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Lovemore Munyamana

Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
THE Bulawayo bodybuilding team left for Harare yesterday to compete at the Mr and Ms Zimbabwe show at 7 Arts Theatre tomorrow.

All 13 competitors, nine men and four women are from Body Works Gym, whose United Kingdom-based owner Nathan Greenland accompanied them to the national event. Lovemore Munyamana, Thembinkosi Lunga, Zibusiso Khumalo, Blessing Timburwa, Pardon Dube, Durrell Hamilton, Marvelous Ganda, Gabriel Gwapedza and Mugoni Chikove form the male contingent.

The females comprise Shantel Greenland, Eulene Ndlovu, Mitchell Matsito as well as Selina Manuel.

The athletes, under the guidance of seasoned trainer Simon Gama, were upbeat ahead of their departure, with hopes of hauling a number of medals from Harare.

Last year, the Bulawayo bodybuilders put up a splendid show at the national competition. Shantel Greenland won Ms Zimbabwe beach bikini, Khumalo was the best male Under-20, Manuel walked away with the girls’ fitness title and Munyamana walked away with bronze in the male Under-75kgs.

Besides Shantel Greenland, Munyamana, Khumalo and Manuel, other Bulawayo athletes with high chances of bringing home medals are Dube and Lunga.

Dube, a runner-up in the 2016 Mr Ironman Zimbabwe in the men’s physique category, missed Mr Zimbabwe last year due to injury, while Lunga tremendously improved from a fifth place finish in the Body Works Classics last year to be runner-up at last Saturday’s Mr Bulawayo.

Support for the Bulawayo team came from Nathan Greenland, who is paying for accommodation in Harare, while Admire Gomera provided fuel for the trip. Prince Chimukuku of Prigar Marketing provided T-shirts and caps, Last Mazorera chipped in with cash and Bhekani Mlilo, owner of Veezed Tyres and Alignment Centre, assisted with transport. — @Mdawini_29