By: Lydia Crawley
The Parsons Advocate
Two Tucker County teens competed in Alameda, CA in the America’s Strongest Teen Competition. Lucas Barb, 14 and Gavin Mullinax, 17 competed against teens from around the country in the one-day event. According to Barb, the event had a total of approximately 50 competitors. Barb took first place in his division with Mullenax finishing second in his.
According to Barb, he was encouraged to attend the competition by his friends. “So, around December, I was working out with one of my friends on the football team,” Barb said. “Then Dillan and Becca Warren, they were telling me about a Strongman that was going on, a Strongman and Power Lifting that was going on in January.”
Barb said he had been involved in Power Lifting in the past. “I’ve done Power Lifting before,” Barb said. “And I just didn’t really think I was going to do the Strongman and just do the Power Lifting. But, Dillan and Becca, they convinced me to try the Strongman out and I really liked it.”
According to Barb, he completed up a weight class. “I competed up a weight class,” Barb said. “I guess they saw my results and invited me to go to America’s Strongest Teen.”
Barb said he finished first place in all but one event. “I got first place,” Barb said. “I won every event besides one and I lost that by a couple of milliseconds.”
According to the Strongman Corporation results from the event, Barb finished first in his class of 13-17YR, 175LB MEN. The results recorded Barb completing 12 reps in the Log Lift for Reps and completing in first place; 500lb Frame Deadlift for Max first place; Farmer’s Walk for Time of 75′, 8.47s first place ranking; Truck Pull of 45′, 17.84s with a Second Place ranking and the Atlas Stone Medley with Stone #4 230lb, 39.64s First Place Ranking. Barb’s total points in the competition were 19 for an overall first place ranking. Second place at the event went to 15 year old Zayden Swearingen with 15.5 total points. Swearingen placed first in the Truck Pull event. Chris Banwart, 17, finished third with 9.5 points and 13 year old Paxton Kettler rounded out the weight class in fourth place with six total points.
Mullenax according to the Strongman Corporation results finished second in the 16-17YR, 200LB MEN. The results recorded Millenax completing two reps in the 160lb Log Lift for Reps for a first place ranking; 480lb Frame Deadlift for Max second place; 215lb Farmer’s Walk for Time of 75′, 33.04s second place ranking; Truck Pull of 45′, 26.44s with a Second Place ranking and the Atlas Stone Medley with Stone #3 250lb, 72.98s Second Place Ranking. Mullinax’s total points in the competition were 10.5 for an overall second place ranking. First place at the event went to 16 year old Angel Rivera with 14.5 total points. August Josiah Spies, 17, rounded out the division with third place with 3 points.
Barb said he learned from the experience that there is much more to the world. “I learned that there’s just so much more than what’s around here in the real world and there’s a lot of good people.”
Barb gave some advice for young people wanting to join the sport. “I would definitely recommend working out. It helps. It will make you 10 times better at the sport you’re in,” Barb said. “Always listen to your coaches. Be a very coachable kid. Stay away from alcohol and drugs and just focus on your sport and school.”
When asked what his plans for the future were, Barb said, “In the future I’m hoping to either get a scholarship to go play football, run track or Power Lifting. But if none of that works out, then I would like to go to trade school for carpentry.”
Barb is a 9th grader at Tucker County High School where he is involved in Football, Basketball, Baseball and Track. “I run the 400, the 200, High Jump and the 100,” Barb said.
Barb said he was accompanied to California by his family, Gavin Mullenax, Dillan and Becca Warren and Mike Goss. Barb is the son of Nick and Courtney Barb of Parsons.
The Parsons Advocate attempted to reach out to Mullenax for comment, but was unable to contact him at the time of publication.
