A local arm wrestler is on his way to the Arm Wrestling World Championships in Turkey this October.
Martin Langlois has lived in Kimberley for five years, residing in Marysville. After spending 22.5 years in the military, he retired in 2011 and set his sites on an unusual sport; competitive arm wrestling.
Langlois has competed in many competitions both locally and internationally, and his most recent competition has earned him a spot in the Arm Wresting World Championships in Turkey this fall.
“It’s pretty exciting to be going to the world championships,” he said. “There are 449 competitors, kids, women, and men. The kids are pretty strong!”
He adds that competitors face off by weight class, and test the strength of both arms. In terms of training, Langlois says he has to step up his game.
“I have to work out a lot. Every day, sometimes twice a day. The competitors are really strong. I feel I need to change some of the things in my workout routine to be able to battle against the top in the world,” he said.
That being said, Langlois has never not placed in the top three.
Just last weekend Langlois was in Laval, Montreal for the Canadian Championships and placed second on the right arm, fourth on the left. This was his third time competing in the Canadian Championships.
In May, he competed in the provincial competition, placing first on the left arm and second on the right.
The arm-wrestling champ is also looking to market himself, by way of sponsorship.
“I am looking for a sponsor, a partnership. Someone I can work with and we can get the word out through social media and advertising,” he said, adding that he would even like to make his own t-shirts.
If you think you have what it takes to beat Langlois in an arm wrestle, he will be at the Motor Mountain Nationals Car Show on July 27 and 28, raising funds for his trip to Turkey. Place a bet on yourself and if you win, you could double your money.