Waterbury’s Derek Poundstone set a world record yesterday afternoon in Los Angeles during a qualifying event for the 2012 World’s Strongest Man contest. He hoisted a giant 250 pound dumbbell press eleven times, shattering the previous record of nine. Thirty six men are performing super human feats of strength this week to try and qualify for the finals (the top ten make it) which will be held in Los Angeles September 30 and October 1. Poundstone has reached the finals all four years he has competed, but this year his qualifying group includes Zydrunas Savickas, a former two-time champion of the event. Halfway through the qualifying rounds Poundstone is tied for second place in his group with Jean Caron of Canada, they both trail Savickas by one point. Only the top two from each group advance. The final three events are a car deadlift, keg toss and atlas stones. No matter the outcome, Poundstone is making Waterbury proud. And with his motto “no excuses”, expect Poundstone to advance to the finals and be in the mix for the championship Monday afternoon. Photograph taken in 2010 by John Murray