Bodybuilding federation to hold c’ships ahead of Games

By SULI SULI
THE PNG Bodybuilding Federation will host its national bodybuilding championships next month in Port Moresby to select its squad for the forthcoming Pacific Games in Honiara, Solomon Islands.
The June 23-24 event at the Sir John Guise Stadium will feature bodybuilders from Central, National Capital District, Morobe, Eastern Highlands, Chimbu, Jiwaka, Enga, East New Britain, West New Britain, New Ireland and Bougainville.
Federation’s interim president Imbak Wiape said the annual tournament would be tough as bodybuilders compete for a spot in their divisions for the Solomon Islands Games and other lead up competitions in Asia.
“Bodybuilding is an individual sport that requires a lot of commitment, hard training, well balanced diet as well as supplements by individual bodybuilders in order to win medals,” Wiape said on the weekend.
“In the 2015 Pacific Games, Team PNG bodybuilders won five gold, four silver and a bronze medal, setting the highest record in PNG bodybuilding history.
“Our strategic plan for 2021 to 2023 is to prepare well-defined, well prepared bodybuilders to face other Pacific Islanders who are now advanced into their preparation for the 2023 Games.
The competition categories will see females compete in -165cm and +165cm athletic physique, overall, -165 and +165 model physique and overall.
The men will challenge in Under-65kg, U70kg, U75kg, U80kg, U85kg, U90kg, over 90kg, 100kg plus, overall and the men’s physique.
The bodybuilding tournament will also accommodate the masters division and the Mr. and Miss PNG 2023. “Because bodybuilding is not included in this year’s PNG Games, I urge all provincial bodybuilding associations to seek support from their provincial governments to attend the championship, together with their provincial teams during PNG games,” Wiape said.
“We will also have our first ever bodybuilding judges’ seminar and refresher courses assisted by World Bodybuilding and Physique Sports Federation. “The seminar will be run by our WBPF international accredited judge prior to the championship,” he added.
He said the selected bodybuilders would travel to Kathmandu, Nepal, for the 55th Asia Bodybuilding and Physique Sports Championship from Sept 1-7 and the world titles in South Korea from Nov 6-12 before they head to Honiara.