The Canadian strongman JF Caron has decided it's probably time for him to retire from competing in the sport due to the nasty injury he suffered at the 2022 Arnold Strongman Classic. Caron recently appeared on former strongman, Laurence Shahlaei's YouTube channel to discuss his career-ending injury and the sport's future.
JF Caron Update & Retirement From Strongman
The interview posted on Shahlaei's channel started off with Caron talking about losing 60 lbs after the injury he suffered while attempting a log lift where his legs gave out. Caron ended up tearing both of his quads and hurt his ankle.
Prior to the 2022 Arnold Strongman Classic, Caron had won the 2022 Força Bruta just a month earlier in Brazil. It seems like Caron is taking this injury in stride and is in good spirits, as he was happy to have such a long career without any serious injuries.
Shahlaei asked Caron if he thinks strongman is done for him now in light of his injury, and Caron replied, "I think strongman is done for me." A big part of his deciding to bow out of the sport is that he's not a spring chicken anymore and that at 39 years old and with over 20 years of competing, it doesn't seem likely he can come back to his former self.
Caron said he's making this "retirement" decision based on the fact that if he was to injure himself again, it could be disastrous for him later in life. Caron has had to learn to walk again and is fully aware that he won't be able to come back to be at his best again.
Caron was asked if his massive squat in the previous event led to his injury, but he thinks that his left foot slipped a bit which led to the accident as his quads tried to re-stabilize him.
Luckily Caron was able to have his surgery done within 24 hours of it happening, and he was happy with how Arnold festival took care of him with the insurance in place to get the treatment he needed. He was also sent home via a private flight which helped mitigate any potential further injury to his trip back home to Canada.
They spoke about how long it will take for Caron to recover from the injury, which he believes will take almost a full year.
The two wrapped up the interview by talking about the coming strongman events later this year, including 2022 World's Strongest Man. Caron believes Brian Shaw, Luke, and Tom Stoltman are in the running to win the title. They also discuss the up and comers and how the sport is rife with talent, and these days there aren't any clear favorites to dominate.
Watch the full interview below:
JF Caron's Strongman Career Recap
JF Caron has had one of the most consistent and longest strongman careers in history. Although Caron has never won the WSM title, he has always been a fierce competitor and has multiple records and wins under his belt.
Here's a look at some notable achievements in JF Caron's career:
- 9 time Canada's Strongest Man from 2011-2019
- North America's Strongest Man 2012-2013
- 3rd Place 2020 World's Strongest Man
- Hummer Tire Deadlift World record holder: 1,202lbs (545.2kg)
- 4th Place 2020 Arnold Strongman Classic
- 9-time finalist in WSM
- 7-time in top-five finishes in WSM
- Elephant Bar Deadlift (with straps): 1,021lbs (463kg)
CLOSING THOUGHTS
Even though we've probably seen the last of Caron competing competitively, he will remain a part of the strongman world. He spoke about perhaps commentating in the future plus organizing and holding multiple strongman contests in the future.
We hate to see JF Caron go out like this, but he's making a good decision to walk away now instead of risking a life-altering injury later on. We're looking forward to seeing Caron continue his legacy in the sport, even if it might be from the sidelines.
Kiel DiGiovanni
Author