The Sunday News
Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
LAST Saturday saw Pretchard Hoko being crowned the Novice Zimbabwe Bodybuilding and Fitness Championships men’s physique at a show held at the Zimbabwe College of Music in Harare.
The 28-year-old Hoko, who trains at Body Works Gym in Bulawayo, saw off the challenge of 16 other first time competitors at the national event. For “Carter” as Hoko is known in bodybuilding circles, he had not planned to compete, but the assistance he got from renowned fitness coach Simon Gama as well as Body Works Gym owner Nathan Greenland gave him confidence to take to the stage.
“It was something which came as a surprise that I was going to compete. Due to the help I had from my coach Simon Gama and also senior bodybuilders like Lovemore (Munyamana) and the boss himself Nathan Greenland I managed to prepare well,’’ Hoko said.
His only challenge was sticking to the correct diet because it is something he had not done before, with tips from Gama and other seasoned bodybuilders enough to see him through.
“I had a few problems with dieting since I wasn’t used to dieting but I can say with the tips they gave me and the proper training they gave me all went well.”
Hoko is excited to have landed a national title at the first time of trying having gone to Harare to have a feel of competing at that level.
“It feels great, I never imagined myself coming back home with a gold. Firstly I went there to participate, to represent my gym, also for fun and to gain experience, it was my first time on stage but winning it was just complementary to what I had planned.
Thanks to the fitness training I had from my coach and the encouragement I also had from the Body Works team, it was awesome, they gave me so much confidence that I was going to come home victorious and to my surprise it happened as they had said it,’’ he said.
On what won it for him on the day, he felt that his abs as well as proportionally balanced body is what stood out against the other contestants.
“I think I just boosted my confidence, but taking from the audience they say my abs were well defined and my body proportion comparing the arms, the abs and also the calves, they said they were in proportion compared to my other competitors. I think also mostly I can say the abs gave me good leverage compared to other competitors,’’ Hoko said.
With the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair competition to be held on 27 April fast approaching, there is no rest for Hoko with also plans by Body Works Gym to send him and other bodybuilders to the Designer Physique to be staged in Botswana at the beginning of May.
“I will put on the hard work that I’ve been putting in the gym and even harder this time considering that ZITF is a more professional competition than Novice. I will try to get more assistance from my seniors, listen to my fitness coach and try to work extra harder than the previous competition. I also won’t forget eating well, there is no rest for me,’’ Hoko said.
Outside bodybuilding, Hoko is a technician who fixes electrical gadgets having studied Telecoms at the Bulawayo Polytechnic. He played rugby for Highlanders as flank and wing but has taken a break from the sport. He is an avid social soccer player who also loves swimming as part of his cardio training.
