Christian Binnie

Athlete Bio

Country
	USA
Started armwrestling
	I started in the sport in 1988 competing only righty at the New York State Police Olympics in Albany New York. I was taught how to armwrestle by Joe Leonardis who was a Sargeant on my job. We were Correction Officers. He competed in the early 70s with people like Steve Stanaway, Roy Ridgley, Jim Williams, Moe Baker, Al Turner etc. He was a middleweight. He won 5 world titles that were held in York Pennsylvania in the early 70s. The Police Olympics were run by Ray Darling and Butch Bonnier. It took me 3 years to win it. I became friends with Ray and Butch, and they asked me to go to one of their tournamemts. I never practiced. I would just go to a tournament and compete. I stopped for a couple of years because of pain in my arm. And in March of 1995 I went to the New England Championships and pulled lefty without ever trying it and I won. I competed a couple of more times lefty in 95 and 96, but never had anyone to practice with. In March 1997 Jason Vale called me to see if I would go to a money tournament in New Jersey. I told him that I stopped competing righty because of pain in my arm and that I was competing lefty now. He invited me to his house for practice. 4 months later I competed at the 1997 AAA Nationals and broke my left arm ( spiral fracture ) on my 3rd pull with Bob Sutton. I started practicing with the left arm again in January 1998. I didn't compete again until 1999.
Weight
	+110 kg
Toughest opponent
	I have 2. Travis Bagent and Eric Woelfel.
Toughest match
	That would be with Eric Woelfel at the 2002 Harley Pull. I beat him 3 times that day, but one match in the finals was on a foul out. Since I broke my arm in 1997, All I wanted to do was pull him and beat him.
Merits
	1995 1st Supers Left. New England Championships 1999 1st Supers Left. Can-Am Championships 2000. I did not compete 2001: 5th Supers Left. Harley Pull 2nd Supers Left to Cleve Dean, AAA Nationals 5th Supers Left, Dave Patton Classic 2nd Supers Left, New Jersey Championships 2002: 1st Supers Left and 2nd Overalls, Harley Pull 1st Supers Left, AAA Nationals 1st Supers Left, Unified Nationals 2nd Supers Left, Niagara Falls Championships 2003: 1st Supers Left and 1st Overalls, Reno Reunion.
Best training advice
	Practice, Practice, Practice. The only way to get good at doing something is by doing it. And practice with guys that are better and more experienced then you. In December 2001 we started practicing with Marcio Barbosa, and that just made us train and pull harder, better and smarter. And it has worked! Weights help, but its practcing which matters. And be consist with it. Remember there is always someone training longer and harder then you!
Favourite armwrestler
	Me! I don't have a favorite armwrestler. I will say that without a doubt the 2 best ever are John Brzenk and Dave Patton. I say John 1st, because of his longevity at the top in the sport. Plus the many different armwrestlers in many different classes that he has beaten from lightheavies to Cleve Dean.
Misc
	I just would like to say that I would not have won 2 National Tiltes if it weren't for my training partners, Paul Walther who has taught me everything, Bob Sawick, Mike Labretto, Marcio Barboza, Mike Salearis, Marty Sorvin, Jason Vale and all the others from Queens N.Y. and Long Island N.Y.