers handles, one set seemed to be all right but the other set, there were a couple of boys couldn’t even pick them up.

“There were guys there who I know have better grip than me and they dropped them a few times so I knew once they said I was on that side, I was in bother.

“It was frustrating because usually that’s my best event but it let me down big time on this occasion.”

Alongside the 140kg Farmers Drop and Turn, McNamee competed in the Press Medley, claiming vital points with three fast lifts before he won the 350kg yoke and finished joint-second in both the 280kg or 3x bodyweight deadlift and the 140kg sandbag to shoulder.

And while those results were enough for victory in the under-95kg section and second overall to qualify for Ireland’s Strongest Man, McNamee has been left with something of a quandary as Europe’s Strongest Man is just five days after the national championship, which takes place in early August.

However, with a world-class big money event coming up in Blackpool in July, which is his main focus for now, it looks likely that McNamee will be competing at the Euro’s in London rather than for the Irish crown in Limerick.

“Europe’s is just five days later and that’s a three-day competition, but I’d rather have a European title than an Irish one,” he explained.

Another Strabane strongman, Mark Burke, meanwhile, will be competing in Blackpool in July too but in the under-80kg Britain’s Strongest Man when he will be hoping for victory and to qualify for the European’s when he will aim to regain the title he won back in 2018.