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Brandon Moyo, Sports Reporter

ZIMBABWE female bodybuilder, Nomathamsanqa Phiri got the year off to a brilliant start after she won the International Fitness and Body Building Federation (IFBB) West Africa Bikini Championship that was held in Accra, Ghana on Saturday.

The Zimbabwean international, who is still in the West African nation, was competing in her first event of the year and took the stage alone after the other competitors could not attend due to various reasons.

Two other competitors failed to attend the championship while the other athlete from the host nation fell sick.

“This for me was career and life changing event as I represented my country and other females that are brave to step on stage in Zimbabwe. I have a motto that I must look better than my previous physique and I am glad to say my physique this time around has improved and as we say it with my fellow athletes, it was insane,” said Phiri

The win was not something new for the 28-year-old Phiri who was named the most outstanding female athlete last year. In the previous year during the Harare Classic, she was again the winner and she came third in the Novice Zimbabwe and Iron Man championships.

Getting the chance to mix with different nationals was equally important as winning the title for Phiri.

Nomathansanqa Phiri

“Networking and meeting athletes from other countries was a big one too because good sportsmanship is the first step to being respected in your sport then titles come after,” she said.

Her coach, Tafara Taruona said competing in the annual West African championship was a great achievement and winning was a great honour.

Phiri is set to compete on the biggest bodybuilding stage on the continent, the Arnold Classic in South Africa to be held from May 19 to 21 at Ruimsig Stadium in Roodepoort.

She booked her ticket to this year’s Arnold Classic after she won the nationals in November last year.
Phiri and her coach said they are looking forward to competing at the highest level. — @brandon_malvin