But the organisers of the Gaborone Classic will put an end to the nearly five-year drought when bodybuilders come to the city for a show of unrivalled grit and power.
The venue is yet to be confirmed. Show organiser, Lust Sithole, said they are eager to put up a show to remember, which will draw the best bodybuilders from the local shores. “We have decided to revive bodybuilding contests, starting with the Gaborone Classic on May 28.
Other than the traditional categories, this time we are coming up with two new categories for men and women,” Sithole said. He said there is a wellness category for plus-size women, to add to the traditional bikini category. “It is for the female athletes who are much more muscular and a little bit more developed than the usual bikini category.
For the males, we have come up with the master’s category, for those who are 40 years and above as a way to encourage people to continue training at their old age,” he said.
The traditional categories include the juniors, the male physique and the open bodybuilding line-up. He said they always focus on juniors as a way of promoting a healthy culture among the youth. “We are trying to give the youth a reason to go to the gym where they can be rewarded for their efforts at the end of the day. When we started these shows years ago, we had guys who started competing as juniors and are now doing well.
For instance, we have Gontse Sechele who is now based in America and is a professional bodybuilder. We also have Edward King Maloiso who is also doing well," Sithole said. He said bodybuilding is a growing sport with a lot of potential. “We want the public to know we are back to business and the athletes to know that we are here for them," he said.
Sithole said they want to go big with the Gaborone Classic, with incentives that will include a car as a first prize. He thanked their traditional supporters, Notwane Pharmacy, Brace Electrical, Major Muscle and Fitness, Lamilla Lodge, Yarona FM, Home Corp, USN and Mmegi, among others. Sithole said the top three in each category will get sponsorship to compete in regional bodybuilding contests. “We are going to give them free sponsorship to go and rub shoulders with some of the best athletes in the region that will give them exposure and experience that they want," he added.
The organisers said there will be a professional bodybuilder from South Africa who will be the guest poser at the Gaborone Classic. “We are appealing to the community to help us with sponsorship. We do this as part of nation-building. People should have a reason to go to the gym apart from looking good,” Sithole noted.
He said they are looking for around P100, 000 for cash prizes. Additionally, they want to do two more shows this year in Francistown and Maun. Sithole said the number of women participating in bodybuilding is promising compared to the first show they held in 2005. “We only had one woman in 2005 but the last show we did in 2019 it was 17 and it was really, really coming up. We expect it to be better this time,” Sithole said. Sithole's fellow organiser, Maurice Mahlangu emphasised the need to sensitise the young ones on the importance of bodybuilding.
