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Bahrain’s national body building team is gearing up for the World Body Building Championships to be held in South Korea next month.
It’s the first time that the team of nine bodybuilders from Bahrain will compete in the competition against contestants from more than 80 countries.
President of Bahrain Weightlifting and Bodybuilding Association, Mohamed Abdulrahim Abdulla, said: “It’s the first time in the history of Bahrain that we are sending nine people to the championships. But people will be surprised. This year we are going to prove that Bahrain has fantastic bodybuilders.”
He also revealed that next year’s championships will be held in the kingdom, after the Bahrain Bodybuilding Association beat bids from Brazil, Italy and Lithuania.
Two members of the team have just returned victorious from the Asian Body Building Championships in Shanghai, China.
Mohamed Mirza, 45, from Jidhafs won the Asian Masters over-40 category, while 20-year-old newcomer Kameel Hassan, from Hamad Town won the novice category.
Mr Mirza, a father of three, said: “I was crying I was so happy. I was so surprised. It’s not easy and the others had more experience then me. But I am confident that I am going to win the championships.”
Mr Hassan said he was amazed and proud that he won after only starting training in April. “He surprised everyone,” said Mr Abdulla. “He had received lots of criticism because he had no experience. But he is the future of Bahrain bodybuilding.”
The team is currently training at Ghassan’s Gym in Barbar, which has just been awarded a five star certificate from the Asian Bodybuilding Federation. The award was presented by Mr Abdulla in a ceremony at the gym last week.
Owner of the gym and former professional bodybuilder Ghassan Al Gosaibi said: “I consider the team like my younger brothers and it’s a privilege to have them train here. Every time they win a trophy I feel like it’s me on stage.”
