Concordia University, Nebraska senior Matt Baller competed in the 2nd annual Nebraska Strongman Competition held this past Saturday in Papillion, Neb. Baller finished 2nd in the heavyweight division (265 pounds and up), competing as one of the smaller competitors at 268 pounds. Baller, a senior football and track athlete from Milligan, Neb., began the day in the Wheel Axle Lift, a competition in which the athletes must lift the wheel axle off the ground and over their head. Baller was successful at 260 and 290 pounds but was unsuccessful at 310 pounds; the lift of 290 pounds was good enough for second place. In the second event, the Keg Walk, athletes try to carry a 300-pound keg for distance. Baller was able to complete 70 feet but was hampered because he missed the turning line on his first attempt and had to carry the keg back to touch the line.
Baller dominated the competition in the third event, the Farmers Walk, in which athletes have to lift 300 pounds in each hand and carry it 120 feet as fast as possible. Not only was he the only heavyweight to finish the course, he did so in only 30 seconds. The second place finisher only walked a distance of 50 feet.
The fourth event, the Sandbag Lift, was a struggle for Baller. In the event competitors must lift three bags of 200, 250 and 300 pounds and walk 15, 10 and five feet, respectively, and place them on a five foot high shelf. He was able to quickly place the first two bags but was unable to get the 300 pound bag on to the shelf within the time limit.
In the final event of the day, the Medley, Baller again regained his form. The Medley consists of a Yolk Walk, with 600 pounds suspended from a yolk across the competitors' shoulders for 60 feet, then a Duck Walk with a 500-pound stack of weights carried between the competitors' feet for 60 feet and then a 600-pound Sled Pull for 60 feet. All of the sections have to be completed in under 90 seconds. Baller was able to cruise through the course until giving in to exhaustion after pulling the sled 55 feet to win the event. Second place was only able to pull the sled 30 feet.
Overall Baller ended in second place, improving on his fifth place finish of 2007. Baller will return in 2009 and look to win the competition. The Nebraska Strongman was hosted by 8-ball Nutrition and was a non-profit event to raise money for Camp CoHoLo, a camp for children with cancer or blood disorders.
