One Nation, Under God
One Nation, Under God
Malta's Leif Sorenson was the Right & Left Overall Champion in the Big Sky Games Arm Wrestling Tournament for the first time in his career. Courtesy Photo.
Malta's Kaleb McMillan came home with a pair of Medals from the Big Sky Games Armwrestling Tournament. He won Gold in the 165 lb Class' Right Hand Tournament and Bronze in the Left Hand Tournament. Courtesy Photo.
Malta's Knox Sorenson flexes for the camera while wearing the Youth Arm Wrestling Gold Medal he earned n the Middleweight Class. Courtesy Photo.
Malta is home to a trio of champions after the Hi-Line Arm Wrestling team picked up a few gold medals at the 2023 Big Sky State Games Arm Wrestling Championship on July 15 in Billings.
Wrestling in the Men's 221-241 lb class, Malta's Leif Sorenson was the Men's Right Hand and Left Hand Champion.
He won both titles by defeating Park City's Chuck Young in the championship rounds.
Due to his performance, Sorenson is now ranked 17th in Men's Right Hand division in the Armwrestling Elo Rating System, which ranks wrestlers nationally.
Though the group doesn't have a group leader, Sorenson was asked to issue a statement of pride for the Hi-Line Arm Wrestling team.
"I am very proud of our team's accomplishments," Sorenson told the PCN.
He pointed towards the team's efforts throughout the year.
"We all make each other better in practice," he said. We have some strong guys in our practice club."
Wrestling in the Middleweight class, Knox, Leif's son, won gold in the Youth Right Hand Championship and took home silver in the Left Hand Championship.
He defeated Huntley's Axton Mosher in the Right Hand Championship, and lost to Roger Iverson in the Left Hand Championship.
Malta's Kaleb McMillan won the Men's 0-165 lb class Men's Right Hand Championship by defeating Dagmar's Tim Gelb.
Kaleb was asked how it felt to win at the Big Sky Games.
"Competing feels good," he said. "Winning feels good. Working hard feels good."
The title gives McMillan his second gold medal and first since 2021.
McMillan also took third in the Men's Left Hand tournament.
McMillan was asked how he was introduced to the sport of arm wrestling, it only makes sense that the local lumberjack Matt Sims, also known as Tarzan, was involved.
"Matt Sims stopped me in Central Avenue Pit Crew in the middle of the street one day and asked if I liked competing and invited me to some table sparring at the Lucky Bullet," McMillan said. "Like Forrest Gump, one day I just started running and just didn't stop."
The Hi-Line Arm Wrestling Group practices every Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Simms' shop, Sorenson's garage, or the basement of the Lucky Bullet.
"Sometimes we skip weeks like that 100 degree one," McMillan said. "We're only human."
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