Dean Finegan of Blackpool has lift-off in bid to be England's Strongest Man
and live on Freeview channel 276
The 32-year-old from North Shore is among 20 qualifiers for the strongman showdown in Liverpool on July 4.
Dean began competing only two years ago but saw his hopes of national success in 2020 denied by the pandemic.
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Hide AdThe event has been far from normal this year but the show goes on, as Dean told The Gazette: “I was fortunate in that I own my own gym (Defiance in Poulton) and so was able to train through lockdown, though training on your own is difficult.
“The qualifying process this year involved sending in videos of three lifts. When all the points were added up, I qualified in 11th place out of the 20 who went through.”
The three lifts were a max deadlift – Dean managed 350kg – a 60-second overhead press (134kg) and 20-metre ‘farmer’s walk’ with 150kg in each hand.
Dean added: “Hopefully the full event will go ahead on the Royal Albert Dock in Liverpool next month, with a fitness exhibition going on all around us.”
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Hide AdWhen Dean last featured in The Gazette 18 months ago, the former rugby union player explained how entering the world of ‘strongman’ had helped him to combat mental health issues.
“I’m not sure these are issues we ever fix,” he says, “and lockdown was hard because of the financial worries and because you missed the social aspect of competing and the camaraderie.
“But you adapt and get through, and having goals to reach is a massive help.”
Dean has reached one of his in power-packed style and we wish him the best of luck next month.
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