Daniel Camacho wins the title of strongest firefighter in the world

When fans think of the Arnold Sports Festival, a few things come to mind. Of course there is the man himself, Arnold Schwarzenegger. Then there is the Arnold Classic and the Arnold Strongman Classic, considered by many to be the two best competitions of the weekend in Columbus, OH, and the Expo, which has many fans from around the world in attendance each year when it takes place.

One competition that hasn't received the attention it deserves is this World's Strongest Firefighter Competition.. In recognition of the courage and dedication of these officers, Schwarzenegger is hosting this competition in the hopes of raising awareness of their work and offering them the opportunity to gain fame from one of the officers the biggest stages in the fitness industry. The seven-time Mr. Olympia is also a fan of this competition as well as one of the many events that take place every year.

“I love giving them our stage and spotlight to show the Arnold Sports Festival fans how incredibly strong these firefighters are,” Schwarzenegger said.

The original competition featured six firefighters, but has since grown tremendously. “Arnold always wanted to bring weight training back to Muscle Beach,” says competition organizer Noah Justin. “Now we're in Columbus, we had three times as many competitors, and this time there were more countries represented than ever before, and the goal is to keep this thing growing every year.”

The 2022 competition took place on Sunday, March 6 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center and featured 16 firefighters from many locations around the world. The competition was streamed in its entirety on Schwarzenegger's Facebook page. All of these competitors trained, ate and gave their best to prepare for this competition while working on their careers and Passionate about public service in their communities.

One contestant, Cathal McNally, felt this competition was so important that it was necessary to travel from Dublin, Ireland just to attend the event.

“I am very proud to be a firefighter (like all firefighters) and only started last year Strong man's sport " shared McNally. "When I saw the advertisement for the World's Strongest Firefighter, I knew this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to represent my fire department and my country on the international stage."

The stage and the audience provided additional motivation and incentive to compete. McNally placed 9th overall, but being in front of the crowd and knowing some special people back home was very meaningful for the firefighter.

"The other competitions I've done so far have been in a gym or a parking lot. This was on the main stage at the Arnold Expo and was in front of a few thousand people. My entire extended family was able to have a party at home and watch me compete online."

Competitors had to compete in four events – Log Press for Reps, Sandbag Carry for Distance, Deadlift for Reps and Sled Drag. The variety of events served as a mixture of both the strongman's sport and the real tasks that firefighters have to fulfill in extreme situations. The 2022 champion was Daniel Camacho of the Phoenix, Arizona Fire Department. Camacho placed third on the log press, lifting the 250-pound bar overhead for six reps. He then finished second in sandbag carry, dragging the 220-pound bag around the track for 10 laps.

Camacho then pulled 525 pounds for 11 reps in the deadlift event, which was the second highest in the field. Two men doing 12 reps. Last but not least, he took second place in sled drag. Although he didn't win an individual event, his consistent good placings in all four events earned him the overall victory.

• 1. – Daniel Camacho – 58 Punkte
• 2. – Brooks Larkin – 52 Punkte
• 3. – Marcus Waugh – 49,5 Punkte

When asked about the decision to run, Camacho revealed that he was on the verge of ending his 11-year strongman career when he made the decision to apply.

“I had actually seen the first one in 2019 when they had it in Santa Monica,” Camacho explained. “From then on I knew I wanted this title for myself.”

He applied in 2020 but was not accepted. Apparently he got the call to compete this year and was accepted two weeks before the competition. Camacho explained that the circumstances he and the other competitors faced were very different than what was there Competing in strongman full time Livelihood.

"We have calls to answer and long shifts. On a given day here in Phoenix we might have 10-15 calls per shift," Camacho said. “We can miss a meal, skip a workout, or not sleep before a workout, which is of course very important for recovery and essential health.”

However, it was worth it in the end. Camacho went from nearly retiring to winning the entire competition on the Arnold Stage in front of a packed house. He has received numerous messages and positive comments from his fellow firefighters and supporters and is receiving media requests for interviews. Retirement is clearly the furthest thing from his mind and he has already said he will return in 2023 to defend his title.

"The way they treated us there was like no other competition I had attended. We saw Arnold several times, his security and his team took great care of us and it was the best stage I've ever been to. I'll definitely be back next year to defend my title."

The World's Strongest Firefighter competition may have only started in the last few years, but if the 2022 competition was any indication, it will definitely be happening again for years to come. Schwarzenegger said it best when asked why it was so important to have this as part of his festival every year.

“I play an action hero in the movies, but our firefighters and first responders are real action heroes,” he says.