Sasho Andreev Wins Double Arm-Wrestling World Gold

Vegan arm-wrestler Sasho Dimitrov Andreev has won double gold at the 45th World Armwrestling Federation (WAF) World Championships, taking both the left-arm and right-arm titles in the 90kg category.

The Bulgarian fought through a stacked field in both arms at the championships in Chișinău, Moldova, which ran from August 15 to August 25 (WAF), and came out on top in gruelling, high-pressure matches, Great Vegan Athletes reports. The double takes him to 12 world titles, and it follows his European title earlier this year, Plant Based News reports. The WAF is the sport's biggest federation, with world championships held every year since 1979.

Andreev thanked his supporters on Instagram after the win:

Thanks to everyone who was by my side for the wishes and support. Stay healthy!

He stopped eating meat in 2019 and was fully vegan by the end of 2020. His diet is simple and built around pulses: lentils, beans or peas nearly every day, with rice, potatoes, vegetable soup, salad, olives, nuts and fruit. He has also made a point of competing naturally, without anabolic steroids, according to Great Vegan Athletes. Arm-wrestling is about as direct a test of strength as there is, and he keeps winning it on lentils.

Andreev joins a long line of plant-powered strength athletes on this site. Back in 2015 we showed that you don't need meat to be strong, and in 2016 a 'Vegan Badass' strongman smashed the stereotypes. Last year Team PlantBuilt won 41 medals at Mr. America, and we have not forgotten Kendrick Farris, the only male US weightlifter at Rio 2016.

No meat, no problem.