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Wendy Wentzel participates within the “Cerberus Bag Toss” occasion.
Provided by South Strabane Fire Station
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Wendy Wentzel competed within the “World’s Strongest Firefighter” contest over the weekend.
Provided by South Strabane Fire Station
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Wendy Wentzel represented the South Strabane Township Fire Department in Columbus, Ohio, within the “World’s Strongest Firefighter” contest this previous weekend.
“World’s Strongest Firefighter” is a part of the annual Arnold Sports Festival. Named after actor, bodybuilder, and former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, the occasion yearly brings collectively a gaggle of worldwide athletes to compete within the Arnold Strongman Classic and Arnold Strongwoman Classic. Participating in a sequence of energy competitions ‘Classic’. The firefighter spinoff competitors started in 2020.
Wentzel, 41, of Washington, has been with the South Strabane Fire Department for 3 years. She is a full-time firefighter and paramedic. She positioned fifth in her division.
“I used to be really planning on competing final yr,” Wentzel stated Monday, including that he was unable to attend resulting from private causes, however was capable of attend as a spectator.
“This yr, I did my greatest to arrange for the precise competitors.”
Wentzel stated a lot of his “enjoyable time” away from the firehouse was spent making ready for the competitors.
“We performed in some native tournaments final yr. We employed a coach from Maryland,” Wentzel stated.
When the competitors started, the boys had been divided into three weight lessons and the ladies into two weight lessons. The high two finishers in every class competed in Saturday’s finals.
“Men and girls are competing towards one another. The girl who positioned first in my division got here third general. She’s nice,” Wentzel stated.
Competitors weren’t separated by age, which Wentzel felt was the most important disadvantage.
“Adding one other 10 to fifteen years to the joint makes an enormous distinction,” Wentzel says.
Among the occasions had been the “Cerberus Bag Toss,” during which athletes throw more and more heavier luggage over a bar, and the “Yoke and Wheelbarrow Race.”
To put together for the race, Wentzel defined that he needed to carry a 500-pound yoke on his again for a sure distance and push the yoke again like a wheelbarrow.
Events like this translate straight into Wentzel’s work as a firefighter.
“I’ve discovered that there is lots of direct correlation to the energy features of my job, and that is why I actually take pleasure in this job,” Wentzel stated.