NORTH ALTON, N.S. – Alyssa Jones and Shawn Foster are getting a taste for competing on the national stage early in life.
The siblings, aged 11 and 7 respectively, are preparing for their debut at the Canadian Armwrestling Championships. The tournament will be held in Laval, Que. from June 29 to July 1.
“There’s quite a bit of training. I haven’t done that much but I practice with my mom on the table,” said Alyssa during a brief interview at a fund-raising ticket auction hosted for the duo in the North Alton Community Hall June 24.
“I sort of had to stop doing the monkey bars because I don’t want to get any blisters before Quebec.”
The two picked up the sport with some guidance from their mother, Nicole Myles, and her boyfriend, Perry Vruhm.
Alyssa enjoys gaining the upper hand on the opponents in her weight class.
“It’s just really exciting and it makes you feel awesome,” the Berwick-area resident said.
“I can beat most of the boys… that’s my favourite part.”
Her competitive flare has already proven to get results.
“I like it – it’s fun. I get to travel. At Atlantics in PEI this year I got gold in both arms, so that was really fun,” she said, noting that she competed in a different weight class for provincials and won bronze.
Her younger brother, Shawn Foster, is quick to admit that he doesn’t see himself besting his sister at the table any time in the foreseeable future. That said, Shawn won silver in both arms during Atlantics and provincials this year.
“It’s hard,” he admits.
“I just push my leg on the table or wrap my leg around (the table leg.)”
Asked how he sees the trip to Quebec going, Shawn remains matter-of-fact about the whole thing.
“I’m probably going to fall asleep,” he offered.
