Before Arnold Classic I got to know that our representative was going to this prestigious sports festival. When I saw that it will be Radek Staroń from Ostroda, I knew that he will get high. However I have to admit that such a raised bar was a surprise to me.

I invite you to an interview with Radoslaw Staroń – Brown medalist of the 80kg class of the “Arnold Classic Armwrestling Challenge 2012” armwrestling tournament, which was a part of the world famous sports fair “Arnold Sports Festival – 1st-4th Match 2012, Columbus. Ohio, the U.S.”

Hello Radek, first of all I’d like to congratulate you on your spectacular result at this year’s ‘Arnold’. Tell me how did your preparations for this event look like?

Hello. I was preparing in quite a normal way, there were no special trainings. I would even say that I went there being in rather middle condition and so will I go to the Polish Championships, as I want to cure my injury before possible European Championships and other challenges. I still train with large weights.

Before going to the United States, you were at Zloty Tur to train with Igor. Tell me, did his advices help you during the fights at Arnold Classic?

Igor Mazurenko’s advices made me sure of my suppositions I was not convinced of before the meeting in Zloty Tur.

You had your first fight with Cobra Rhodes. Do you think the host felt pressure due to your presence at the tournament and wanted to confront you at the very beginning?

I think so, that they expected a good duel or the wanted to crash me at the beginning (I did not suspect them of that) I think they rather wanted to see a good fight. And luckily the fight was not rapid. Cobra did not hit me with one shot. It started with a referee setting, just after the beginning the brute force over the centre of the table , but the technique I wanted to fight with Cobra was not right for such a technically well competitor, and I ended up with an elbow foul. Setting again and Cobra’s fast attack, I managed to withstand the attack and then I was so close to push his arm to the side pad. Cobra was holding my thumb and I simply had to let go in order not to loose the finger;-).

So it can easily be said that you rose to the challenge. What did the other important fights look like?

Next elimination struggles went quite easily, just the final fight for entering the final four was a hell, as the referees were not against me and set everything for their competitor to win. My opponent could discuss and correct everything all the time and I couldn’t. In that fight I really felt the strength predominance. Referees let the fight in such a direction that I had to fight with an open wrist. Fortunately I found the way to win.

On the second day the fight for entering the semi-final ended quickly, as I planned, unfortunately in the fight for entering the final I met a men taller and bigger than me;-) and I had to reconcile with the third place – a great place!

What do you think of abilities of the American competitors? Does the school of Armwrestling form across the ocean differ from ours?

I think that we are better prepared in terms of the technique. Only the American old hands are famous for these techniques – younger ones are not as well prepared, and I could have been felt during the fights. What really surprised me was their dedicate hands. Ours are much more harder and more developed and more uncomfortable. They have their wrestling style which fits me in fact.

You’ve mentioned you had a cold before the tournaments, did you fell weaker because of that?

Unfortunately I did. I was chilled before the departure and the air-condition on a plane and the climate change in the U.S. finished me off. In short – it wasn’t good. It let go just a few hours before the take offs. Also the adrenaline helped an cured me a little.

After this quite a great success across the ocean I think there is some Vendetta being prepared for you. Would it be six duels with Cobra?

I do not really know that, first I have to talk to Igor Mazurenko. What I’m sure of is that I am ready enough to prepare till June so that I would be able to fight in Armfight, even with Andrew ,,Cobra’’ Rhodes. I would be honored to have a chance to fight with such an armwrestling legend.

Unquestionably the level of this Vendetta would be great. Did you feel that you have any weaknesses, that still could be improved, during the fights?

Every time I fight I realize that I can change and improve something. There is such a proverb ‘two heads are better than one’ and so in a larger group of people doing the same thing it is easier to reach right conclusions, than one person, who has to learn something himself. So I need to confirm myself only, and the time’s passing;-)

So after the Arnold Classic, your appetite for the Polish Championships is huge, isn’t it? Are you especially afraid of any competitor?

The level of our competitors is so high that you always have to walk on eggshell. There are competitors I have to be aware of, and it always rises the level of our adrenaline, that we are going for.

Thank you for the conversation, I wish you success in Grudziadz and a successful start at the European Championship in May. See you.

Best wishes. Thank you.

Radoslaw Staron was intwrviewed by Błażej Kuźniar.