Even With a Torn Calf, This Local Strongman Won Bronze at the World Strength Games
by James Coulter
Photo credit Elizabeth Miner
For 15 long weeks, Dan Miner, an amateur weightlifter from Winter Haven, has been training for the World Strength Games in Utah last month.
However, trouble struck him in the first event when he tore his right calf. Everyone advised him to quit, but Miner would not. He had prepared so long for this moment, and he was going to seize it.
And despite all odds, even with a torn calf, this local weightlifter went the distance and won third place with a bronze medal. That he was able to win a medal, let alone continue to compete, was nothing short of a miracle that astounded him and everyone else.
“You know, it’s confusing and a little bit surreal,” he admitted. “I refused to take everyone’s advice and quit. So, I kept pushing and doing the best that I could with each event. I came in third, and I was really excited. It was mind-blowing. I couldn’t believe that I actually did that.”
When Miner received his invitation to the World Strength Games earlier last year, he initially assumed it was a mistake. So, when he learned that the invite was real and that he would be training with a professional weight-lifting champion, he dedicated the last few months to preparing to do his best and go for the gold.
The big event arrived on Apr. 19 in Utah. Miner was one of several dozen competitors. The first event was the Farmer’s Carry. Miner was required to carry a total of 440 pounds (220 pounds in each hand) over 50 feet.
He had barely taken three steps when his right calf “popped” and he fell to the ground. Despite the searing pain, he picked himself back up and carried the weight limping the remainder of the way across the line–all with 220 pounds in each hand!
Miner decided to forgo the second run. He would give his calf a chance to rest and recover. He placed some ice on it, worked it with his massage gun, and had it bandaged by a medic.
Nevertheless, despite the advice of everyone else, he remained determined to continue the rest of the competition. He was given this chance to compete. He had come this far. He would not give up that easily. Not even a torn calf would deter him.
The next event he competed in was the log lift. He had intended to open with 230 pounds. However, due to his injury, he instead opened with 175 pounds. In the second round, he attempted 235 pounds, assuming he had the strength. He could lift it to his chest and clean it with no problem. Unfortunately, he was unable to perform the leg dive required to achieve points for the lift.
The next event was the deadlift. He intended to open up with 445 pounds. He gauged himself to see how he would attempt it without completely destroying his leg to the point where he could never do it again. He performed a 397 lift, which proved satisfactory.
The next day started with the Magus Stone (named after 4-time World Strongest Man champion, Magnus Ver Magnússon), where competitors had to lift a 402-pound natural stone. With no smooth edges, lifting it proved quite the challenge, especially with his injury. Despite his best efforts, he could not lift it off the ground.
The final event was the yoke carry. He intended to open with 750 pounds. Walking with the weight on his back proved a challenge, especially with his torn leg. So, he needed to determine how much to lift and carry while limping.
He started with 650 pounds. He needed to carry it 50 feet. He had completed three-quarters of the course when the pain from his injury forced him to stop and scream in agony. Nevertheless, the judges (especially Travis Ortmeyer, 8-time World Strongest Man finalist), his coach, and the event promoter all cheered for him to continue. So, he picked it up and crossed the line within the time limit.
By the end of the competition, even with his injury, not only was he able to complete almost all of the events, but also able to accumulate more points than most of the other players, to the point where he won bronze at third place.
Miner plans to rest up and recover from his injury. Afterward, he has his eyes set on next year’s event with the intent to win gold. If he could win bronze with an injured calf, imagine what he could accomplish uninjured.
“That is just a blessing from God,” he said. “That is the only thing I can say that was. It was divine intervention. That was the enemy coming after me, pulling my calf, telling me I had to pull out of this thing. By God, that was the only way I could make it through there and muster up the courage [to continue]…It was a miracle. That is outside my scope. I did everything I could do, but the stars had to be perfectly aligned for it to work out the way it is.”