'Elite strength': Spectators urged to come along and watch Ireland's Strongest Man events in Longford
David Harrington, a natural strength athlete, coach, and the co-owner of Midlands Strength Gym located in Longford Town said they are delighted to be hosting such a prestigious event.
Midlands Strength Longford is hosting Ireland's Strongest Man in the under-95kg, under-110kg, juniors and masters categories next weekend with 15 elite competitors aiming to win the prestigious title.
The high-strength and high-class event has been organised by county Down man Glenn Ross, a five times UK Strongest Man and three times Britain's Strongest Man winner for next Saturday, July 18.
There will be a number of different categories with under-95kg, under-110kg, juniors and masters with disciplines such as the loading medley, farmers into yoke and the axle deadlift.
Midlands Strength Longford are hosting Ireland's Strongest man for Ultimate Strongman, a major strength athletics company and competitive series and the event is being held in partnership with the Irish Strength Association.
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David Harrington, a natural strength athlete, coach, and the co-owner of Midlands Strength Gym located in Longford Town said they are delighted to be hosting such a prestigious event in Longford.
"This is the official Ireland's Strongest Man weight class. So it's under 95, under 110, the juniors and the masters.
"There are lots of people coming down to me on Friday to check out the venue and give me the trophies and all that craic."
David said there are 15 athletes in total competing with three in two categories and there is four in one category and about five in another.
"There's one lad who trains here from Midlands Strength who's going to be competing in the juniors.
"The weights themselves, that's what makes it a elite.
"The weights that you have to lift, you have to be physically fairly strong to be able to even consider going and taking part in this.
"One of the events is lifting 280 kilos there and you have to lift it as many times as you can in a minute, that's no joke.
"But, whoever wins the event at the end of the day for each weight class, they will be officially Ireland's strongest for the year until it happens again."
Local people are welcome and are being encouraged to come and watch the high-octane action which begins at 11am next Saturday and David said it is a very impressive and entertaining watch.
"Three of the events will be head to head for the athletes.
"There will be two men out at the same time and they will be racing through and trying to get as many reps as they can at the same time.
“It's a fair bit of a spectacle for people to see.”
David, who is himself a U80kg World Champion 2025, said in September they will host Ireland's Strongest Man in the heaviest weight categories.
"In September we actually have the qualifiers for the big one.
"That's the big, huge lads that you see on the telly at Christmas time, they all have to come down to qualify for that competition."
Tickets are priced at €10 for Ireland's Strongest Man next Saturday.