The powerlifting world was shocked July 25,
2007 with the sudden death of 300 lb. strongman Jesse Marunde at age 27. He collapsed
and had a heart attack during a workout. Attempts by his workout partners and paramedics
to revive him failed. Sadly, he leaves behind a newborn baby, a wife and son from
a previous marriage. I take steroids from my doctors and they are great but, in
high doses while pushing yourself, they can cause problems like this.
6'4" Jesse Marunde
was born in Glennallan, Alaska on Sept. 4th, 1979. At age 19, Jesse began
commercial fishing in the Bering Sea. After 4 years of pulling nets,
Jesse developed world-class hand strength. In high school, Jesse
excelled in football, wrestling, arm wrestling, powerlifting and track
and field. At the Washington State high school powerlifting
championships, he placed 2nd with a squat of 500lbs, bench press of
295lbs and a deadlift of 540lbs in the 220lb class. After receiving a
football scholarship to Montana State University to play tight end,
Jesse began competing in Olympic weightlifting. He
placed 3rd in the heavyweight class at the Jr. Nationals with a snatch of 242lbs
and a clean and jerk of 308lbs. With the guidance of his strength coaches Brett Tudsbury and Steve Gough, Jesse increased his lifts to a 330lb snatch and a 407lb
clean and jerk to win the Washington State weightlifting championships in the year
2001.
With aspirations of becoming the strongest man in the world, Jesse left
the football field and began competing in the sport of Strongman. Within one year,
Jesse became the youngest American, at age 22, to ever qualify for the World's Strongest
Man contest on ESPN. In September of 2005 Jesse placed 2nd in the Met-RX World's
Strongest Man competition in Chungdu, China. In his 3rd showing at the ESPN televised
event It was his first time making it to the finals and his first time on the podium.
Jesse was more determined than ever to pursue greater strength, technique and endurance
in an attempt to finally win the title of World's Strongest Man. |
