Large, muscular men wearing kilts and performing amazing feats of strength and agility in athletic competition celebrating Scottish and Celtic culture — that’s the Highland Games.

The events that comprise the Highland Games include stone put, Scottish hammer throw, weight throw, weight over bar, caber toss, keg toss and sheaf toss.

In 2025, the Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame will induct its first Highland Games athlete, a world champion and a world record holder, Nick Kahanic.

Kahanic was the 2013 World Amateur Champion amassing 2,013 points, the most in recorded history since 1822.

Kahanic also set a new world record in the Open Stone (16-pound) throw of 63 feet, 3.75 inches, eclipsing a mark that had stood for 40 years.

Kahanic, a 2004 graduate of Falconer Central School, was active in track and field for the Falcons. He placed in the New York state championships in both the shot put and discus his junior and senior years. Representing Chautauqua Striders, he placed second in the shot at the 2004 USA Junior Olympic National Championships.

Kahanic continued his career at Robert Wesleyan College in Rochester, from 2004-07. He was a four-time National Christian College Athletic Association Champion: three times in the shot put and once in the hammer throw. He was named an NCCAA All-American 13 times in the shot, discus and hammer and was a two-time National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics shot put All-American.

Kahanic became involved in Highland Games competition in 2006 and continued until his retirement from the sport in 2022. He was grand champion of the Jamestown Regional Highland Games 13 times. Each annual competition included nine individual events. During that span he claimed first place 115 times in 118 events. In the three events he “lost,” he finished second.

In Highland Games outside of Chautauqua County, Kahanic was a five-time Niagara Region Amateur Champion, four-time Niagara Region Professional Champion and three-time New York State Professional Champion.

He claimed 40 professional Highland Games titles from 2014-22. He was the 2015 North American Pro Caber Champion. In the caber toss, competitors toss a large tapered pole, usually made from a larch tree, and it can be between 16 to 20 feet tall and weigh 90 to 150 pounds.

In addition to the previously mentioned world record in the Open Stone throw, Kahanic also set a North American record (50 feet, 1 inch) in the Braemer throw, an event in which the

22-pound stone must be tossed from a standing position.

Kahanic and his friend Aaron Lee are the co-founders of AJ Strong, a charity they established in 2018 following the unexpected passing of Aaron’s son. The purpose of the charity is to assist child advocacy programs and families in need. To date they have raised over $40,00 to help those in need.

Kahanic works for Pepsi and is a resident of Falconer.