Strongman Challenge: Mohd Asri beats nine others to clinch title

SIZE or rather weight did not matter in the Fifth IOI Mall Strongman Challenge held at IOI Mall in Bandar Putra, Kulaijaya, Johor.

Ten finalists, five from Johor and five from Singapore – all weighing in at a total of 1,040kg – took part in the four-hour gruelling event to select the fittest of them all.

They had to perform in seven categories, which were physically and mentally challenging, resulting in two of the finalists failing to complete the task.

 

Mohd Asri Abdul Kadir, 28, from Pontian weighing only 82.6kg, the lightest among all the competitors, managed to outdo his opponents and emerged as the overall champion.

“I did not have a special training regiment prior to the event except my two-hour daily exercise routine at the Pontian 1Malaysia gymnasium,” he said.

Mohd Asri came out tops in five of the seven categories to emerge as champion. He was also the 2008 winner of a similar event held at the shopping complex.

“There was no special secret to my victory except i remained focused, composed and tried my best to perform the tasks. I never underestimated the opponents.”

Mohd Asri took home RM1,500 cash, a RM500 shopping voucher, a champion belt and a trophy, second placing went to Sulaiman Ismail, 38, weighing 106.6kg and Yusri Ali, at 136.6kg, was the third place winner, both from Singapore.

Sulaiman received RM1,000 cash, a RM400 shopping voucher and a medal, and Yusri was awarded RM800 cash, a RM300 shopping voucher and a medal.

Other finalists were Rosman Abdul Karim (88.2kg), Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman (105.8kg), Zaharudin Ali (116.6kg), Frankie Andy (92.4kg) and Singaoreans Yasir Almakky Harun (105kg), S. Lakshmi Gandhan (93kg) and Md Badrun Nafis (116.6kg).

The seven categories were the farmer carry, the stone circle and the IOI stone held at the atrium and the high throw, the relay race, the thor’s hammer and the culvert roll that took place at the outdoor car park.

In the farmer carry, participants had to shoulder-carry two steel ingots, each weighing 50kg and to complete a 100 metres track course within 90 seconds.

This followed by the stone circle where they held 200kg steel bars in the crease of their elbow going round in circles as many times as possible in a 90 second time limit.

The third task was to pick up five concrete round slabs weighing 60kg, 70kg, 80kg, 90kg and 100kg respectively and place them on their respective platforms.

After a 30-minutes break, the event resumed with the four remaining tasks held at the complex’s outdoor parking area for more gruelling categories.

Under the scorching sun, participants had to throw seven objects with different weight over the 2.13metre bar (seven feet) within 90 seconds.

The objects were a 40kg gate valve, a 70kg used compressor, 65kg three logs and four containers, each weighing 50kg.

This followed by the Relay Race where they had to transport five items – a 150kg truck tyre, 65kg log, 70kg fridge, 70kg used compressor and 80kg drum – on a 30kg wheel barrow and push it over 10 metres in 90 seconds.

In the Thor’s Hammer participants were required to lift up the six metres (20 feet) pole weighing 150kg to a 90 degree angle within 90 seconds.

Mohd Asri was the only one who managed to place the pole in the 90-degree angle while his opponents only able to raise the pole up to 45 degree only.

For the last task, the Culvert Roll, finalists had to roll a 1.37-metre diameter (4.5ft) one tonne culvert up an angled incline of 7.62 metre (25ft) within 90 seconds.

IOI Mall Bandar Putra Kulai operations executive Noorain Jaafar said the event was held in conjunction with the mall’s sports month.

“It promotes a healthy lifestyle and with the Government encouraging more Malaysians to take up sports or exercise, we hope spectators can take a cue from the participants on the importance of being healthy,’’ he said.

Originally from: http://www.thestar.com.my/story/?sec=southneast&file=%2f2011%2f5%2f6%2fsouthneast%2f8554409