ChilliwackB次元官网网址檚 Justin Hancock didnB次元官网网址檛 let pain stop him at last monthB次元官网网址檚 Canadian Arm Wrestling Championships.

The 36-year-old battled through a painful elbow injury, muscling his way to a third place finish and doing far better than he thought he would with a wounded wing.

B次元官网网址淔rom thinking at one point that I wasnB次元官网网址檛 even going to be able to compete to hearing my name called for a bronze medal, that was a great feeling,B次元官网网址� he said.

Hancock tore the bicep tendon in his right arm last year. Surgery and recovery kept him out of the gym for several months.

When he returned to competition, he used his left arm. At a fundraiser tournament in Burnaby in April, Hancock injured that arm too.

ThereB次元官网网址檚 video of the match and you can actually hear it happen.

B次元官网网址淚 was arm wrestling a guy I know, and he hit and I kind of caught his hit and he went with a flop wrist press,B次元官网网址� Hancock recalled, using some arm wrestling jargon. B次元官网网址淲hen he did that, we both heard this B次元官网网址榩op pop popB次元官网网址� sound in my inner elbow.

B次元官网网址淲hen I went to provincials one month later I was still feeling pain in the elbow and forearm. I had one match where I didnB次元官网网址檛 do much of anything. Any time he hit on my arm I felt this click, click, click in my forearm and I pulled out of the competition.B次元官网网址�

Hancock, who trains with the Vancouver Arm Wrestling Club, got the injury checked out.

B次元官网网址淭here wasnB次元官网网址檛 any bruising and I still had movement, so my doctor said, B次元官网网址業f it does persist or the pain gets worse weB次元官网网址檒l send you in for an MRI,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淢aking it worse was definitely a concern and thatB次元官网网址檚 why I pulled out of provincials.

B次元官网网址淚 wanted to make sure that if there was still time to heal that it would be healed by nationals.B次元官网网址�

When nationals rolled around in mid-July, the three time B.C. champion wasnB次元官网网址檛 liking his chances.

B次元官网网址淚 figured IB次元官网网址檇 try anyways and see what happens,B次元官网网址� he reasoned. B次元官网网址淚f I did feel any major pain IB次元官网网址檇 have to stop, or let myself get pinned.B次元官网网址�

The event was held at West Edmonton Mall.

To compete in his desired weight class (100 kilogram), he had to lose four pounds in a hurry.

Any boxer or wrestler or mixed martial artist will tell you weight cuts arenB次元官网网址檛 easy, but Hancock dropped eight pounds (224 to 218), weighing in at 99kg.

Still plagued by uncertainty, he went into his first match.

He lost, and felt the familiar pain.

B次元官网网址淚 got put in a position where I was holding, and normally IB次元官网网址檇 have the strength to get more of an inside position and pull through,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淏ut when I tried to do that, I could still feel the issue when he was hitting on my arm.

B次元官网网址淏ut it wasnB次元官网网址檛 that bad, so I thought IB次元官网网址檇 keep going and I started winning some matches.B次元官网网址�

While the same guy that beat him in the first match got him twice more, Hancock won four matches.

B次元官网网址淏ut the way it was set up, I wasnB次元官网网址檛 sure what my placing was and I thought I was maybe fourth or fifth,B次元官网网址� Hancock said. B次元官网网址淲hen they were calling people up for the medals and they called my name for the bronze I was like, B次元官网网址榃ow.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淚 was not expecting that.B次元官网网址�

Hancock won bronze at the 2015 nationals, but this was a little more special because he had to fight through a whole lot more.

B次元官网网址淓ven within a matter of days before nationals, I was saying to my wife that I wasnB次元官网网址檛 sure I could compete,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚 noticed at the gym doing certain exercises, I still felt a sharp pain when I went over a weight that I could normally do easily.

B次元官网网址淥n the first day in Edmonton, they started at 10 a.m. and I didnB次元官网网址檛 end up competing until 3 or 4 p.m., so I was sitting there waiting and watching most of the day with that concern.

B次元官网网址淲hen I lost that first match I thought, B次元官网网址極K. This is how itB次元官网网址檚 going to go. IB次元官网网址檓 going to lose three matches and be out.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淪o when I got through all of the matches and I received that medal, that was a great feeling.B次元官网网址�

One wonders how Hancock might have done with a healthy arm.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 hard to say if I would have placed first or not, because the guy who did place first is quite good,B次元官网网址� Hancock said. B次元官网网址淏ut I would have liked my chances of finishing second a lot better.B次元官网网址�

For full results from nationals, check