25th Mr Sikkim bodybuilding championship on October 31

25th Mr Sikkim bodybuilding championship on October 31

KUNAL RAI

GANGTOK,: The
Sikkim State Body Building Association (SSBBA) will organise the 25th edition
of Mr Sikkim and the 8th Men’s and Women’s Physique Championship at Saramsa
Garden in Ranipool on October 31.

Addressing a press conference here on Monday, SSBBA
president Arun Kumar Gurung said the event marks a significant milestone for
the association, which is celebrating the silver jubilee edition of the
prestigious Mr Sikkim championship.

The association, which has been promoting bodybuilding
in the State for the past 30 years, has introduced new categories this year to
provide a platform for budding athletes and fitness enthusiasts, he said.

The Mr Sikkim competition will feature four weight
categories, viz. 55 kg, 65 kg, 70 kg and above 70 kg, and is exclusively open
to bodybuilders from Sikkim. Participants will have to produce a Certificate of
Identification (COI), Residential Certificate (RC) or Sikkim Subject
Certificate (SSC) for registration, Gurung said.

The 8th Men’s and Women’s Physique Championship will
be an open competition, allowing participants from across the country and
abroad to take part.

The event will also feature the second editions of the
Denim Jeans and Women’s Sports Physique competitions. The association has
introduced a Classic Physique category for the first time this year, with
emphasis on body symmetry rather than muscular size and individual muscle
development.

The new category aims to encourage young bodybuilding
aspirants and athletes with naturally developed physiques, providing them
opportunities to compete at national and international events in the future,
Gurung said.

For the first time, the championship is being
organised outside Gangtok, with the open-air venue at Saramsa Garden expected
to provide a new setting for the event.

Registration will be conducted on the spot on October
30 between 10 am and 3 pm. Winners will receive cash prizes, trophies and
medals, with the total prize money for the championship amounting to Rs 5 lakh.

The association had recorded the participation of
around 150 athletes in the previous edition and expects a similar or higher
turnout this year, Gurung said.

SSBBA general secretary Suman Tamang and
vice-president Rahul Sarda were also present at the press conference.