MANLINESS: The Iron Man 2013 finalists waiting to pit their strength in yesterday afternoon’s challenges.
INDISPUTABLE CHAMP: Jury (left) flexing his muscles after receiving his prize as Iron Man of WHF 2013, for the second year running, from SCV general manager Jane.
SIMPLY THE BEST: Jury is lifted upon the shoulders of his fellow finalists after he was announced winner of Iron Man 2013.
KUCHING: Jury Amrullah Ibrahim, for the second year running, beat 14 other strongmen to be named this year’s Iron Man, in an extraordinary exhibition of power in traditional strength-based feats.
Speaking to The Borneo Post after his win, Jury, 39, said that he was surprised that he managed to triumph over his fellow contestants, half of whom are new faces.
The contest is an annual test of his fitness level, said Jury.
“It is a challenge to myself. I want to know how strong I am,” he said, adding that the number of new faces could be related to how the gym-going culture is very popular right now.”
Coming in second was Fazli Sedi, while third place went to Mohd Kamarrudin.
Iron Man was organised by Sarawak Cultural Village (SCV) in conjunction with World Harvest Festival 2013.
Thirty contestants went through the traditional tests of manliness, with tasks such as blowpipe shooting, coconut de-husking, carrying a 50kg gunny sack of rice, and wood chopping.
Out of 30 strongmen, only 15 made it to the final round, which put them through more tests of strength like a raft paddling test and crossing the lake with a rope stretched across it.
Throughout the tasks, the men playfully heckled each other, struck poses when they finished their tasks, and applauded their fellow contestants in a spirit of fun and sportsmanship.
When Jury was announced winner, his fellow contestants immediately lifted him on their shoulders in celebration, then relieved him of his shirt before they allowed him to accept his prize from SCV general manager Jane Lian Labang.
The other contestants of Iron Man 2013 are Amin Zani, Halid, Eswandy Ismail, Shawal @ Mohd Zaky, Japar Amin, Reinto Jamal, Zakaria Bojei, Addy Jawa, Hassan, Mohd Sulaiman and Zakaria Jeman.