Louisburgh man said to be the strongest who ever lived

MORE the twenty years after shocking the world, Mayo man Eamonn Keane still holds the record for the most weight bench-pressed in an hour by any human on the planet.

The Louisburgh man lifted a total of 138,480kg (305,300lbs) in an hour at World Gym, Marina Del Rey, California, USA on a famous day in 2003.

On witnessing the event, Joe Gold, owner and founder of World Gym and trainer of many famous strongmen including Arnold Schwarzeneger and Lou Ferrigno (The Incredible Hulk), he said; "Eamonn Keane, The Ironman, has something I have never seen in all my years training the greats. His ability to sustain pushing heavy weights over a long period of time is absolutely mind blowing.

“He has set a mark today of 305,300 pounds which will never be broken. In 20 years from now, 100 years from now, 200 years from now, when this record still stands, then and only then will people appreciate how unique he was.

“In my opinion he's the greatest endurance strength athlete who has ever walked on our great planet or is likely ever to walk here again. In terms of endurance strength, I consider him the strongest man who has ever lived and in the fullness of time this World Record will prove this

“His 375kg deadlift ,which I personally witnessed at World Gym, is widely considered to be the greatest weight ever lifted by a 100 percent natural, drug-free athlete, who didn't even take the supplements that are allowed such as protein.

“Eamonn is an amazing example of what can be achieved without steroids or any other performance enhancing substances,” Joe Gold stated.

Meanwhile, it cannot be forgotten that Keane has excelled in other sports too. He's a Martial Arts black belt and Irish and European Heavyweight full-contact kickboxing champion.

In addition, his personal best single lifts, which are higher than Arnold Schwarzenegger's, all surpass the World Records in the Heavyweight Division in natural, drug-free powerlifting and are as follows: Bench Press 240kg/530lbs (Flat back,no arching), Squat 365kg/805lbs, Deadlift 375kg/827, Powerlifting total 980kg/2160lbs.

Today, more than two decades later, the first part of Joe Gold's prediction has come true and Keane's records still stand.

In those 20 years Eamonn has broken over 40 more World Records, the most recent in USA this summer.

He has the most Strength World Records ever broken by an individual and the most ever broken in a single day (7).

Many of his World Records are featured in the Strength page of the 2018 Guinness Book of World Records.

During those 20 years Keane also became a 7th Dan Martial Arts Black Belt, qualified as a professional bodyguard, personal trainer, Martial Arts instructor, Kickboxing Instructor and recently was voted on to the World Governing Body of his Martial Arts organisation and appointed Head of Strength Power and Fitness training Worldwide.

Eamonn Keane is a unique talent and walks among us.