Body Works regain winning formula in bodybuilding

Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter 

JUST a few years ago, Body Works Gym in Bulawayo was a force to reckon with in bodybuilding circles in the country.

The gym was home to a number of national bodybuilding champions who had done well to put the fitness centre on the world map. Shantel Bhatch, Selina Manuel, Mitchell Matsito, Charity Juma, Faith Dube, Loreen Moyo, Pardon Dube, Brian Samundombe, Marvelous Gandah, Tapiwa Zimhamba, Zibusiso Khumalo, Thembinkosi Lunga, Lovemore Munyamana, Paul Goredema and Ndumiso Dlodlo are some of those who excelled for Body Works Gym at national competitions. 

With success also come challenges as Body Works Gym were to learn when they lost the bulk of their competitors, with some relocating to other cities as well as neighbouring countries while others joined rival gyms.

It has been a painful rebuilding exercise for Body Works Gym director, Nathan Greenland, who has had to assemble a new team of bodybuilders. The rebuilding exercise is starting to pay off as shown by how well the bodybuilders did well in three competitions they took part in over the last two months.

With two times in a row Mr Zimbabwe Dlodlo and Munyamana, winner of Mr Bulawayo since 2012 guiding the youngsters, Body Works Gym athletes have been on a winning spree. Dlodlo took the overall men’s title at the PPC Zimbabwe International Trade Fair Open Championships in April and last Saturday he was adjudged the best senior male bodybuilder at the Muscle and Fitness Open Classic in Gweru. 

Munyamana has also been on song with the under 75kg title secured at the ZITF show, took the men’s title at the Designer Physique in Botswana and last Saturday he won the middleweight crown in Gweru. 

Kyle MacDonald, the only female competitor at Body Works Gym at the moment has had her share of success in those three competitions as she took first place in all of them. 

Khumalo, one of those who had ditched Body Works Gym but made a return in recent weeks has regained the winning formula. Having struggled at the ZITF show, the 20-year old went on to win the junior men Under-23 in Botswana and last Saturday he did well in two categories. In Gweru, Khumalo took home the junior men Under-21 and then finished third in the light heavyweight division. Declan Williams, competing for the first time ever was third in the juniors. 

Delvin Page has also been outstanding since he finished second to Munyamana in Botswana and also clinched the lightweight in Gweru. Prechard “Carter” Hoko is another promising bodybuilder with success at the ZITF show, Botswana and in Gweru. Wesley Sanders was the only athlete who returned from Gweru without a medal but he too has shown lots of promise. 

“The feeling is quite good now because the morale is high in camp, we have got onlookers that have been watching and observing and we can see the interest in the gym as well, it’s flowing over. For now we doing well, our athletes just completed three competitions in one month,’’ Greenland said. 

Losing some of the seasoned athletes came as a hold back for Body Works Gym, since they could not draw from that experience. Greenland saluted the hard work put in by Munyamana, who has been left to guide the youngsters while at the same time leading by example on stage. 

“It’s been a setback because we have lost all that expertise and knowledge within those champions but its sport, no one ever outlives the sport, the sport goes on so luckily enough for us we’ve been learning, we have our most seasoned, Zimbabwe’s finest bodybuilders of this era Lovemore Munyamana. He has been our go to man, he has been the kingpin, he is the attacking force of Body Works Gym,’’ said Greenland. 

He is excited by the determined youngsters coming up and showing a lot of interest in the sport. 

“The nice is that we have a junior policy, our young up-and-coming athletes are also stepping into the limelight but the good thing is like our senior bodybuilders are now nurturing the younger ones so bodybuilding at Body Works Gym is in a good place. We have lots of ambitious young people coming in.” 

On the plans for the remainder of this year, Greenland indicated that they are now focusing on the national championships to be held in Harare on 28 September. 

“There has been speculation of the Marume Classic but the unfortunately the finances are a bit of a strain on my athletes, they have just been preparing for the past three competitions, obviously with the dieting and preparation. Normally athletes would do one or two shows a year, I’ve pushed these guys beyond boundaries to do three competitions in the one month and they stood up to it. We are looking forward to the national championships in September,’’ Greenland said.

One thing for sure, Body Works Gym have regained their winning formula in body building and are looking forward to achieving more success in the coming months.