Virden’s product, Landon Fillion, recently won the Canadian National Arm Wrestling Championship title in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan with his right arm and received fourth place with his left arm.
Fillion has been arm wrestling for about 12 years now. Throughout the years he has been to 125 tournaments and usually likes to compete once a month in Canada or the United States. Fillion takes pride on the fact that since his first tournament he has always placed in the top three.
“The biggest challenge I face is the recuperation time in between tournaments and time in my home gym, but my biggest challenge is yet to come.” Fillion continued, “Now that I’ve won Nationals, the Worlds tournament is being held in Sofia Bulgaria in October. It would be my honour and an absolute pleasure to represent Manitoba and my country.”
Fillion started arm wrestling in high school just against other classmates; soon after Bob and Martha Penner from Kola took Fillion to his first tournament in Brandon.
When asked what he liked most about arm wrestling, it was an easy answer. “It’s something that I train hard for week after week and I’d have to say it’s the accomplishments I’ve had and the goals that I’m now starting to reach are the most rewarding.”
Just like any sport, there is preparation to get ready for the tournament. Fillion explains, “Depending on the tournament I’m entering I prepare differently. Usually, it’s a mindset that you have to get in line first then the rest follows. Once you know you’re prepared to win then you will.”
