By Tanyaradzwa D. Mudzamiri
Local bodybuilding veteran and World Fitness Federation (WFF) Zimbabwe president Godwin Mhaka will lead a five-member national team to the United World Sports and Fitness Federation Championships in Thailand from 21 to 23 August.
The three-day competition is expected to attract elite athletes from across the world with Zimbabwe aiming to make an impact on the international stage.
Mhaka said the team had stepped up preparations and was determined to represent the country with distinction.
“We have been preparing well for this championship and our objective is to represent Zimbabwe with pride. The competition will be tough because it brings together some of the world’s best athletes but we believe we are ready to compete,” he said.
Mhaka brings considerable international experience to the team.
He won the Mr Ironman Botswana title before claiming the 2017 Mr Pretoria Classics championship in South Africa.
His biggest international breakthrough came in Las Vegas in the United States where he won gold in the World Fitness Federation’s Mr Universe Bermuda Beach Model category.
The veteran bodybuilder has since played a key role in promoting the sport in the country through his leadership of WFF Zimbabwe.
He has mentored emerging athletes, organised competitions and helped create opportunities for local competitors to gain exposure at home and abroad.
Mhaka said competing internationally was important for the development of Zimbabwean bodybuilding particularly as athletes sought to measure themselves against competitors from other countries.
“International competitions are important because they expose our athletes to higher standards of competition and help us measure our progress against the best in the world. Every time we compete abroad, we gain valuable experience that contributes to the growth of bodybuilding back home,” he said.
The five-member squad has been undergoing intensive training ahead of the championships with preparations focusing on conditioning, posing routines and overall fitness.
The Thailand event is expected to draw competitors from Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas providing local athletes with an opportunity to test themselves against some of the sport’s leading competitors.
For Mhaka, the championships offer another chance to build on a career that has already produced several major titles while raising the profile of Zimbabwean bodybuilding internationally.
With the experienced Mhaka leading the squad, Zimbabwe will be hoping for a strong showing when the championships begin in Thailand.
