Relaxed approach helps McNamee to Irish title

GAVIN McNamee retained his Ireland’s Strongest Man Under-95kg title in Bangor on Sunday after producing an impressive performance, which also saw him finish second in the under-110kg class and the open competition despite being the lightest competitor in action.

Facing 13 rivals, Gavin and his fellow strongmen faced five gruelling events at the weekend and the Strabane man got off to the perfect start, winning the 125kg Gas Bottle Farmers with the only time under-20 seconds.

He followed that up with a third placed finish in the Circus Dumbbell Medley of 53kg, 64kg and 78kg weights, before clinching second in the 280kg Stiff Bar Deadlift with nine repetitions.

He concluded the competition with the 145kg Manhood Stone and the 100kg Sandbag Into Chain Drag to finish a stunning second overall.

Having been struggling with a couple of niggling injuries in the weeks leading up to the event, the Under-90kg World’s Strongest Man considered withdrawing from Sunday’s competition, but after easing off his preparations he felt he would give it a go.

“I was second overall against all the open weight lads, so I can’t complain,” he beamed. “It was a solid performance all round considering where I was a few weeks ago failing a 240kg deadlift.

“I wasn’t even going to do it a few weeks ago because my hips were all locked up and I had a niggle in my left glut and I felt I was stuck in a rut.

“So I pulled everything back to a bit lighter and built it up slowly every week. I was doing loads of hip mobility and rehab exercises before I did all my sessions and it helped big time.”

With a less than perfect build-up to the competition, which as well as being the under-95kg and under-110k championships, was a qualifier for Ireland’s Strongest Man in May, McNamee took a relaxed approach to the event and it paid off.

“When I did the weigh-in I just said I was going to have fun because I didn’t know how the deadlift was going to go and then I won the first event at that built momentum from then on. It felt good,” he beamed.

Gaving has now qualified for Ireland’s Strongest Man, which will take place in Crumlin Road Gaol in May, but this coming weekend he has another competition, Ireland’s Strongest Man Under-120kg.