Chantal Leduc has been dominating her opponents for nearly 20 years. Her friends call her the “Ice Queen,” but her sport isn’t played on a rink.
Leduc is an arm wrestler -- probably the best Canada has to offer.
The 42-year-old Barrie, Ont., athlete will be heading out west later this month, vying to capture a prize she’s all too familiar with. Leduc has won 12 national titles over 11 national competitions, contending in four different weight categories and notching wins wrestling both left-handed and right-handed.
As much as she loves the showdown, Leduc says it’s locking hands with her opponents after the match that really makes her appreciate the sport.
“I’ve been competing in this sport for 18 years. I like the integrity of it,” she says. “I know that when I compete with an opponent at the other side of the table, we're going to finish with a handshake and be friends afterwards.”
Her friends and colleagues call her a fierce competitor -- one who garners a lot of respect.
“She’s one of the best girls around,” says fellow arm-wrestler Dave Knox. “She does everything right, so she's constantly thinking arm wrestling all the time.”
When Leduc isn’t daylighting as a social worker, she’s hard at work at the gym with trainer Roman Svoboda.
“I'm not an arm wrestler,” Svoboda says. “But I coached boxing and mixed martial arts and the UFC guys.”
After achieving silver three years ago at the world competition in Brazil, Leduc has her eyes on this year’s highest prize. If she succeeds in Vancouver, she’ll get to go for gold in Malaysia.
And though she’s surrounded by her fellow competitors, she’s also on a personal journey.
“For me it's about testing limits. You never know how much you can achieve,” Leduc says. “I've always been a strong person. I've probably discovered more strength than I thought I did.”
With files from CTV Barrie's Mike Arsalides
