BECOMING A CHAMPION
Blind Plover woman wins national arm wrestling title
PLOVER - Shawna Feist craves adrenaline rushes. The 39-year-old Plover woman likes extreme rides like roller coasters and the feeling of no control they give her. It’s the same feeling she gets when she arm wrestles. Feist first tried the sport about 16 years ago, learning from her husband, who also competes.
“It looked like something that would be good for getting your adrenaline up,” she said.
Feist this year earned an invitation to the World Armwrestling Championship in Budapest, Hungary, by winning first place in her division at the American Armsport Association’s national championship. About
30 arm wrestlers from the U.S. are expected to compete in September’s world championship, according to a representative from the event.
The league offers people with impairments the opportunity to compete in a separate division, but Feist, who is visually impaired, said she instead competes against arm wrestlers with full vision.
“I want to challenge myself,” she said. “I’ve always pushed to do things that I’m not sure I can do with my vision.”
Feist said because of retina detachment, she cannot see out of her left eye and is 80 percent blind in her right eye. While the condition can make everyday tasks like navigating a stairwell a challenge, she said, in some ways it gives her an upper hand as she arm wrestles.
Because she’s unable to distinguish much about her opponents’ faces, she’s unfazed by any intimidating looks from her challengers or attempts to get in her head.
“They could have this serious, (ticked) off look on their face like they’re ready to go, and I wouldn’t know,” she said. “It wouldn’t bother me.”
Feist said she works with a coach to improve in strength and technique. In preparation for her matches, Feist performs repetitions of bicep curls and hammer curls, along with wrist curls and wrist rotations while holding weight.
Her coach, Steve Southworth, said Feist has some natural talent for arm wrestling. Training on technique has helped Feist advance to the elite ranks of the sport, he said.
“When she goes up to a table, she can feel in their hand what they’re going to use,” Southworth said. “It’s up to her to decide which technique she’s going to counteract her opponent’s first move.”
Feist said she wants to show people not to let challenges like visual impairment stand in their way.
“If you don’t think you can do something, try it anyway,” she said. “Chances are, you’ll be able to. The only thing that’s stopping you is you.”