Othaniel Kanyenda wins Mr Zomba title
By Tiyese Monjeza:
Cobbe Barracks-based Malawi Defence Force (MDF) soldier Othaniel Kanyenda on Christmas day shrugged off stiff competition from six athletes to reclaim Mr Zomba 2020 Bodybuilding title.
Fans protested the judges’ decision to name Kanyenda as the eventual winner.
Moments later Kanyenda and runner-up Harris Kasambala were called back to the stage to outclass each other in different poses before being crowned winner.
Kanyenda, who won the title in 2017 and 2018, defeated his closest rival Kasambala and Victor Chimwaza, who finished on second and third position, respectively, during the event held at Naminyowe Villa Lodge in Zomba.
Heavy rains, earlier on, forced the judges to stop the contest for over an hour, leaving the impressive crowd that patronised the contest in doubt as darkness had started by the time the rains stopped.
Kanyenda, MDF 2017 Bodybuilding Champion, was for the second time announced as the winner and he pocketed K120,000 prize money, a medal and a trophy.
“I am glad that, for the third time, I am the best bodybuilder in Zomba. I will even train harder and contest at Mr Malawi Bodybuilding Contest,” the champion said.
Kasambala went home with K90,000 while Victor received K70,000.
Grivin Manda, who won the bodybuilding contest last year, did not defend the title as he is currently in South Africa.
Earlier on, Moses Mphinga, another Cobbe Barracks-based soldier, won the Weightlifting Category for the third consecutive year.
He was awarded with K90,000, followed by Shepherd Chitedze, who pocketed K70,000, while Thoko Sanjika came third and he received K50,000.
The competitions organiser Bright Limani said he was impressed that the competition was achieving its dream of producing a new crop of bodybuilders and weightlifters capable of competing at national events.
“The fans’ conduct was not what we had expected. However, let us dwell much on the positive side. We are satisfied that, through the years, this competition has produced good bodybuilders and weightlifters. Thank you all sponsors who have been supporting this event,’ Limani said,
The event was sponsored to the tune of K950,000 and the sponsors included Zomba Central parliamentarian Bester Awali and H Adam Group of Companies.
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