By Elizabeth Oakes
The twelve contestants looked in anticipation at the benchpress, weights and leg press machines awaiting them as they stretched their muscles.
Rap music played over the speakers as the men prepared themselves for the competition.
The contestants were readying for the latest Union’s Strongest Man contest, hosted by the Wellness Center in early October.
The crowd awaited the “farmer’s walk,” the first of three events to take place.
Spectator’s eyes watched intently as the four contestants walked the length of the gym as many times as they could while carrying 180 pounds.
Some people in the crowd cringed as they vicariosly felt the weight the men hauled across the floor.
After a short break, the attention of the crowd was directed to the leg press. Round after round the men stayed in the competition as weight was added onto the machine until it reached more than 800 pounds.
Shouts from the bleachers filled the room as Matt Daffin, sophomore athletic training major, pressed 950 pounds, and won the event.
Points were added to each team for every event based on what they placed. The benchpress was left as the deciding factor. Chris Alsup, sophomore nursing major, pressed 375 pounds, winning the event.
Alpha Tau Omega fans cheered as the points were added to reveal their team as the winners of Union’s Strongest Man competition.
“It feels awesome. It’s much better than secondplace last year,” said Alsup, a member of Alpha Tau Omega.
Daffin said, “We had the youngest team this year, and the smallest team weight-wise, so it was awesome to win (the event).”
