From Kirkland to Titan

We here at Just South of North love showing our readers the Pacific Northwest athletes that make it to the big time.

Well, perhaps one of the largest PNW natives (literally) is Michael O'Hearn. Name ring a bell? Probably not. But how about Titan? That doing a little more for you? Yeah, I figured.

Mike plays Titan on the NBC hit show American Gladiators. Titan is the captain of the Gladiators and

As an athlete, Mike is a 4 time Mr. (Natural) Universe.

He also has won Mr. California, Mr. USA, Mr. American and Mr. International. He is a 4-time Power Lifting Champion, and 2-time Iron Warrior: Decathlon of Strength Strongman Champion.

In other words, he is known for being really buff.

But his roots are in Washington.

O'Hearn, grew up on a farm in Kirkland, WA and comes from a large family of 9 siblings of which he is the youngest of 5 boys. He began competing in bodybuilding at the age of 15 when he won the Teenage Washington State competition. In college O'Hearn was a 3-time All State Defensive Tackle and All American football player.

He also has appeared as the cover model on more than 400 issues of various fitness, martial arts and bodybuilding magazines as well as for the covers of more than 100 romance novels.

Romance novels. Hilarious. But I would never make fun of him for that. Especially to his face.