The Sunday News
Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
DESPITE having gone through a tough time after losing his mother, seven times in a row Mr Bulawayo, Lovemore Munyamana is promising to be on top of his game when he takes part in the Zimbabwe Bodybuilding and Fitness Championships in Harare on Saturday.
This year’s national competition is sponsored by Zimpapers, through Bold Ads, Sunday Mail and Zimpapers Television.
Munyamana had his preparations for the national competition affected when his mother passed away in June.
After that he fell sick and lost some weight but is feeling much healthier now, with the veteran vowing to be at his best come Saturday. The 35-year-old is entering the middleweight division for those up to 80 kilogrammes.
“Preparations did not go well after I lost my mother, I ended up very sick and dropped almost 8kgs because of pressure but now I’m better and I promise fireworks,’’ Munyamana declared.
From left Ndumiso Dlodlo, Lovemore Munyamana and Delvin Page
Munyamana is the most high profile Bulawayo-based athlete heading to this year’s national event. Body Works Gym is sending 14 athletes to the national competition. South Africa domiciled Ndumiso Dlodlo, winner of the men’s overall title for two years in a row is also heading down to defend his title. Dlodlo enters the competition under Body Works Gym.
It has been a wonderful year for Munyamana who started off by winning the under 75kg title at the PPC Zimbabwe International Trade Fair Open Championships, took the men’s title at the Designer Physique in Botswana, won the middleweight crown at the Muscle and Fitness Classic in Gweru. Delvin Page has also enjoyed success in Botswana and Gweru with the 26-year-old to compete in the lightweight at the national championships.
Kylie MacDonald has had a wonderful 2019 since she came out first in all the three competitions she has entered since April. The 26-year-old MacDonald, who for the better part of this year has carried the burden of being the only female bodybuilder at Body Works Gym, is excited about her first appearance at the national championships.
“My preparations for the Zim nationals have gone pretty well so far, I started my dieting a bit earlier than expected, this being my first Zim national show, I believe I really worked hard and prepared well so I do feel ready to be on stage again. I’m entering the bikini fitness open which is a category just after beach bikini,’’ MacDonald said.
Because of the hard work she has put into her fine tuning, MacDonald is now too powerfully built for some of the female competitions. She is not putting herself under any pressure, as she wants to take pleasure in being on stage.
“I would’ve loved to enter beach bikini but unfortunately my body is too muscular which would result in me being marked down so I think I will just stick to my respective category bikini fitness. I have absolutely no targets, it’s just going to be me having fun on stage and showing off my hard work and what I’ve put together since my last competition in Gweru,’’ she said.
MacDonald will not have the burden of being the only Bulawayo female bodybuilder with Diana Machakaire making a return to the national competition where she last participated in 2017. The 31-year-old Machakaire is entering the beach bikini. Seeing that she is making a comeback after a few years, Machakaire is not expecting a lot.
“This year has been a way of getting back into the game. I have had some challenges because this is an expensive sport and the current situation in the country is not great, I have done my best.
I am not expecting a lot because I have been off for three years but it’s a great stepping stone to what’s coming next,’’ Machakaire said.
Her best came in 2012 when she was third at the All Africa Olympia held in Harare. In 2017 she came out last in a line-up of six women at the national championships. Machakaire is grateful to all those who have assisted her morally and financially in the build-up to the national event.
“I want to thank everyone who has been on this journey with me, supporting and encouraging me, especially my sponsors,’’ she said.
Prechard Hoko, Lancelot Ndlovu, Wesley Sanders, Gabriel Gwapedza and Marvelous Gandah are entering the men’s physique. Ndlovu is also competing in the men’s fitness model.
Zibusiso Khumalo, Blessing Timburwa and Revaldo Ncube carry the hopes for Bulawayo in the junior men’s Under-23. Mugoni Chikove is competing in the men’s wheelchair.
Body Works Gym director, Nathan Greenland cannot wait for his athletes to put on display the bodies they have been working on for months.
“We have been working hard to get our athletes in the best possible condition, morale is high in camp with 15 strong team with trained drivers, managers, beauticians, security and medical staff, we are prepared to put on an exhibition for Zimbabwe as a professional outfit.
Come Saturday we will show that Body Works Gym has been open for five years and competing for four years. We are covered in all categories with our junior men coming up strong these are exciting times for Bulawayo and the sport I smell gold and I’m sure we will deliver.
An incredible 20 divisions will be competed for on Saturday, with three overall champions to be crowned. That will be in the men’s bodybuilding, men’s physique and most outstanding female athlete.
— @Mdawini_29
