Eduardo Visciglia – South America’s Strongest Man 2012

It was no surprise to me, to hear that Argentinean Strongman Eduardo Visciglia, currently South America’s Strongest Man, was formerly a rugby union player.

I have always known that Argentinean made great rugby players,  tough rugged physiques and mental toughness.  Naturally these are the perfect ingredients to create a Strongman.

Here we find out more about Eduardo and the Reality show in which he appears.

Phil Burgess:  You are 2012 South America’s Strongest Man, where did you win these titles?

Eduardo Visciglia: The title of of the strongest man of South America, I won in Brazil whilst participating in the World Strongman Federation – competition in the city of Caixas do sur in January 2012.

I placed the highest of any of the South American competitors.

Phil Burgess: What were the events in the competition? And what other competitors were there, and from which countries?

Eduardo Visciglia: The events were:

1. Farmers Walk 130kg of each hand
2. Yoke 380 kg for a distance of 25 meters, which I did in 11 seconds.
3. Tyre Flipping 380 kg
4. Car Deadlift
5. Stone Carry 160 kg for 20 meters

Phil Burgess: How popular is the sport of strongman in Argentina, and also in South America?  Are there many competitions?

Eduardo Visciglia: Unfortunately the most popular sport in my country is the football (soccer).

I’ve been participating in a reality show for 5 months, by the most watched channel in South America CANL 13 “Ideas of the South”.  The show revolves around three groups of strongmen from all over Argentina.

Check out the Reality Show here

I am in the group called “Death” and we are the strongest group.

Thanks to this program, the people in my town are starting to learn more about the sport of strongman and we now have greater recognition in Argentina.

We all go back every two weeks where we are filmed for the Reality Show doing competitions against each other.  the show is coming to it’s end as it will be ending at the end of this year.

Phil Burgess:  Have you always competed as a strongman or did you do other sports before being a strongman?  Argentina is renowned for their strong Rugby Union Players?

Eduardo Visciglia: From the age of 5,  I played rugby in my city Tubimos,where we won many games.   My club was called Tecue.

I got medals and trophies within my country for Rugby.

… but Strongman always fascinated me more.  I liked that it asks more of the body, like lifting a car, or pushing a train.

And so are the things in life that one day I went on vacation to Brazil, and there I met my wife who is from the Brazilian city of Curitiba.

In Brazil, I was honoured to meet sr James Frew president of the Highland Games, who had organized events in Rio de Janeiro.  Since then 10 years ago, I have trained to be a Strongman

Phil Burgess: Have you competed outside of South America?

Eduardo Visciglia: Unfortunately to date, I have not competed outside of South America, only Argentina and Brazil.

Thanks to my titles I have won, I have had many invitations to compete in Australia, Dubai, USA,  but the only sponsor I have are my friends and family and the help they are able to provide is not enough to allow me to travel to these places.

Phil Burgess: What is your favourite strongman event? And least favourite?

Eduardo Visciglia:  Well my favorites are all of them, there is not one that I don’t like.

Each event is a good challenge, as an emerging strongman you have to be one 110% super strong man! 🙂

Phil Burgess: What needs to be done to make the sport more popular in South America?

Eduardo Visciglia:  With the reality show,I hope that some enterprising people or government identities can see and appreciate that Argentina has good Strongman athletes who are capable of performing at the highest level.

In Argentina only 3 or 4 times per year there are competitions of this type.  We hope that in time we will increase the number of strongman athletes as well.

To make the sport more popular in Argentina we need to hold a very good competition, at least once a year, involving all the athletes from all over the world.

…of course, for this we need a good sponsor..but nothing is impossible if one wants it enough!

Phil Burgess: Which strongmen have provided you with the most inspiration?

Eduardo Visciglia: 

• MARIUSZ PUDZIANOWSKI
• LEVI VAOGA
• VIL O MALLER
• PAUL FISHERR
• SIDUNA SADICA
• ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER 

Phil Burgess: Finally, What are your strongman goals for 2013?

Eduardo Visciglia: My goals are to continually improve from day to day, to be the best I can be, so that I may represent my country and my beautiful city Mendoza.

My biggest dream is to be one day in the World’s Strongest Man and to compete in the Arnold Strongman Classic.  For me that would be a dream come true and a beautiful representation for Argentina!