First a Grey Cup championship - next comes the local party.
Argonauts kicker and Oakville resident Lirim Hajrullahu brought the Grey Cup to a local gym on Friday to share with customers of the business and residents of the town in celebrating the Argos recent Grey Cup victory in November.
Waters Edge Fitness, just west of the Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts, hosted the event. Owner Mark Waters has brought high energy over his 20 years of fitness experience to the business.
Hajrullahu chose to bring the trophy to this gym because he trains at their facility during the off-season.
The Argonauts kicker has had a long career in professional football that goes all the way back to 2014. After finishing his career is Western University, he began in Winnipeg where he spent two seasons with the Blue Bombers.
Hajrullahu then went to Toronto in 2016 and started as both the Argonauts punter and kicker. Hajrullahu spent two years in Toronto and was a key factor in their 2017 Grey Cup victory over the Calgary Stampeders.
After winning the Grey Cup, he left Toronto to go down the QEW and join the Hamilton Tiger-Cats for another two year stint.
Then in 2019, Hajrullahu got the chance to play in the NFL for the Dallas Cowboys in the 2021 season. He played one game for Dallas and was eventually cut from the team but later joined the Carolina Panthers.
Hajrullahu played three games in Carolina, and was once again let go.
After trying to get back in the NFL, Hajrullahu came back to the CFL this past season with the Argonauts and helped them bring another Grey Cup back to Toronto.
Ever since Waters Edge opened their doors in the early 2010s, the goal of the facility has been to help and guide those towards completing their fitness goals. Their gym offers several different resources to clients such as personal trainers and programed classes.