50th Novices Body Building Championships:

Airmen win four titles

Dilanka Mannakkara

Sri Lanka Air Force Body Builders dominated at the 50th Annual Novices Body Building Championships which was held at Bishop’s College auditorium winning the first places in four weight categories out of a total number of 8 weight categories.

The Novices Body Building extravaganza continuing for the 50th year since its inauguration is the foremost event for amateur Body Builders to show their talents in body building.

A large number of young, promising and talented body builders large number of gymnasiums and fitness centers around the island were witnessed by a very enthusiastic and animated crowd.

Dimuthu Sandamal Perera an 18 year old rookie from De Mazenod College who took the first place for 75 kg weight category,highly impressed the judges with his outstanding posing routines. Though it was his first championship event the performance was near professional standard as he gained points specially through the abdominal pose and the double bicep pose. Two Air force body builders W.A.A.N.S Fernando who won the first place of the 55 kg weight category and R.M.S Udayakumara won the 65kg weight category were the other standout performers.

According to Vajira Hewamarambe,the Air Force Body Building sports cordinator, Sri Lanka is blessed with promising body builders and the Air Force which has a well structured body building pool of their own have supported these youngsters by providing them with all necessary training facilities and food supplements. Vajira further added by saying that the secret of their immense success in body building championships is the specialized training which is given to the bodybuilders during the competition periods as well as off season.

The chief guest for this occasion was the Secretary to the Ministry of Sports & Public Recreation S. Liyanagama, among the other special invitees for this event were Suresh Pai, Personal Assistant to the President of International Federation of Body Building (IFBB) & the Press Commissioner of IFBB,Annesley Steinwall ‘Mr. Ceylon 1957’, and Ahamed Rheyas, Chairman, Harcourts (Pvt) Ltd.

Suresh Pai read out a special message sent by the President of the IFBB Rafael Santonja commending the efforts taken by the Interim Committee of the Sri Lanka Body Building & Fitness Federation (SLBFF) for the development of the sport of Body Building in Sri Lanka. The IFBB’s President also pledged continuous support for Sri Lanka’s Body Building in the future.

Jeff Schucroft, the President of the SLBFF received a special memorabilia from the IFBB for his yeoman services in developing Body Building as a sport in Sri Lanka.