Larne strongman dominates first competition
Larne local and Inspire Gym personal trainer Francis McCambridge made an unforgettable debut last weekend, competing in his first-ever strongman show in Preston, England — and walking away with the overall win.
At just 21 years old, McCambridge has only been training specifically for strongman for the past four months, but that didn’t stop him from holding his own — and excelling — against a stacked field of 20
athletes from across the UK.
The competition opened with a pressing event, followed by a heavy deadlift challenge — both of which Francis dominated, securing two event wins and an early 3-point lead. He continued his impressive run with second-place finishes in both the farmers walk and the sandbag load to shoulder.
The final test was the sandbag throw, and despite being a complete newcomer to the sport, McCambridge kept his composure and delivered a strong finish — securing his overall victory by leading the field throughout the day.
Event organiser and World’s Strongest Woman, Rhianon Lovelace, praised the young athlete’s performance, expressing surprise at the level of strength and skill Francis displayed so early in his strongman journey.
Retired local strongman and coach Chris “Big Bear” McNaghten, who mentored Francis in preparation for the event, had this to say:
“I was blown away by Francis’s performance on the day. He was massively outweighed and out-aged by some of the other competitors. For a 21-year-old to dominate the way he did really shocked the strongman community. I’m extremely proud of him.”
With his first victory under his belt, McCambridge is already looking ahead — with his sights now firmly set on claiming the Ireland’s Strongest Man U90kg title in the near future.