Jean-François Caron (strongman)

Caron held the world record in the deadlift for WPA Powerlifting organization. He pulled 385.5 kg (850 lb) raw on March 14, 2010, at the CPA Provincial Championships in Sherbrooke, Quebec in the 140 kg (309 lb) weight class, weighing in at only 127 kg (280 lb).^[3]

Caron has competed eleven times in the World's Strongest Man contest: in 2008, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021. Out of them, He reached the final nine times: in 2012 and then each year between 2014 and 2021. Caron's record in the finals has progressively improved over time: he placed 8th in 2012, 6th in 2015, 5th each year between 2016 and 2018, 4th in 2019 and 3rd in 2020 - his best finish.^[1] In the 2021 competition, Caron returned to 5th place, having torn his hamstring during the first event.

Caron won Canada's Strongest Man a record nine consecutive times, from 2011 to 2019.^{[citation needed]} In 2016, he won all eight events in the contest, the only time a competitor has managed a clean sweep at the Canada's Strongest Man competition.^{[citation needed]}

In 2011, Caron finished in 2nd place at the Strongman Champions League events in Canada and Latvia. ^[4] Caron finished 2nd again at the 2011 SCL Finals in Sarajevo, Bosnia on Feb. 7, 2012, and 4th overall for the 2011/2012 SCL season.^[4]

In 2012^[5] and 2013,^[6] Caron won North America's Strongest Man after coming in 2nd place the two previous years.

In 2020, Caron placed 2nd in the inaugural Shaw Classic. ^[7] At that event, Caron set a new world record at the time in the Hummer Tire Deadlift, lifting 1,202 lb (545.2 kg).

In 2021, Caron placed in 2nd in the 2020 World's Ultimate Strongman (also known as the 2021 WUS Strength Island) held in Riffa, Bahrain. Later that year, Caron placed 3rd in the 2021 Shaw Classic and 5th at the 2021 Rogue Invitational.

In 2022, while competing at the 2022 Arnold Classic, Caron suffered two torn patellar tendons and an injured ankle during the Austrian Oak Log Press. ^[8]

Upon his retirement, Caron became a strongman referee and has been refereeing international competitions such as Siberian Power Show and Shaw Classic in addition to organizing and refereeing Canadian national competitions.

• Elephant bar Deadlift (Raw with straps) – 463 kg (1,021 lb) (2018 Arnold Strongman Classic)^[9]
• Silver Dollar Deadlift (at 18 inches) (with suit and straps) – 520 kg (1,146 lb) (2018 World's Ultimate Strongman) ^[10]
• Hummer tyre Deadlift (at 15 inches) (with straps) – 545 kg (1,202 lb) (2020 Shaw Classic) (former world record)
• Double T Squat (with suit) – 438 kg (966 lb) (2022 Arnold Strongman Classic) (World Record)^[11]
• Giant Barbell Squat (for reps) – 340 kg (750 lb) × 7 reps (single-ply suit w/ wraps) (2019 World's Strongest Man)
• Giant Barbell Squat (for reps) – 317.5 kg (700 lb) x 13 reps (single-ply suit w/ wraps) (2017 World's Strongest Man)
• Log press – 195 kg (430 lb) (2021 World's Strongest Man)
• Log press (for reps) – 145 kg (320 lb) x 8 reps (2017 Canada's Strongest Man)
• Max Atlas stone – 220 kg (485 lb) as a part of a 5 stone run (2017 Arnold Australia)
• Inver Stones – 5 Stones weighing 125–191 kg (276–421 lb) in 42.45 seconds (2021 Rogue Invitational)
• Inver Stone press – 136 kg (300 lb) (2020 Arnold Strongman Classic) (Joint-World Record)
• Hercules hold – 317.5 kg (700 lb) – 52.67 seconds (2020 World's Strongest Man)
• Hercules hold – 150 kg (331 lb) in each hand – 60.08 seconds (2015 World's Strongest Viking)
• Keg toss – 10 kegs 17–26 kg (37–57 lb) over 5.00 metres (16 ft 5 in) in 80.01 seconds (2022 Força Bruta)
• Sandbag over bar – 34 kg (75 lb) over 4.57 metres (15 ft 0 in) [has achieved this feat twice] (2018 and 2020 Arnold Strongman Classic)
• Loading race – 2 x 120kg Kegs & 2 x 125kg Sacks in a 12m course - 36.87 seconds (2012 World's Strongest Man Group 1) (former world record)
• Tyre flip – 650 kg (1,433 lb) x 4 flips (2016 Arnold Strongman Classic, Rogue Record Breakers) (World Record)^[12][13]
• Car flip – 500 kg (1,102 lb) Volkswagen x 13 flips (2018 Guinness world records, China) (World Record)^[12][14]
• Truck pull – 18,144 kg (40,001 lb) for 24 meter course 'uphill' in 42.44 seconds (2019 Canada's Strongest Man) (World Record)^[15]
• Truck pull – 31,752 kg (70,001 lb) 'uphill' for 15.96 meters (2017 Festival des Hommes Forts de Warwick)

Winning percentage: 13.70%
Podium percentage: 47.94%