Sean Hayes has set the bar high for himself.

The Courtenay athlete placed third at the 2021 CanadaB次元官网网址檚 Strongest Man competition, July 31-Aug. 1, in Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupr茅, Que.

It was his first-ever professional competition, and the grandest stage of all, when it comes to Canadian strongman competitions.

B次元官网网址淎ll roads lead to this one show in Canada,B次元官网网址� said Hayes. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 bar none, the bestB次元官网网址� so third place is pretty good.B次元官网网址�

Hayes, and the rest of the 17-man field, knew there would be a new champion this season, as nine-time defending champ Jean-Francois Caron was sidelined due to injury.

B次元官网网址淗e tore his hamstring at WorldB次元官网网址檚 Strongest Man this year, so he had to sit this one out,B次元官网网址� said Hayes. B次元官网网址淪o the door was open. Maxime Boudreau was kind of the expected winner going in - he got third place in the world this year - but I actually beat him. He slid down to fourth.B次元官网网址�

The Canadian championship consisted of 10 events - two each day - specifically designed to test all aspects of physical strength.

Points are awarded based on the number of competitors. The 2021 CanadaB次元官网网址檚 Strongest Man had 17 competitors, so winning an event was worth 17 points, second place worth 16 points, and so on, right down to one point for 17th place.

Hayes placed third, with 120.5 points.

Gabriel Rh茅aume of Quebec won the championship, with 142 points, and OntarioB次元官网网址檚 Wesley Derwinsky (127) finished second.

Day 1 consisted of the max log lift, the keg toss, the deadlift, the Hercules hold, and the atlas stones.

Day 2 featured the squat lift, loading race, Viking press, power medley, and power stairs.

Hayes was in third place after Day 1 and maintained that position for Day 2, despite some health issues overnight.

B次元官网网址淚 wasnB次元官网网址檛 able to sleep at all that night; I got quite sick,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚 think it was just the adrenaline not sitting very well. Being my first pro show, I tried to force-feed myself, thinking I would need the energy, but that ended up turning my stomach absolutely sideways. I was able to put down one pancake for breakfast but that was all the food I had all day.B次元官网网址�

If that wasnB次元官网网址檛 enough, Hayes also sustained an injury in Day 1, tearing his right quad during the atlas stone event.

B次元官网网址淚t was the last event of the first day, so I iced it overnight, but the first event of the second day was the squat lift, which is really hard on your quads, so it was pretty evident at that point that it was torn,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淪o I did a little worse on all the other events, based on that.B次元官网网址�

Hayes suffered a second injury on Day 2. In the second to last event, the power medley, Hayes dropped a 365-pound implement on his foot.

B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 think it broke - it kind of hit right after the arch. ItB次元官网网址檚 swollen, but I donB次元官网网址檛 think itB次元官网网址檚 broken.B次元官网网址�

He said the deadlift event was the highlight of the competition for him.

B次元官网网址淚 went in kind of expecting to win the deadlift; I know I am good at it,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚t was a car deadlift. So they park an SUV on this frame and you lift it by the frame. It was about 800 pounds and I got 10 reps in.B次元官网网址�

No one else completed more than eight reps.

Hayes said he is hopeful to use this first competition as a learning experience.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 not extremely happy with most events and know I shouldB次元官网网址檝e done better, which makes third all the more surprising,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淗oping to return next year with this experience (my first ever pro show after just turning last year) and push for even better.B次元官网网址�

Hayes thanked his sponsor, Comox Valley Dodge, for all the help getting to the 2021 CanadaB次元官网网址檚 Strongest Man event.

Hayes expects his next competition to be a Giants Live event.

The Giants Live competitions are the direct qualifiers for the WorldB次元官网网址檚 Strongest Man.

B次元官网网址淚 think thatB次元官网网址檚 my next big show, either that or one of the Arnold shows that are qualifiers for WorldB次元官网网址檚 Strongest Man.B次元官网网址�

While he wonB次元官网网址檛 be competing any time soon, heB次元官网网址檚 still involved on the amateur level.

As the organizer of the BC Strongman league, Hayes is hosting provincials in Victoria, Aug. 7-8.

Comox Valley athletes Kalem Nygren-Hardy, Andrew Tracey, Cain Mainton and Lataisha Maynard will be competing in that event.