Otto Acron The worlds most sensational strongman

The Sydney Morning Herald

Monday, June 14, 1976

Strongman keeps planes grounded

Otto Acron, a strongman from Canleyvale, performed his greatest feat at Bankstown Airport yesterday when he held two twin-engine light aircraft together with chains strapped to his arms.

The planes - Piper Twin Comanche’s - each revved their engines at a speed which would have been equivalent to 192 km/h, but both aircraft bucked and strained and at one stage Otto was lifted off the ground by the chains that attached him to the aircraft.
Otto a professional strongman for 25 years, recently returned to Australia after 15 years with circuses in Europe.

The Darryl Summers Show

Blowing up a hot water bottle

Daily Mirror

Thursday, May 6, 1976

Walsh puts his trust in
mighty Otto

Mike Walsh had better not give any lip to Otto Acron when that weight-lifter– cum– strongman appear as a guest on his Channel 10 program tomorrow.
Otto plans to lift a mini car on a wooden platform above his head– and Mike's too.
The total weight, Otto tells me, it is about 800 kg. which, I suppose is a piece of cake to a man who has broken chains and carried horses up ladders.

Three years later this feat was recognised by the Guinness book of records and went into the millennium edition
     The year 2000 was good to me. I not only got into the Guinness book of world records for the second time, but was surprised and proud to receive an Australian sporting achievement medal. The certificate with the medal read:

     Whereas Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, Queen of Australia, has instituted an Australian medal to commemorate, in the year 2000, Australian sporting achievement;
I do by this warrant award you the Australian Sports Medal.

     It was signed by the Prime Minister John Howard and the Governor General of Australia William Dean.

This stunt was performed to celebrate my sixty third birthday

1985 N.S.W.82.5kg class Power Lifting Champion

Top: 1985 Australian Masters Power Lifting Champion

for the 82.5 kg class

Left: U.B.B.A. Bodybuilding
Masters Australian Champion 1985. Age 50 years

1992 Worlds Masters Power Lifting Championship
placed 7th in the 82.5 kg class

1999 I came seventh in the world 82.5 class Power Lifting Championship

Left: 1985 I was fifty years old when this photo was taken.

Masters Body Building Competition.

1985 Mr Sydney 1985 Mr N.S.W 1985 Mr Australia

1985 Mr Oceana 1985 Mr Southern Hemisphere

It’s No mistake I did all these competitions in the one year

PENRITH City STAR
Tuesday, June 18,1991
St Clair’s Strongman.
Driving giant needles through your cheeks,carring a horse up a ladder, wrestling bears and taking on two aeroplanes in a tug - of - war contest is not everyone’s preferred profession.
But St Clair’s very own strongman Otto Acron has been entertaining thousands the world over with such superhuman feats for more than 30years.
His exploits also landed him television appearances on variety programs in the 1970s and ‘80s, where, among other stunts, he was run over by a car while lying on broken glass.

FRASER COAST CHRONICLE

Saturday, June 21, 1997

ACRON HOLDS PLANES

World strongman record

An exhausted and red-faced Otto Acron of Hervey Bay had enough energy left to throw up his arms in jubilation yesterday after he set a world record of strength and determination.

     In front of an apprehensive Hervey Bay crowd, Otto, 61, held two Air Fraser Island Cessna 300 hp planes for more than 15 seconds, blitzing his previous Guinness Book of Records performance of two 178 hp planes for 10 seconds.
Yesterday Otto had to hold the planes for only five seconds while they revved at 1800 rpm but because he is an over-achiever, Otto’s new record is 2100rpm for 15 seconds.
     As the planes built up speed, Otto’s face reddened, but his screams could barely be heard over the roar of the engines. His feet lifted from the ground several times as he was pulled from two sides.
     New, stronger rope was wrapped around his arms to link Otto to the planes, since a previous attempt was thwarted when the rope snapped during the effort. He said that if the rope had snapped yesterday, he could have been catapulted into the rear of one of the planes.
Pilots John Galway and Stewart McShane were comfortable with their roles although it was a first for both. They kept the planes at a constant speed and said they were sure Otto knew what he was doing.
     Otto’s wife Irene wanted her husband to take a day off work but, in his true sprit, he was back at the gym taking care of business an hour after the feat.

Congratulated by John Reid part owner of Otto's Fitness World and time keeper for the stunt.

Otto Acron, spured on by Richard Olujic, gets down to his world record push-up attempt at Hervey Bay on Saturday.

FRASER COAST CHRONICLE

1125 push-ups - not bad for a 70-year-old

By Locelyn Watts

“NOT TWO bad” is how Otto described his record breaking 1125 push-ups on Saturday.

“I wanted to do 1200 but ran out of petrol,” he said.

Otto who celebrated his 70th birthday on Thursday believes his 1125 push-ups broke the world record for his age group, but it is still to be confirmed.

The Hervey Bay strongman dedicated his Guinness World Record to a Year 6 student at Maryborough’s Sunbury School who has muscular dystrophy.

With sponsorships, donations and pledge coming from the community, Otto raised $9000, enough to buy

a motorised wheelchair at cost price.

“It was a birthday wish for me, but it turned out a miracle. “Otto said.”