Jean-François Caron (strongman)

Jean-François 'JF' Caron (born June 29, 1982) is a Canadian strongman and powerlifter from Les Hauteurs, Quebec, Canada. Having competed in 73 International strongman competitions and winning 10 of them, Caron is among the 20 most decorated strongmen of all time.

Powerlifting
Caron holds the world record in the deadlift for the WPA Powerlifting organization. Caron lifted 850 lb on March 14, 2010, at the CPA Provincial Championships in Sherbrooke, Quebec in the 308 lb weight class, weighing in at only 280 lb.

World's Strongest Man
Caron has competed eleven times in the World's Strongest Man contest: in 2008, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021. He has reached the final nine times: in 2012 and then each year between 2014 and 2021. Caron's record in the finals has progressively improved over time: he placed 8th in 2012, 6th in 2015, 5th each year between 2016 and 2018, 4th in 2019 and 3rd in 2020 - his best finish. In the 2021 competition, Caron returned to 5th place, having torn his hamstring during the first event.

Canada's Strongest Man
Caron won Canada's Strongest Man a record 9 consecutive times, from 2011 to 2019. In 2016, he won all eight events in the contest, the only time a competitor has managed a clean sweep at the Canada's Strongest Man competition.

Other major strongman competitions
In 2011, Caron finished in 2nd place at the Strongman Champions League events in Canada and Latvia. Caron finished 2nd again at the 2011 SCL Finals in Sarajevo, Bosnia on Feb. 7, 2012, and 4th overall for the 2011/2012 SCL season.

In 2012 and 2013, Caron won North America's Strongest Man after coming in 2nd place the two previous years.

In 2020, Caron placed 2nd in the inaugural Shaw Classic. At that event, Caron set a new world record at the time in the Hummer Tire Deadlift, lifting 1,202 lb (545.2 kg).

In 2021, Caron placed in 2nd in the 2020 World's Ultimate Strongman (also known as the 2021 WUS Strength Island) held in Riffa, Bahrain. Later that year, Caron placed 3rd in the 2021 Shaw Classic and 5th at the 2021 Rogue Invitational.

In 2022, while competing at the 2022 Arnold Classic, Caron suffered two torn patellar tendons and an injured ankle during the Austrian Oak Log Press.

Personal records

 * Elephant Bar Deadlift (with straps) – 463 kg (2018 Arnold Strongman Classic)
 * Silver Dollar Deadlift (with suit and straps) – 520 kg (2018 World's Ultimate Strongman)
 * Hummer tyre Deadlift (with straps) – 545 kg (2020 Shaw Classic) (former world record)
 * Double T Squat (with suit) – 438 kg (Arnold Classic 2022) (World Record)
 * Giant Barbell Squat (for reps) – 340 kg × 7 reps (single-ply suit w/ wraps) (2019 World's Strongest Man)
 * Giant Barbell Squat (for reps) – 317.5 kg x 13 reps (single-ply suit w/ wraps) (2017 World's Strongest Man)
 * Log press – 195 kg (2021 World's Strongest Man)
 * Log press (for reps) – 145 kg x 8 reps (2017 Canada's Strongest Man)
 * Hercules hold - 317.5 kg – 52.67 seconds (2020 World's Strongest Man)
 * Hercules hold 150 kg in each hand – 60.08 seconds (2015 SCL Norway)
 * Keg toss – 10 kegs 17-26 kg over 5.00 metres (16 ft 5 in) in 80.01 seconds (2022 Força Bruta)
 * Sandbag over bar – 34 kg over 4.57 metres (15 ft 0 in) [has achieved this feat twice] (2018 and 2020 Arnold Strongman Classic)
 * Car flip – 500 kg Volkswagen x 13 flips (2018 Guinness world records, China) (World Record)
 * Tyre flip – 650 kg x 4 flips (2016 Arnold Strongman Classic) (World Record)