Swindon sewer strongman crowned UK arm-wrestling champ

Meet man mountain Mindaugas Dulskas.

When the Thames Water technician isn’t wrestling pollution-causing blockages at sewage pumping stations, the 21-stone beast from Swindon is destroying the competition in national arm-wrestling tournaments.

Mindaugas, 40, has just been crowned British Super Heavyweight Champion, beating the European champ to retain the national title he first won in 2020.

Mindaugas, who chose the nickname ‘The Big M’ as his arm-wrestling alias, joined Thames Water earlier this year and soon put his size and strength to good use. He easily lifts manhole covers with one arm instead of two, and once even managed to lift a fallen tree blocking a road.

Recalling how he first got involved in the sport, Mindaugas said: “My hands and shoulders were always strong, and my frame was always large and so at school I would throw javelins, discuses and shot-puts. When my knees gave out, I looked to arm-wrestling to keep using my arms.

“The best tip I can give for arm-wrestling is always face your arm. Never turn away from your arm as this puts pressure on the arm and can lead to broken bones.”

Mindaugas previously competed in the 2019 Arm-Wrestling World Championship in Poland and ranked in the top 10. Now he has ambitions to flex his muscles on the world stage once more.

Discussing his plans, Mindaugas said: “Last time I went to Poland for the championship I didn’t do great with my right arm because of an injury. I will try to go back when things open up again and hopefully do better.”

To stay in top condition, he lifts weights twice a week in a home-built gym, and trains with his arm-wrestling partner for three hours at Swindon Crusaders Arm-Wrestling Club. To help maintain his build, Mindaugas eats five meals a day, totalling 3,500 calories.

A dad of two, Mindaugas encourages his sons to arm-wrestle and regularly challenges them to face him on the table.

But he’s not just strong, he’s also tall. Before taking up arm-wrestling, the 6ft-tall strongman played basketball for Swindon Shock, winning a national title.