Frank Boniello Wins The 2025 World’s Strongest Firefighter Competition
The World’s Strongest Firefighter competition is a strongman/strongwoman event that sets out to do what the name says – find the strongest firefighter in the world. Since 2020, this contest has grown from a lineup of six men to over 100 competitors, and has included women for the last two years. It is one of the only contests that allows men and women to compete against each other in the finals, with weight categories and a coefficient scoring system to help determine the winner.
The 2025 edition of this contest was held in Columbus, OH as part of the Arnold Sports Festival, and the winner was Frank Boniello, a firefighter for the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The win has garnered him a lot of attention, and it may have even been a life-changing moment for the Kansas City, Missouri native.
“There is an adjustment to my life after winning this title, being consciously aware of how I represent this title.”
Boniello joined the military in 2011 when he was 18 years old, which was the beginning of the path he took that led him to the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs as a firefighter, where he still serves today. The only difference between a federal firefighter and a full-time firefighter in a city or town is the area they serve. Boniello works as a driver operator, also known as an engineer. Another commonality is that they must be prepared for anything and stay in the best shape possible. That came easy for Boniello because he has been active since high school.
