McKim wins fourth world strongman title

Daniel McKim stands atop the podium after winning the 2016 International Highland Games Federation Heavy Events World Championship, held in Anchorage, Alaska, this past weekend. It is McKim’s fourth world title in his career.

Maryville High School and Northwest Missouri State University alumnus Daniel McKim earned his fourth world title at the 2016 International Highland Games Federation Heavy Events World Championship this past weekend.

This year’s championship event in Anchorage, Alaska, included the regular events of the 16-pound open stone throw, the 22-pound Braemar stone throw, 28- and 56-pound weight for distance throws, 16- and 22-pound hammer throws, 56-pound weight over bar throws, and the caber (telephone pole) toss.

No stranger to the sport, McKim has made a name for himself in the strongman competition world. Despite that, he said he was more anxious for this event than he was in his first world competition.

“I think it’s because I’m on the back end of my career,” McKim said. “I feel the pressure that I’ve got to not only beat the guys around me, but beat myself.”

Having had so much success in the past, McKim now has a target on his back when he competes. That, combined with his self-induced pressure to always be better today than yesterday, makes for a great amount of pressure during competitions.

“Because of all that, I’d say I had a lot more appreciation for this title than I had for all my others,” McKim said.

Even though his career still produces positive results, one of McKim’s fears is remaining in the sport so long.

“In every sport, you have greats that hang on too long to the sport and fizzle out. Sometimes, that’s how they’re remembered.

“I’ve been throwing for 20 years and have been blessed with a lot of success, so I don’t want to be one of those guys remembered for hanging on too long to the sport,” he said.

But McKim is one world title away from joining just four other men in strongman history who have won five world titles in their careers.

“I plan to finish this season and see where I am,” McKim said of his future. “I thought I was done a few years ago, but after prayer and careful consideration I felt that God wasn’t ready for me to be done. I have another world event coming up in Scotland in July.”

McKim said he never dreamed he would be where he is now, so while being among the elite sounds great, McKim knows there is more important things in his life.

“I already know that there is life beyond the sport,” he said, referring to his wife, kids and his regular career. “One of my heroes, Bill Kazmaier who is like the definition of strongman in the U.S., stopped me this weekend to congratulate me on my title. He told me that this title doesn’t define me, and to not squash the dove.”

Kazmaier went on to tell McKim that his moment of celebration for his fourth title is like a dove. He should hold on to it, but let it go because there are so many great moments in life to cherish, not just the one.”

The All-State athlete in high school, turned All-American in college, now holds four world titles among a list of other accolades in the strongman world. Despite all that, McKim humbles himself because he knows it’s not by his own strength that he remains successful.

“I owe all I have to God,” McKim said of his career in the strongman competitions. “Championships don’t make me the man I am, God makes me the man, the husband, and the father I want to be.”

Because of that, McKim said he does his best to glorify God in everything he does. Through his books, YouTube videos, and his Bible studies at every competition, McKim wants to make an impact in his field other than his place on the podium.

“It’s been a humbling experience the last couple of years,” McKim said. “Since I’ve written my books and started making my videos I’ve had people coming up to me at events and thanking me for helping them in some way or another.”

McKim’s videos touch on training tips to help better form and workouts. His books also focus on the sport. But they all carry the message about the true victory in Jesus.

“I never think I make an impact with the things I post or write,” McKim said. “But then people come up to me and thank me for something and tell me how it really helped them. It means a lot to me. God has given me the ability to throw heavy things wearing a kilt. God has taken what seemed like such a small platform, and turned it into a great tool for me to use to glorify him.”

McKim said his family has also played a key role in where he is today.

“My wife has to be one of the most understanding and forgiving people in the world,” McKim said, referring to McKim’s nine-year career. “When I first made pro in 2007 I promised my wife it would be just a five-year thing. She has since granted me a lot of extensions.”

McKim said his own personal sacrifice for the sport could not be made possible without the same sacrifice made by his wife and five boys. McKim works out four to five times each week, and is gone for days at a time for his competitions. That combined with his other job as a Midwest representative for Sorinex exercise equipment, makes for a lot of traveling.

“My boys are my biggest fans,” McKim said. “When I get home from a competition the first thing they demand of me is my trophy. So I give them my trophy, and my wife my check, and I go off and do laundry.”

McKim will be the first to say that his fourth world title wasn’t his best performance. As he spends the next several days breaking his performance down to either better his techniques, or continue what he was pleased with, McKim will think about his future in the sport.

“I continuously pray that God will show me when my time is up,” McKim said. “I’m 34-years-old and I know my time is dwindling.”

But until then, McKim plans to keep at the strongman competitions.

To follow McKim and his career, visit his website, believethrower.com.