3rd place in the world
Palmer competing at IFA in Greece
In the last week of September, Shane Palmer went to the International Federation of Armwrestling (IFA) competition in Greece, representing America.
“I went to nationals in Dayton, Ohio, about this time last year. I took first place in left arm which qualified me to go to Greece representing the United States of America,” Sophomore Shane Palmer said.
His journey getting to that point wasn’t as easy as it seems.
“A week before I went to Greece, I got in a nearly-fatal car accident and it slashed my left arm open, which is my better arm. So I wasn’t able to compete with my better arm,” Palmer said.
With the result of the car accident, he was debating whether or not to compete while in Greece.
“So I wasn’t planning on competing at all. It was going to be a vacation. And at the last moment, I decided to compete even though I was at a big disadvantage. I had 30 stitches in my arm from it being flayed open. But I ended up getting third in the world anyway,” Palmer said.
While he did compete, it was fun for him to be able to take a vacation.
“The water was pretty warm, I couldn’t go too deep, but I enjoyed the scenery. I got to see some old ruins. My favorite thing was seeing my arm wrestling coach compete. He’s been doing it for 20 years and he’d never taken worlds once. At this moment right now, he is the best arm wrestler on the planet. And he lives in Pocatello, ID,” Palmer said.
