One of the strongest firefighters in the world is in Saint-Félicien. This is the director of the Saint-Félicien fire brigade, Olivier De Launière. The 40-year-old finished ninth when competing in the World’s Strongest Firefighter last weekend.
The 47-year-old drove a total of almost 36 hours to get to the competition, which was being held in Columbus, the Ohio state capital. The global competition was hosted by none other than Arnold Schwarzenegger.
“I think I was the oldest in the gang at 47. For the majority of the athletes who were there, I think I could have been their father. To make it in the top 10 with the young people who were there, I’m very happy with the result,” Olivier De Launière told TVA Nouvelles.
And he worked hard to get there. The strongman trained 12 hours a week for almost five months.
“Around September, the organization emailed us the eight tests that were to be conducted for the competition. My coach gave me a really specific training program for this competition. Balancing work, family and education is not easy,” he said, adding that his wife was very supportive throughout the process.
size competition
Before entering the competition, Olivier De Launière had no idea of the caliber of his opponents. On Friday, he faced 47 other firefighters in qualifying, and it was there that he earned his spot in the grand finals the next day. Despite ups and downs, he was able to stand out, especially on the last lap.
“The first standpipe weighed 170 pounds, the second 200, the third 225 and the last 250 pounds. The last one was the most difficult, but with the energy of desperation… I was like the first to climb the hydrant as fast as possible for the competitors in front of me, that’s why the crowd got carried away. It ended the finals in style because it was the last event,” he recalled.
He leaves with a lucky symbol: the challenge coin. The medal was personally presented to him by Arnold Schwarzenegger on the podium.
“It is a memory I will cherish very dearly,” he vowed.
Promising future
This is his second major competition. Olivier competed in the Strongman Games in November 2021. He qualified 23rd out of 35 for this event, which was held in Florida. With a second experience under his belt, he has no intention of stopping there.
“I’ll register again next year, that’s for sure!” he said about the strongest firefighter in the world. He adds that “we need reasons to train, to try so hard. It’s so rewarding in the end. If you believe in it, if you want to go there, do it, don’t ask yourself the question.
Olivier De Launière is proof that with determination, anything is possible, regardless of age.