Ngāti Pāhauwera strongman, Rongo Keene has emerged victorious at the Singapore Strongman Series, held over the weekend in Changi, Singapore.
Placing first in the keg loading section, deadlift, overhead medley, and first equal in the atlas stone section, Keene earned an aggregate overall first placing in the Open Mens section of the competition.
Speaking from the Changi International Airport, Singapore to Te Kāea, Keene says that his win “was a long time coming.”
“It’s good to finally get some results for all the hard training that I’ve been doing.”
On his way back to Perth, Australia, where he is currently based, Keene says that winning the Open Mens section of the Singapore Strongman Series, will do a lot for his reputation in his newly adopted sport.
Only actively involved in strongman for the past three years, and under the strict guidance of NZ strongman legend, Carl Waitoa, Keene says “a lot more doors are starting to open now.”
There is no rest for the wicked, however, Keene now has three months to pack more lean muscle on to his 135 kilogram frame, before setting his sights on bigger competitions around the world.
“Carl and I are currently discussing where to from here, whether we stay local, or head over to America to try our luck,” says Keene.
His immediate task will be to return to Perth and defend his Western Australia Log Lifting title that he won at the end of last year.
He says, "No time for rest its time to get back in and work harder and get stronger really."
Rongo will return home next Easter for the NZ Strongman Nationals 2016.
Here is the initial story Raniera Harrison put together prior to Rongo's departure for Singapore last week.
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Photo credit: facebook.com/thebeastkeeno