CANMORE – Annie Beals wants to take on the world – again.
After finishing ninth overall at the World Armwrestling Championship from Oct. 26-Nov. 4 in Romania, the elite arm wrestler from Canmore is already eyeing next year’s big event, and with bigger goals in mind.
“I think I’d like it to be [ranked] higher,” Beals said with a laugh.
She is proud to be ninth in the world in the growing sport, but her competitive nature is raring to go after seeing there is “room for growth and potential.”
“I would have liked to have done better because I’m competitive and always would want to finish better than what I have done, but I have a lot to take out of it and things to change, things to learn from,” she said. “I usually don’t get nervous, or too nervous, when I’m competing, but there, when I was up on the stage in my first match, my leg was shaking, which is not good, but it was just the nerves.”
At this year’s worlds, Beals, 32, who represented Canada, had six matches in total, winning once and losing twice with her right and left arms in the women’s 60-kilogram (132 pounds) categories.
The four-time national arm wrestling champion said worlds is a competition where “you can’t really prepare for it until you see it.”
The overall winner was Russia’s Ekaterina Afonina, winning with both arms.
Once losing twice in the competitions, arm wrestlers were eliminated for the day. Russian Milana Baeva, who was last year’s champion at 60 kg, was the force that eliminated Beals in both arms. After knocking the Canmorite out on the first day, Baeva offered advice to the first-time worlds competitor, which put Beal in a better mentality the next day.
“[Baeva] said I was very strong, but need more back pressure and [she wants] to feel [my] presence more at the table,” Beals said. “I took that [advice] into my next match and won it. Everyone is competitive, but they’re willing to help you.”
Back home, Beals trains weekly with the Calgary Rams Armwrestling Club, but wants to expand her training presence around the province.
"I've written a list of things I need to train for, more specific things that I know I need to improve on," she said. "(...) I want more input and more feedback. I need to seek out more help that way."
The Canmore arm fighter is taking some needed rest to recover her battle-sore limbs before she turns her attention on the Golden State. Come the new year, Beals is preparing to be quite busy on the national and international scene starting with the Ultimate Armwrestling League at the Los Angeles Fit Expo from Jan. 25-26.
