One for the pen?

25/1/2010

The pen may be mightier than the sword, but the two 48kg weights gave the pen a good run for its money at the Otago-Taieri A & P Show at the weekend.

So says Otago Daily Times’ reporter David Loughrey (1974-77).

A problem with gravity . . . Strongman Levi Vaoga shows how it is done, while Otago Daily Times' reporter David Loughrey buckles, just a bit.

New Zealand strongman Levi Vaoga, who readers might have seen on the Mitre 10 Mega Store television advertisements, made it look easy.

Pick up said weights and go for a quick 20m trot, then put them down again. But then Mr Vaoga weighs 173kg, stands 193cm tall, his biceps are 57cm, calves 56cm, quads 89cm and his chest measures 154cm. He eats up to 12 Weetbix, a dozen egg-whites, three steaks, tuna, a pasta meal, a casserole and various vegetables in a single day.

Mr Vaoga was a popular attraction at the show, as he gave members of the public the opportunity to find out what strongman events are all about.

Apart from starring in advertisements, which had ‘‘opened some doors’’, he spent a lot of time travelling around various shows. He had been competing in world strongman competitions since 1998, had finished fifth last year, and was having another go in June, when the competition would be held in Germany. Another of his plans was to take a future strongman under his wing and train him for the discipline. The attribute one needed for that, he said was to be ‘‘crazy’’.

‘‘But it’s not people who train in the gym every day. It’s farmers, pig hunters . . .’’ People, he said, like Colin Meads. His own background was working as a plumber for his local council.

By the way, David lifted the weights, completed the course, and came a creditable fourth. He says that’s one for the pen.