Marcus Waugh of the Toledo, OH, Fire and Rescue is the 2024 The strongest firefighter in the world (WSF). Waugh was one of 120 athletes competing in the annual competition at the 2024 Arnold Sports Festival in Columbus, OH, and among 18 finalists in the final four events on Saturday, March 2, 2024.
2023 champion Andrew Burton did not attempt to defend his title as he entered the 2024 Arnold Strongman Amateur competition. Barton finished second overall in his competition and is eligible to compete in the pro strongman ranks, making him the first WSF “graduate”.
[Related: 2024 Arnold Strongman & Strongwoman Classic Results & Leaderboard]
Waugh dedicated his victory to his children after pulling out of the 2023 competition due to an Achilles injury sustained during the competition. This was Waugh’s redemption:
I worked so hard for this. Dad finally brings it home!
The day included four unique events related to firefighting. To determine the finalists, candidates had to qualify from Friday 1 March’s qualifiers.
The WSF 2024 competition featured two women’s divisions. The top two from each category advanced to the final.
Weights and scores were adjusted across weight classes so athletes could compete together to determine a winner. Michael McGowan won silver and the highest finishing woman, Kelly Lamb, won bronze.
World’s Strongest Firefighters 2024 results
The contest was broadcast live via the Arnold Sports live stream. The final ranking for all 18 candidates was:
- Marcus W
- Michael McGowan
- Kelly Lamb
- Casey shoes
- Frank Boniello
- Alec Escobedo
- Zackary Hash
- Cameron St. Amanda
- Megan Prato
- Joseph Voiles
- Brooks Larkin (tied for 10th)
- Michael Ebanks
- Alexandra Castellanou
- Guerrero Lopez
- Anne Butters
- Liam Sills
- Daniel Cave
- James White
[Related: 2024 Arnold Classic Results — Live Updates & Winners]
Schwarzenegger shares his thoughts
Schwarzenegger shared an exclusive statement on BarBend about the success of the WSF competition and its importance to him five years after the inaugural competition on the Santa Monica Pier.
“We had the biggest competition we’ve ever had. We had over 120 firefighters from seven different countries represented,” Schwarzenegger said. “These men and women are the real deal and I’m so happy to have them participate in the Arnold Sports Festival and show the world that they are just as strong and powerful as they are brave.”
World’s Strongest Firefighters 2024 Event Recaps
Below are recaps of the disputed events in Columbus:
Max Sandbag to Shoulder
The first event on the Arnold Expo stage was the Max Sandbag to Shoulder. Firefighters chose from 10 different sandbags to lift off the floor and onto their shoulder with the other arm extended to the side to confirm a good lift by the head judge.
Waugh won the event with a maximum lift of 396 pounds. Megan Prato placed second. the highest placed woman lifting 220 lbs. Frank Boniello hit 350 pounds for bronze.
Holding ax cross
The Crucifix Ax Hold was another test of shoulder strength. Athletes held axes with weight plates hanging from their handles in a lateral raise position for maximum time. Athletes’ backs had to maintain contact with a wall, increasing the difficulty of the challenge.
Twelve of the 18 competitors broke the one-minute mark, but the final fireman was Lamb, who held the 15 axles for 84.95 seconds. Brooks Larkin finished second, holding a 25-pound ax in 78.78 seconds, and the bronze went to Prato, who held the same weight as Lamb in 71.69 seconds.
Ambulance Tire Deadlift for Reps
The penultimate event of the competition was the Ambulance Tire Deadlift for reps, which was inspired by the Arnold Strongman Classic’s Hummer Tire Deadlift from years past. Schwarzenegger joined the audience to watch the end of the competition.
The goal was to lift their weights for maximum repetitions in 60 seconds. Announcer and professional strongman Rob Kearney kept time while the judges called the lifts. Cameron St. Amand wowed the crowd by lifting 645 pounds for an incredible 14 reps, with Schwarzenegger cheering him on. Waugh completed 12 reps and Casey Shoe achieved 11 reps of the same weight for silver and bronze, respectively.
Fire Hydrant Shoulder Press for Reps
The final event was unique. Competitors had to shoulder clean a fire hydrant and push it overhead for reps. The judges called a good representative to the lock.
Gloves, chalk and bare hands were allowed, and athletes could hold the tap any way they could. Faucets were selected based on the weight class of the athletes.
Alec Escobedo won the event, lifting the 235-pound barbell overhead for 10 reps. Waugh won the championship finishing in a three-way tie for second with McGowan and Shoe. All completed seven reps with 235 lbs.
The 2025 Contest has been confirmed
Event organizer Dione Masters was recognized and honored during the competition with an award, a special axe, for her support of the competition and the athletes. It has participated in every event in its history. That story will continue as Schwarzenegger confirmed to BarBend that the 2025 event will also take place in Columbus, OH.
Next year will be even bigger.
Organizer Noah Justin echoed these sentiments and expressed that the WSF is about more than just determining a world champion and raising money, as there are benefits beyond the platform.
“The community is growing, friendships between competitors are growing, and we may even add two more divisions next year,” Justin said.
Co-founder and business director John Byrne spoke about the development of the competition and how serves as a charity fundraiser for firefighters and families in Columbus and California.
“Since Arnold was inspired and founded this event in 2019, over $250,000 has been raised for firefighter charities. It’s a great blessing to be able to do this event.”
Featured Image: @asfworldsstrongestfirefighter on Instagram, photo by Lance Brimmage.
