Williams Lake’s Tyson Delay can now stake claim to being the third strongest man in the province.
The 26-year-old strongman achieved the feat in the 105-kilogram class on Saturday, Aug. 2 in Courtenay At the BC Provincial Championships after three years of blood, sweat and tears training and honing his craft locally in Williams Lake.
Since becoming interested in the sport of strongman after being introduced to it several years ago, Delay has become somewhat of a local go-to, advocate and promoter of the sport hosting multiple events in the lakecity for people to try out the sport, themselves.
As for provincials, Delay said it was his best meet to date.
“For me it was the best, cleanest meet I’ve done,” Delay said. “I felt so good, and I didn’t feel nervous. I was feeling confident, and feeling a lot stronger, and I’m now ablet o train for most of the events fairly accurately.”
Delay competed alongside fellow Williams Lake strongman Ricky Lee, formerly of Vanderhoof, who placed just behind in fourth in what was his first event.
In achieving the third-place result, Delay performed several, remarkable feats of strength in each of the five events at provincials.
Event one saw Delay pull 565 pounds in the deadlift for max (weight) event, then finish the farmer’s walk — admittedly his worst event — carrying 265 pounds in each hand 100 feet. In the overhead medley Delay hoisted a 185-pound log over his head with one arm, placing third in the standings, before tossing 25- and 30-pound kevlar bags filled with sand backwards, over his head, over an elevated bar.
READ MORE: Strength, technique on display at Cariboo’s Strongest
In the final event, the sandbag load, Delay ended up winning in 28 seconds after picking up 225-, 265- and 310-pound bags, respectively, then running 10 feet and throwing them over a bar.
“These sandbags are brutal because every time you take a step it starts to shift downwards,” he said. “Most of the guys couldn’t even pick it up, and that solidified my third place.”
He thanked and credited the help of Lee and his handler for the event, Ksenia Kolodka, also of Williams Lake.
“She [Ksenia] was amazing,” he said. “Every time I did an event she had a water bottle in my hand, banana — the best handler a guy could ask for. I drank nine litres of water and still lost four pounds.”
Delay would like to invite anyone interested in participating, or checking out the sport, to the upcoming Cariboo’s Strongest on Sept. 5 in the parking lot at the Real Canadian Wholesale Club.
“This is totally an amateur competition and it will be light [weights] and meant for people who want to try the sport out,” he said.
The Cariboo’s Strongest will be held with COVID-19 safety precautions in place including marked spectator spaces.
Delay, meanwhile, with his third-place result in the bag, said he will be proud to represent Williams Lake and the Cariboo at the upcoming Canadian Strongman Nationals — this year being held in Quebec.
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