Arm Wrestling World Championship Highlights: Medals, Athletes, and Finale
He participated in the film “Over the Top,” with Sylvester Stallone. And now he’s here, by the lake. He weighs 260 kilograms and, when he moves, he needs to be supported by friends. The cane allows him to walk fifty, sometimes a hundred meters. Nothing more. He sits down, occupying (by himself) half a bench. The American Clive Dean is one of the most… solid figures in the world arm wrestling championships, currently taking place in Gardone Riviera. The other evening (so to speak, as the matches ended late at night, around 3 a.m.), Clive had to settle for silver in the super heavyweight category for left-handed competitors, defeated by a Russian, Alan Karaev, a bodyguard of a general. R.J. Molinere, also arriving from across the Atlantic, took home two gold medals among the masters (over 40 years old), first with the right hand, then with the left. A particular kind of guy, with a long braid. After each match, he kneels and pounds his fists on his chest, creating a tribal drum beat reminiscent of Native American rhythms. In the category up to 90 kilograms, the Slovak Jan Germanus, a professional supported by a group of sponsors, won. He holds the world record in power lifting. This is a special type of weightlifting performed lying face up on a bench. Well, Germanus lifted 290 kilograms. And the Italians? Among the masters, up to 100 kg, Mauro Callegaro won gold with his left hand and silver with his right, surpassed by Gary Ray. The Verona-native Massimo Gasparini finished second in the 90 kg category. Third was Annarella Brevi, from Bergamo, who weighs more than 80 kg: she had to bow to a Russian and a Turk. These are all the medals from the opening day, with hopes (last night, late, and today) of improving. Taking a look under the tent placed in the parking lot at the foot of the “La Terrazza” sports center is like taking a tour across various continents, amidst wealth and poverty. The eighty American athletes, dressed in their sparkling stars-and-stripes uniforms, are full of vitamins and dollars. They cheer, encourage, whistle, yell. At lunchtime, many go to “Fiordaliso,” where Claretta Petacci once met Benito Mussolini. They eat (well) and spend money. They buy T-shirts and souvenir tracksuits. Within a few hours, photographers have assembled a portfolio that could evoke envy in a top model. Hundreds of images, sold for eight dollars each, approximately 15,000 lire. The Russians, about ten of them, are instead very spartanic—sandwiches, boiled eggs, and lots of hunger. One evening, at the Grand Hotel, they cleaned up leftovers from the Rotary dinner. For the Japanese, large beer drinks at 9 in the morning. The Swiss are easy to spot because they wave a red-cross flag continuously. Then there are Armenians, Czechs, Turks, Hungarians, Lithuanians, and Brazilians (the most folkloric, but also the weakest). Many walk around with a wool “sleeve” on their arm: to keep their muscles warm. These “armbands” remind one of Linus, with his blanket. Entry is free; spectators witness a show rich in smells and moods—sweat and the pungent scent of camphor oil. Some wait for their turn while others eat pizza. Wives cheer on their husbands, and children run around playing among the chairs. Hundreds of curious spectators and equally passionate enthusiasts. After the national TV broadcasts (Rai 3, Tele Montecarlo), yesterday the crews from Egypt and Hungary arrived. Outside, traffic police are busy with motorists who sometimes park haphazardly. Today is the last day, starting at 10:30 a.m. Men and women will compete, with their right arms. Categories: 55 kg, 65, 75, 85, 110, and over for men; 45, 55, and 65 for women. At the end, the super match among the strongest, with a $1,000 prize for the winner. The awards ceremony will feature numerous authorities. The mayor of Bagolino, Marco Scalvini, press officer and liaison with the political world, will present trophies to Italy’s two best athletes, as well as a special recognition to the competitor who has stood out for sportsmanship, grit, results, and attitude.
