The Brief
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Steve Phipps, a 70-year-old Pasco resident, won three gold medals at the Arm Wrestling World Championships in Japan after a 16-year hiatus from competition.
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A serious car crash in 2008 injured Phipps’ neck and spinal cord, nearly ending his arm wrestling career that had already earned him 47 national championships and 19 world titles.
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After surgery, physical therapy, and years of recovery, Phipps returned to competition and earned medals in all six classes he entered in Japan.
PASCO, Wash. — Steve Phipps spent 30 years of his arm wrestling career dominating on the national and world stage. But from 2008 to 2026, he was unable to compete.
At 70 years old, and his first time competing in 16 years, the Pasco arm wrestler just added three gold medals to his already legendary collection by winning at the Arm Wrestling World Championships in Japan.
Phipps’ path to the podium this year represents far more than athletic achievement. It marks a triumphant return to a sport he thought he might never compete in again after a devastating car crash nearly took that opportunity away…