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World Class

Kahanic Ranked Among Top All-Time Amateurs

Nick Kahanic of Falconer, left, was recognized for claiming the 2019 New York State Highland Games championship at the Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame induction banquet last month. At right is CSHOF president Randy Anderson. P-J photo by Scott Kindberg

Since 2007, Falconer resident Nick Kahanic has become a mainstay in athletic competitions around the country in the Highland Games, a unique Scottish sporting event that includes feats of strength like the shot put, caber toss and hammer throw.

Over that time, Kahanic has excelled, racking up an eye-opening 128 first-place finishes as an amateur and more than 20 first-place finishes since turning professional in 2014.

In addition, he holds the world record in the open stone, which he set in 2013 with a throw of better than 63 feet. He is also a multiple-time New York State champion and he claimed an amateur world championship in 2013 as well.

And now, according to Cabermetrics — a Highland Games database — Kahanic is recognized as one of the all-time greats for his accomplishments as an amateur.

Cabermetrics recently released an all-time ranking for men’s amateur competitors on Instagram. The rankings were compiled using a formula which included an individual’s top throw in each event. The top score a competitor could receive in each event was 1,000. There are eight Highland Games events that are considered for scoring, making 8,000 the highest combined mark an individual could reach.

The top all-time amateur competitor, Eric Frasure, has a total combined score of around 7,000. Kahanic finds himself seventh on the all-time list, with a total combined score of somewhere between 6,750-6,800. Having a spot inside the Top 10 is noteworthy, to say the least.

“I started throwing the shot put at Falconer (in high school)…and it just clicked with me,” Kahanic said. “And ever since then, that’s all I’ve worked for. … To see my name on a list with other guys who either have or still hold world records, that’s a pretty incredible list. And every single one of those guys had successful pro careers after posting those incredible amateur numbers.”

Following multiple injuries and surgeries, it’s tough for Kahanic to compete at the level he once did. But he does still plan on participating in events, including the New York State Championships for the Highland Games, which will take place in Mayville this summer. During the event, Kahanic will team with good friend, Aaron Lee and area resident Rich Bianco to host a modified “Highland Games mini competition” for Bianco’s “Exceptional Stars” program, which is designed for special-education students.

A major source of motivation for Kahanic to continue to compete is his best friend Lee and their charity efforts. The powerlifting duo have combined to form the “AJ Strong” movement following the passing of Lee’s son, AJ, in 2018.

Lee and Kahanic have already been able to raise several thousand dollars to make a substantial donation to several local organizations, including the Child Advocacy Program of Chautauqua County and Court Appointed Special Advocates, an organization that supports and promotes court-appointed volunteer advocacy so every child who has experienced abuse or neglect can be safe, have a permanent home, and the opportunity to thrive.

“When you watch your best friend go through something like that … it was awful,” Kahanic said. “… He is one of the most inspiring people in my life. Ever since we started doing ‘AJ Strong’ and competing in AJ’s honor, he’s perked up a little bit and gotten a little bit of that fire back. … When it started to snowball and people started to jump (on board) … Aaron lit up. And ever since then, his fire’s back. And helping people is always something I’ve been interested in. … To see my passion in doing that while also watching my best friend, you know, grow and heal from it, that’s been the driving force for me.”

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