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Gulf bodybuilders to compete in UAE contest
Bodybuilders from other Gulf countries have been invited to participate in the Emirates Open Bodybuilding Championships to be held in Ajman later this year.
- By Alaric Gomes, Senior Reporter
- Published: 23:12 September 5, 2008
- Osama Al Shafar, President of the Asian Bodybuilding Federation and the UAE Bodybuilding Association, has said other Gulf countries have been invited to take part in the Emirates Open Bodybuilding Championships.
- Image Credit: Ahmed Ramzan/Gulf News
Dubai: Bodybuilders from other Gulf countries have been invited to participate in the Emirates Open Bodybuilding Championships to be held in Ajman later this year.
Osama Al Shafar, President of the Asian Bodybuilding Federation and the UAE Bodybuilding Association, told Gulf News that bodybuilders from other countries including Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Qatar have been invited to participate in this annual competition for the first time this year.
"We want this competition to bring the best participants in the region," Al Shafar added.
The championship will be held in Ajman on December 5 to 6.
It is also the first time that this annual bodybuilding competition will be held in Ajman. It has the full support of Shaikh Ammar Bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Crown Prince of Ajman.
Earlier this week, Al Shafar had a meeting with Shaikh Ammar in the presence of Shaikh Rashid Bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Chairman of Ajman Municipality to discuss the finer aspects of hosting such a prestigious competition.
"This is the right time to have a competition like this one as it coincides with UAE National Day celebrations," Al Shafar said.
Yet another first will be the awarding of prize money to the top three finishers in each weight category. The winner will receive a cash prize of Dh10,000, while the runner-up will get Dh7,000 and the third place winner will be awarded Dh5,000.
"We are expecting more than 100 bodybuilders from the region and the UAE," Al Shafar said.
The competition will be held in two junior weight categories and there will be another eight categories for the seniors.
"This will be a good time for bodybuilders as they will be fresh from the World Bodybuilding Championships to be staged in Bahrain later this year," Al Shafar added.
In yet another new initiative, two female bodybuilders from Kazakhstan will be in the UAE during the course of this competition for a body fitness demonstration.
Meanwhile, the three UAE bodybuilders for the South East Asia (SEA) Games in Bali, Indonesia are continuing with their preparations with training sessions twice a day.
Mohammad Ali (85kg), Mohammad Al Zahmi (70kg) and Ebrahim Za'abi (80kg) will be representing the country at the 1st Asian Beach Games to be held from October 18.
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