The Best Female Athlete in the Sport of Arm Wrestling

Josee Marie Morneau

By: Mary McConnaughey
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The Morneau family operates a large dairy farm, in rural Kingsbury, Quebec, Canada. There are two sons and two daughters born to the French speaking family. At an early age (4 or 5) all the kids learned their chores to help around the farm. Justin, Francis and Josee enjoyed their time with the cows, however the youngest daughter Julie, never quite developed an appreciation for bovine beauty and the hard work that comes with the territory.

Now for those have never been on a dairy farm, let's look at what might take place in the day of a farmer. Early morning milking, did I say early; how about waking up around 4:00 AM early? Relief of carrying the milk comes before the sun and in the evening for the cows. And for those who don't know, you don't get milk from the bulls, so don't try! You milk, feed, clean pins, vaccinate, lend a hand when calving and render aid whenever the cows need attention. On the cow's time, not when it's convenient to you or your schedule. You work hard each day in all kinds of whether. And at the end of the day, you crawl into bed early, achy and dead tired because you know it starts all over again tomorrow.

It was in this solid working environment, Josee Morneau learned to love and respect family, church, animals and being strong. While, growing up, Josee would confess to her mother, the desire to compete in strength contests. Watching the World Strongman events on the television stirred desire and courage to want to be just like one of those strong guys. And that is where dreams are made, in the mind of a young lady who wants to do her best, live life to it's fullest and is willing to make it happen.

While in high school, Josee was involved in track and field. She excelled in shot put, discus, javelin and hammer. She also managed the title of Legion Canadian Champions at the ages of 15, 16, and 17. Post high school, a desire to speak English and learn other strength sports, took the Josee, to live with friends in Winnipeg, Canada. There she attended a French university in order to compete in athletics.

Now, Josee is twenty-eight years old, five feet-seven inches, weighs eighty to ninety kilograms (kg), single and running her own child care facility. While missing the dairy farm, Josee went looking for a part time job doing what comes so naturally to her and she found it. Now, every morning Josee milks 35 cows, leaving her home at 5:30 AM and retuning to begin day care by 8:00 AM. She speaks English fluently and competes international in a variety of strength sports. She packs as much muscle as vibrancy to her character.

Four to five years ago, Josee had friends competing in a Heavy Event and suggested she try the sport. Success was fast at hand and she began to compete in Canada, United States and overseas, in a variety of strength related sports. Arm wrestling, Highland Games, Strongman, power and Olympic style of lifting now are part of her impressive resume of power.

Josee won the 2001 Canadian Highland Games. Highland Games have such events as the hammer throw (12 & 16 lb), weight for height (28 lb), caber toss, sheaf toss (a bag of hay, thrown with a pitchfork), and Braemar stone. She has competed at the World Highland Games placing in the top three for the last three years.

In Olympic style of lifting, (snatch and clean and jerk) Josee won the 1997 National title. But with the demands of all other sports, she does not compete as often but still keeps the lifts in her workouts. There's nothing like Olympic lifting for legs, grip, stability and speed. During the national power lifting champion and at a body weight of 90kg, she broke the record in the deadlift (170 kg/374 pounds).

Last summer she participated in a provincial Wheelbarrow Championship at Quebec and won. She pushed a 545kg/1200lb-loaded wheelbarrow, which equaled 273kg/600lb at the handles. When is the last time you took nearly 550 kg for a spin?

In October, Josee competed in the first ever Altoids sponsored World's Strongest Woman competition in Zambia, Africa. The sport is fairly new for women competitors but incredibly competitive. Canadian Strong Man, Hugo Girard helped steer Josee to tournaments. She qualified for this world debut by traveling to Scotland at the last minute and placed second and third in the overall for the two days of competition. The World's Strongest Woman events included tire flip (210kg/463 lb), car squat lift 135 kg/297lb), farmer's walk (65kg/143lb per arm), log lift overhead (55kg/121lb) for reps, vertical lift (140kg/308lb), stone circle (150kg/330lb) in her arms for pivoted distance, and loading race.

Starting in 1998, through the present, Josee won the Canadian Arm Wrestling Nationals in both left and right hand (80+kg class). At her world events in Thunder Bay, Finland and Poland, she has constantly bumped heads with the incredible Vika Gabagkova of Russia. (Vika, in my humble option is the world's strongest female arm wrestler. I have seen her slam world-class 90kg guys!) For the 2001 worlds, Josee decided to lose some weight and pull in the 80kg classes. If you can't go over the wall (Vika), go around it…Josee earned her first world title in the sport of arm wrestling and I'm sure it is just the beginning.

For the last three years, I have watched incredible development in strength and technique in her arm wrestling. Her most recent accomplishments in November at the GNC Championships at New York City were outstanding. The last time I saw Josee pull before the GNC was in March, and believe me, this is not the same shy girl! She is attacking her opposition without fear and with the confidence and power to go all the way to the champion circle.

We have many excellent female arm wrestlers in the World. A number of who might even be able be beat Josee on the table. But how many arm wrestlers (male or female) also compete in a variety of other strength sports at an international level?

Josee Morneau is breaking new ground for all women in power sports. She is proving that strength can indeed be a female thing. ESPN is now airing the World's Strong Woman event. And I'm am sure there are countless little girls who are gazing into the television and anxiety call out their mother's name, "Mommy, Mommy, look at the strong girls on TV. Some day, I want to be just like them!"