HEART BEAT OF BODY BUILDING SOUTH AFRICA

I know it has been a while since my last blog, but we have been busy with the intermediate and sanctioned shows, so the last 7 weeks I have been traveling and attending all the shows, this in its own is tiring but always I leave a show with something. Been in this industry for so many years I sometimes find myself getting out of my office in the gym, and leave all the administration and paper work behind, and just take the time to walk through the training area, sit quietly and observe the members training, reminding myself why I had started this gym so many years beck, and why I love this industry so much. It is about the people, the heart beat of this industry, peoples commitment and dedication, peoples over coming the the impossible and achieving their goals, and most of all been part of, and helping create the opportunity for people to achieve this.

A few weekends back I was at a show in Rustenburg, and walking backstage I saw an athlete laying on a blanket with his wife and their 9 month old baby, just laying on the blanket waiting for his turn to have his moment on stage, but also enjoying the family time together. When we talk body building as a sport many time s I hear the words individuals, self centered , all about self. This is true, because the sport takes up allot of time, in the gym, preparing food, but still if it is not for family and the support structure around an athlete, that moment on stage fighting for the title, is not always possible. Unfortunately I have seen many families broken up because of this, but then again I have seen families just grow stronger, for their support for each other.

Last weekend we attended one of our sanctioned shows breaking all records in athlete attendance and also in spectator support. On stage I said that the success of this show was for body building in South Africa as a whole, and a true reflection of the promoters and the team that has established such a confidence with the athletes, that the show just gets bigger and better.

Now again I remind myself why I accepted the position as National Executive Marketing for Body Building South Africa, as there is to be a better understanding of the beautiful sport of ours,and seeing the thousands attending the show the past weekend, people laughing, and enjoying, supporting the hard work and dedication on stage! But the high light for me here, again is been part of a team that makes and creates the opportunity for others, for our athletes to have a stage to compete on, this is the ultimate.

When i started with the marketing 

process, I structured a marketing plan, and established the H.O.P.E SQUAD, being Help, Opportunity, Prepare, Educate. Firstly I selected individuals as to become the voice of body building South Africa, but soon it became clear to me that the heart beat of South African body building does not lie the the individual, but in the team of people that are out there, making a difference, and creating opportunity, helping individuals to overcome the temptation to break diet, and stay focused to get on stage. With the success of the last few shows, and the attention that we are getting from media, and support from people who otherwise would not even show interest in the body building sport, The H.O.P.E SQUAD vision is very much alive, and your question be who is H.O.P.E SQUAD, you are! If you got a passion for this beautiful sport and industry, if you get up every day and want to be part of a positive change, if you are committed, dedicated to your training . Then you are the H.O.P.E SQUAD vision, when you talk to family, friends and strangers, telling about our sport of body building and fitness, you are sharing in the H.O.P.E SQUAD vision. Remember we take every opportunity to help and educate people about our beautiful sport

No matter if you big or small, what gym you train at, who your trainer is, what supplements you take or even what secret program you follow, we all share one thing, and that is the heart, the passion we all share for what we do, a need to strive for something better. As a family we unite, be part of the team that will speak positive and make a difference, by this we will make body building and fitness, bigger and better for all. Body Building and Fitness Rocks! BBFR

BIGGEST EVENT TO SHOWCASE BODY BUILDING ON STAGE THIS YEAR!

MY BODY THE CANVAS!

Brought to you by: Gentle Giant Promotions.

Producers: Wayne Price and Steff Botha

As a result of years in this beautiful industry, and the love that I have for this sport of body building and fitness, we have now another first to hit the stages of South Africa. “My Body the Canvas” is not another body building competition, but with the partnership of the top experts in their field, South Africa will see its first spectacular stage production, where the body building and fitness athlete, will get the opportunity to showcase  the world the beauty and the artistic  physique achieved through hours of hard work and commitment. As much as so many appreciate the magnificent and chiseled physique of an athlete on the competition stage we now present that physique in combination with top artist, musicians and dancers in choreographed dance and music routines. This will be entertainment for all, and a must to see. We have taken hands with the artistic and dance world, where we have partnered with the top choreographers and musical directors in this country, who in their own right have earned this accreditation through their excellence in their field. The presentation of the body building and fitness athlete in this genre, is something that has always been close to my heart, as looking at the accomplished physique of our athletes, you see the artistic beauty as the body presents the canvas on which the artist expresses himself. This production is going to surpass anyone’s expectations, because we will with the choreography, dance, live bands, pyrotechnics and lighting enhance this artistic beauty of the body, and bring painted canvas to life. Through the arts we will portray the story and life of the physique athlete, and show the true heart beat of the body building and fitness sport.

BODY BUILDING AND FITNESS ATHLETES DO NOT SELL YOURSELF SHORT

Whats the value for commitment, dedication and sacrifice? Well that will always be the million dollar question, how do you calculate a value to what society take for granted. The choice to live it up with late night parties, stop by any fast food drive thru! enjoy the SLICE of cheesecake that is served by a family get together!
I have never been able to understand that if you go to college or university you get a degree for your hard work, and this costs a great deal of money, but in return you get the job opportunity that pays you a great deal of money for your studies and experience, but in our industry after years of training, been trained, managing your lifestyle and all this costing you to prepare and get your body in the best shape ever, people come to you for advice, expecting it in most cases to be free, or where some companies wants to use your look and incredible physique to advertise their company or brand, and this is all for maybe a t-shirt or a hamper of product! why?
I know you can relate to the following, you get to a function be it a work related or family birthday party, and look  amazing and you eating out of your Tupperware dishes, while everybody is stuffing their faces with every sweet and salt snack on the table, then you get that " How can i get big" or " How can I lose weight quickly" or "How can i look like you" and then it is expected that you role out the magic secret in a 5 min conversation and please the last thing such person wants to hear is that they must start a training program and especially that they have to eat cleaner and give up on all the nice extras! Please athletes, do not sell yourself short as you have paid all the school fees, through your dedication and commitment.If you add up what it costs you in gym fees, food and supplementation to prepare for a show, or photo shoot  , the grooming, costumes, tan etc! Add all this up over a few years and you will come very close to what it costs annually for a diploma or degree with a academic institution. I have the greatest respect and admiration for a athlete, that has gone through it all, been able to say no to the temptations of friends who think they are helping by saying " aaaigh it won't make a difference if you just have this one" yes it would make a difference, and that is the difference between a gym member and a accomplished athlete! You are one of a kind and as an athlete what you have achieved must be respected and also appreciated, so the next time you walk through a centre and there is some overweight person pulling his face and making comments, believe me they only hell jealous that they do not have your will power and commitment! People are easy to make a cheap comment so that they themselves feel better, this is to justify the reason that they cannot bend over and tie their own shoes!
Chin up! as an athlete i am proud to know you! share your achievements with you! I still get goose bumps when I see the winner announced by a show, and I know the hard work that has gone into the preparation for such show! Then I am saddened that i see that wonderful athletes sell themselves short by selling what they have done and achieved for nothing but a product hamper or t-shirt. Sponsorship and the selling of your image and look, is about a monetary value, not getting product or working on a percentage of product that is called an arrangement, not sponsorship! If you slide  a branded shirt over your perfectly chiseled and toned physique , then make sure you get what is due to you, school fees have been paid, so now you have graduated and deserves to be treated with respect and be paid for your name and image! If a company does not recognise this then stay at home on weekends with your family, and not stand in a store promoting a brand that is paying you in product or apparel. your time is to precious for this, and the time with family is way more valuable than this. People are making money out of you, and if you allow this to happen by giving away your hard work for free then you are shooting all athletes in the foot, I am not talking about out reach programs or involving yourself with a charity, we are so blessed to be able to do what we do, that there is must to give back to those that need, but surely you will not find a doctor giving away free services and do as quick surgery on the lunch table when attending a family gathering. Do not give away our hard earned knowledge for free, general information and basic training can be searched on google, but through your hard work and experience you hold a special key, and value this, as we are but a few that hold this key of knowledge.In this sport there is small core of people that are willing to do what we do, and we always well come the new faces, but even the new faces must walk the walk and do their apprenticeship, to earn the right to wear the full colors, this is not a easy road to walk, so as an accomplished athlete remember those days when you started out, and you paid your way to get where you are today, teach the young and up coming athletes the principles of respect and gratitude,  understanding the value system, and never forget your worth when you out there!YOU ARE SPECIAL AND I AM PROUD TO KNOW YOU! Body building and fitness rocks! BBFR

OUT CRY FOR MORE IN BODY BUILDING SA

Every day i am contacted as the BBSA/IFBB Marketing Executive dealing with the public relations of the federation, with questions, comments and even sometimes attacks on what an individual thinks should be done to improve the body building sport in this country, and the running thereof! I must tell you that i do not frown upon anyone of the contacts made with this office, and I try my best in a shortest time to respond. However one thing that is very evident to me is that a great deal of people, athletes are so miss informed about certain aspects in the current environment of body building SA.

Hell i am not saying that it is perfect, but give the federations some credit for the hard work and effort that is making things happen for the sport in this country!

I know in any aspect of life we are faced with the same challenges, and that is if we keep focusing on what we do not have, we so miss out on enjoying and appreciation what we do have!

This is not to say that a person must accept that the place you find yourself is where you will be in 5 years, but sometimes we are so full critic and advice that we miss out on the moment that we are in!

I have been touched by so many people in this beautiful sport and industry, that do so much for the sport and athlete in this country, and never even gets a thank you for their effort.

And believe me i am not talking about individuals that secure big sponsors, or even the expensive trophies, all this we so appreciate, well for a short while anyway? But there is people that have got such a passion for what they do, that they just do! willing to give their time, to better the sport for you and me!

But that will not be seen or acknowledged , because people will be busy criticizing and commenting  on what they do not see, or where they feel they might have been done some injustice!

I like the following said by Hendry Ford " Don't find fault, find a remedy" as the small but growing sport we are, if we can all apply this, i know we will be a different sporting  body in years from now.

In a previous blog I spoke about the respect we should have towards one another, but with respect come gratitude for what is being done for us! lets not take things for granted, lets not make light of anyone's efforts, lets not criticize people if we do not know the whole story , take the time to find out what really is involved, and get all the facts, not to criticize, comment or give your 10 cents worth of opinion, but so that you can make the effort to thank such individual for their hard work and effort that made it possible for you to achieve what you have!

Also no matter what badge you wear, or what Federation flag you fly, the efforts of individuals within these federations, make the sport better for all of us, and believe me we will all benefit from the outcome.

On a personal note, just recent I was public ally attacked with false accusations and lies, but you see the truth is just so unbelievable that it sounds impossible that some one would spend so much of their own time and money on a sport and not expect anything in return, but that the sport and athletes in this country can grow and benefit from the efforts. Now i am but one of many, that on different levels and commitments willing to do the same, think about it, that if 10 years, no 20 years, individuals that were administrating this sport of body building in this country decided to give up, and stop putting any effort into body building shows, we will not have what we got today! we will not have a platform to build on, for the future. So lets not  forget what is important, and remember with a heart of gratitude and thanks to those who has kept this sport alive and given us so much to be thank full for. 

I know with me, there is many that want to see a better body building sport in the future, but you know that if we stand together in the passion we have for the sport, respect each others choices, and appreciate the efforts of others, this sport will only grow, and become the institution that can create opportunity and rewards for each individual involved.Body building and fitness rocks! - BBFR

"THUMBS UP" MEDIA COVERAGE FOR BODY BUILDING SOUTH AFRICA

The IFBB SA Championships was one of those events,where again IFBB made things happen, by live streaming the whole show world wide. This was my first SA Championships as the National Executive Marketing and Public Relations. A highlight of this event in Cape Town was that we live streamed the whole show world wide and the response we got back from international contacts was phenomenal. The live feed was on for a staggering 9 hours, and myself doing the commentary with a good friend and Editor-in-chief of Muscle Evolution Magazine - Andrew Carruthers we really had our work cut out for us, but we both enjoyed the action and opportunity to be there! This show was also
divided into several 5 min packages that got extensive cover on Supersport as fillers, these fillers was still seen on Supersport as late as February 2012. The coverage for this show and several of the other shows in 2011, was again an example of what IFBB intends for the development and exposure of the body building and fitness sport in South Africa. The athletes get the coverage they deserve, and the acknowledgment for their hard work and effort into getting stage ready! The sponsors of the event got far more than they bargained for as the efforts of bringing media and television to the IFBB events of 2011, was a distinct effort to show our gratitude to sponsors that have been for years part of the growth of the sport in South Africa.
But a very important mention must go to our national media sponsors that played an important role in making this possible, Ziphi Nkomo 1. Randburg Towers Hotel Group and Stellenbosch Nutrition are these sponsors that we thank for their contribution to the sport on its way forward.
I myself also invested a great deal of my personal money into the marketing and Media of body building, not for a return of exposure as I never linked it to any product or brand that I am personally  involved with, but I did this for the passion of the sport, for the acknowledgement to the athletes, the respect I have for all involved with this industry. This is such a beautiful industry to be part of, and even though as in any family there is hick ups and differences, the passion does not go away. We also want to make mention of our media alliances with Timeslive, Soweteanlive, Suprtsport Blitz, Sportscentral and many of the national printed media and radio stations. We have already given exposure to several of our Novice 2012 shows, and wehave great  media  packages for the rest of the 2012 season! Body Building and Fitness Rocks - BBFR

IFBB MUSCLE EVOLUTION GRAND PRIX 2011

The end to an incredible South African body building season is the IFBB Muscle Evolution Grand Prix, because this event is held later in the year , just after the SA Nationals, you get the best of the best on stage! The standard of the athletes competing was amazing, as for some of these athletes this was just a stepping stone to the International World Championships. Four teams has been selected and they will be leaving in the next few weeks to the different countries to represent South Africa wearing their official Protea Colours!

RESPECT VERSES POLITICS IN BODY BUILDING

I am still surprised to see how often  “the shout of politics in body building " is used to stir up emotions, especially by people who have their own agenda as to what they want, from such reaction. Come on lets face it, have you ever seen the Presidents of the different federations slinging mud at each other, or insults, or accusations, no maybe because there is a communication between them and a mutual respect for the future of body building in South Africa.

You have people making accusation of unfairness, because athletes cannot compete where they want to, as they have worked so hard to prepare and want to compete in a full season, I absolutely agree with this, athletes should be able to compete and get as much experience as possible,federations respect your choice to compete where you feel fit, but then surely cannot expect the federation to back them up 100% when it comes down to structural and financial support! 

Let me elaborate on this, in the corporate world if I work for BMW i cannot do work for Mercedes on the weekends, especially if BMW, through their effort, time and resources is making it possible for me to become a Top Executive in BMW. So why is it difficult for certain parties to understand that if IFBB through many years of existing, have created the opportunity, events and  support structures to help a novice athlete today, to become an Olympian athlete or IFBB Pro athlete tomorrow! This is called loyalty and if you want the federation to support you with their time, effort and resources to help you achieve this goal, then you commit to your federation! 

On another point as to many times discussed as to having one federation, and I know so many are so sensitive about this matter, lets investigate this, in the motor trade there is a governing body over the motor trade but you have many different brands with in that trade, reason because everyone of the brands offer some different, makes them unique, I like Toyota, you like Ford.

Every one of the federations that make part of the body building in South Africa has a long standing history, and each is unique in their own right, and offers something different, but again coming back to my previous point when you want to grow within a certain federation you must commit to wearing the badge and the colors. Lets learn from the gangland or bikers, you wear your colors with pride, you commit to the rules and discipline of such a group, and you do not dishonor that badge or colors! And have respect for one another!

This is a choice you have, you either compete with all the federations, and get all the experience you feel you need, but some time you are going to have to decide and commit to a badge and colors, because you know that the federation that you choose has the ability, structures and credibility to help you achieve your personnel goals, and then not get involved with the mud slinging politics as in previous mention, BMW as a brand will always show the necessary respect to other brands!  This situation in body building South Africa in my opinion is not about who’s  right, who’s wrong,  but it is about the respect we show each other, as athletes, as federations, the respect for people to have choices, and not breakdown others to build themselves up! If you got nothing good to say, rather just keep quiet, if you feel that there is a problem, don’t just talk, actively get involved and help solve the problem, it is very easy to criticize from the couch! Body building and fitness Rocks!

BODY BUILDING IS THE ULTIMATE CHALLANGE

To change the future we have to make a difference today! for people to better understand the sport of Body building and fitness, we got to change their perception. For them to understand that this sport is not just about pumping muscle and the use of illegal drugs, this is so sad as it takes away from the hard work and effort of so many athletes, world wide, and surely these athletes do not get the respect they deserve. I do not want to linger on the point of illegal substances, but lets face it, if it was that easy we will see far more muscular and toned bodies, than we will see fat people!
I have been fortunate to travel extensively with my sport as a strength athlete and a physique athlete, and one characteristic that I encounter all over the world, is the passion that all athletes share, no matter what language you speak, the reality of the constant smell of fish in the kitchen stays the same no matter what continent you on.
The commitment, dedication and sacrifice is three words that i often use describing an athlete, that knows what it is like to say no to things that others take for granted, having a quick take away meal, joining friends for all night party or even that choc nut cookie offered by the restaurant in the side plate of the coffee.


Athletes that get themselves into stage ready condition, knows what it takes and believe me it is not easy, and to live and share a house with such athlete, is even more of a challenge, especially the last few days before a show, with the mood  irritation of cutting carbohydrates and water, the brown stains on the toilet seat because of the pro tan and then the ultimate is the smell of fish hanging in the kitchen. So with this said, family, loved ones and partners we say thank you for your patience and sacrifices that you also have to bear with.
You will clearly identify a athlete when you see them visiting family and friends with their tog bag filled with plastic tupperware containing accurately weigh food portions, this a daunting task of standing every evening preparing the food dishes for the next day!
It takes a very special type of person to go through all of this, and then again and then again,and again to achieve their goal weight and stage ready physique. As body building and fitness athletes we work as hard and even harder than some of the other sporting codes, and many times their achievements is brushed aside and not realizing the hard work and effort that has gone into achieving that title.
I realize that not everyone wants to look like a bulked up body builder or not all ladies want to be as hard, toned and muscular, but then again I do not want a tattoo on my body, but I sure do appreciate a beautiful tattoo on another body, because i do respect that we do not all have the same interests and we all make different choices. We just use the body as a different canvas, because our result of hard work and commitment can be seen as we carry our work with us!.
But society would rather make remarks if a muscular athlete, walking through a shopping center, but a fat person will get a sympathetic word. This is incredibly hard work that takes allot of time and dedication and the reason why I am so passionate about the sport, as only if you been through the process of preparing for contest you will understand the emotions and feelings that you experience as an athlete.
I have not been given the choice ,as due to a injury i an not able to compete anymore, but this will not stop me from making a difference in some other athletes life.I just wish that sometimes I had more financials  means to make even a bigger difference immediately, but then I will make a difference one step at a time.
After weeks of sacrifices and commitment to training and eating and preparing for but one moment you get on stage,  just do yourself a favor and see an athlete that has just come off stage and experience this moment with them, they got a inner glow of accomplishment, the high is indescribable this is what body building and fitness is all about! And if people can see and appreciate this, the athletes will get the respect they deserve.
I am proud to be part of this industry and fitness family, and I have the greatest respect for all athletes that have conquered the stage!

Toney Freeman 'ON THE COUCH" with Wayne Price

After a incredible visit to Robin Island, I had the opportunity to meet up with IFBB Pro Toney Freeman. A true ambassador for the sport! It was great to see the positive response that he got from young and old! You will even see in the interview that his calmness and positive attitude just brings out the best in people around him! I met up with Toney at the Arnold Classic 2012, a few months back, and he still cannot stop talking about his visit to our beautiful country. I think a great big thank you, must go to Stellenbosch Nutrition who made it possible for this remarkable athlete to visit South Africa

BBSA/IFBB Free State Novice show 2012

 The BBSA Free State Novice Championship was hosted in the Bloemfontein City Hall on Saturday 14 April 2012. The event proved to be a success with 105 entries received and saw the best Free State novice athletes in action. The high standards and quality of athletes could not be questioned.

The show kicked of on a high note with the Ladies Beach Bikini division producing beautifully toned physiques, showing what a bikini girl should look like. The ladies were focused and posed in perfect style. The winner's trophy was awarded to Chantel leRoux who won over the judges with her confident stage presence, and of course her impressive physique. Velasca van der Mescht were short on her heels, securing second place with Minette van der Merwe coming in at third place.

The more muscular female physiques in the Bikini Fitness division took to the stage where Amica Bucadonna definitely stood out above her fellow competitors and was rewarded with the winning title. Lourete Louw also impressed judges and spectators alike, walking away as runner up. Both, the youngsters and the 'older generation'  were represented- The Juniors U/23 brought excellent stage presence as novices, proving that the quality of athletes entering each year is improving. Winner, HW Stapelberg,managed to attract attention right from the get-go, competing against Lebohang August,who placed second and Botha van Rensburg securing the top three.

The Masters Over 40 division saw some solid competition with Trewees Williams goingup against and beating Gert Lekoala, who placed second. Albert Matthyzer walked away with third place in this category.

 

The Classic Body Building division brought familiar faces to the stage again, whereTrewees Williams once again took the title, followed by U/23 champ, HW Stapelberg who secured second place. Next up was the Senior Men under 70kg. With great support from the crowd, Itumeleng Khoabane set the bar in this division taking home the winning trophy. Athletes Ernest Lepitla and Maloko Nthonyana got second and third places respectively. Senior Men under 80kg was won by Machake Machake and the  Men under 90kg category saw Regardt van Vuuren walking away the winner. TheSenior over 90kg division presented tough decision for judges and in the end, Gys Briedenhann enjoyed the victory.

Overall champ came as no surprise as Itumeleng Khoabane dominated the stage once more. With strong support from the audience, Itumeleng show cased definition and proportion that stood out above the rest. The show was a definite success and it generated a positive out look on the development of this sport in  South Africa.

BBSA/IFBB North West Novice Show 2012

Nervous, yet excited, the North West Novice athletes gathered at the Hellenic Hall inRustenburg to showcase their fit and  trained physiques for the Novice Championshipsthis past weekend. The event generated much exitement and positive energy among athletes, officials and spectators alike. The Provincials marked a very importantoccasion for Michael Mitchell, who enjoyed his first event as acting Chairman of IFBBNorth West.

The afternoon started with the Mens Juniors under 18 division where Tiaan Smith, Jacovan Biljon and Melson Modise competed for the division title. Taking the stage for thefirst time, these athletes delivered their best to an  encouraging crowd cheering them on.Jaco, a mentally-challenged athlete competed with some guidance from officials-showing once again the positive attitude of IFBB SA in assisting challenged athletes.Lucky for Jaco, his rolemodel, Marius Dohne, performed as guest-poser for the event,entertaining the crowd with his dynamic on stage presence. A Definite highlight andfirm favourite of the evening was the striking beauties competing in the Ladies divisions.The first line up was that of the Fitness Bikini athletes, giving nothing short of a stellarperformance for the panel of  judges. Each turn and pose was carried out with precision,giving optimal presentation of their hard work and dedication. Catha Beukes took thetitle followed by Joyce du Plessis coming in second. The Mens divisions producedimpressive talent overall with Melson Modise taking the Junior Under 18 title,  ReboaneDioka stood out in his Under 23 under 75kg line-up and Karel Blom walked away as theLightweight under 70kg winner. Solomon Tladi and Hannes Jansen van Vuuren took thetitles in the Light Middleweight 80kg and Heavyweight 90+ kg divisions respectively.

The second half of the evening kicked of with an impressive line up of the Beach Bikinidivision, grabbing the full attention of the crowd. Toned and tanned physiques werepresented to the judges in unfaltering style. It was a tough decision for the judges and inthe end it was Alex van der Westhuizen who won them over. Angelique de Vrye tookthe Ladies Classic trophy, ending of the Ladies divisions on a high note.

When time came for the respective winners to get on stage for the  announcement of theoverall champ, the athletes presented their best with energetic routines that gotspectators enthusiastically applauding them. Contributing to the exhilarating atmosphere,Aneurin Wentzel was annouced as overall winner adding to his under 23 over 75kg winearlier in the evening. The 22 year old described the win as 'amazing' and 'an absoluteconfidence booster'. Winning Overall Champ was a huge bonus to add to thecompetition being a first-time competitor.

Chairman, Michael, gave his account of the event-  "the North West Novicechampionship proved that less is more with a smaller set up and venue, proving to beexplosively succesful". He also added that Novices are creating a firm foundation forfuture Proteas.

Gloria Mashigo, who was a judge at the event says she is very excited for the NorthGauteng Novice Champs next week in Pretoria as the event will be her 1st as Chairladyof IFBB Gauteng North. "I didn't expect to be appointed as chairperson, it came as asurprise, but I welcome it and look forward to the chairmanship term."

BBSA/IFBB Gauteng North Novice Show 2012

 Built in Classical Italian style, surrounded by landscaped gardens and walkways, thePretoria City Hall is where the annual North Gauteng Novice Championship was hosted.The spacious hall started to fill up at 15h30, people of all ages came to give their support to the novice athletes and by 17h00 the crowd was bustling with excitement forthe show to start. Gloria Mashigo, Chairlady of IFBB Gauteng North opened the show with a warm welcome to audience members, officials,VIP's and athletes.

The first line-up to come on stage was the Juniors U/18 where Naude Peens and LukeWare were up against each other. As first comers to the bodybuilding stage, theycertainly didn't disappoint. Luke Ware came in second to Naude Peens who took the title. The U/23 under 75kg division was up next with a strong impressive line-up ofathletes. Although all individuals showed promising results, it was Jason du Preez whowalked away as the winner of this category. Pieter Naude secured second place and Makweya Sepota came in third.

All eyes were glued to the stage when the 1st ladies division was announced. The LadiesBody Fitness line-up  brought the more muscular female physiques to stage. These ladies presented postures and poses in an elegant style, making the high level ofcompetition evident. It was a tough decision to make and the panel of judges finally awarded second place to Sandra Joubert and the winning title to Bronwyn PeytonRichardson.

Returning to the Mens divisions- the U/23 over 75kg category provided the audience with some great entertainment. Athletes presented energetic, lively routines that kept theaudience engaged. Kirk Wentworth took to the stage with confidence, mixing a fewdance moves in between his poses. Aneurin Wentzel proved to be strong competitiongiving an equally impressive performance but Kirk ultimately took home the winners trophy.

An important highlight of the evening was when IFBB executive officials wererewarded with badges/ribbons to acknowledge their positions within the federation.Among them were Chisto van Wyk, James Moorcroft and Roelf Faurie. Michelle Priceand Nina Richter were also rewarded for their participation in the Arnold Classic in2011, especially Nina, for taking the title as overall winner. Both ladies were praised forrepresenting South Africa, and for being proud ambassadors for our country.Announced as a 'treat' for the evening, the Fitness Bikini lineup was just that. Bronzedbeauties strutted their stuff for the judges while getting positive response from thespectators. Claudia Morris impressed with her perfectly toned physique, securing her infirst place. Laetitia Ryker placed second with Hester Conradi rounding up the top 3.

After the break the audience waited in anticipation for the beach bikini girls to grace thestage. The very competitive Beach Bikini lineupshowed that all that glitters IS gold in this 

The un sung heros of body building South Africa.

This is the first of many blogs where i will share my love for this industry of body building and fitness. I have been fortunate to be part of the health industry for the past 25 years of which we have owned a gym for 21 of those years. Been blessed to be part of many clients success stories! As an athlete i have travelled the world, doing what I love most and that is taking on the physical challenges of strength and the presentation of a lean physique on stage.
After a injury that stopped me from competing again I have now opportunity to experience the others side of the coin, and as an national administrator of this sport I have travelled to most of the national and international shows the past two years! As I have always said, the respect I have for the athletes for their hard work, commitment and dedication brings goose bumps to me! But another aspect that i know is totally overlooked is the hard work and commitment of the unselfish people who have committed themselves to creating this opportunity for so many athletes. Yes i am referring to the faceless members of committees that give up a great deal of their time, effort and believe me, their own personal money to make these events a reality.
You know that if it wasn't for their commitment, attending numerous meeting, helping organise sponsors, venue , catering, trophies........ and the list goes on, as athletes we will not have the opportunity to add on our CV - IFBB SA National Champion. We forget that after the show when we are celebrating our well deserved win, another title added onto your athletes profile, there are people packing away chairs, cleaning the venue, and already starting to prepare for the next show! Please do not believe all the false rumours you hear, as that they earn any type of income from the body building coffers, all this time and effort is funded from their own pockets, door money, sponsors money is all used for the show, and the development for our athletes, not for personal gain! Maybe this be a topic for a future blog, but there is a great deal of mis understanding of the difference between a body building federation and a show promoter. Believe me the on the day the show  looks the same, but when it comes to the management of the finances it is a total different picture. I would like in closing to personally thank all BBSA/IFBB committee members that so unselfishly give so much to the creation and development of this sport in South Africa, Thank you! you are the heart beat of creating the show that so many gain from, creating a platform where so many make money from, and create the opportunity where so many dreams and memories are captured on camera. I have always said that we as athletes do not compete for millions of rands, but weeks of commitment, dedication and sacrifice is for but a moment onstage where we can show our hard work as we are the canvas, where the guidance of a mentor, and the love and support of our families can be seen. To the unsung heroes of body building in South Africa - Thank You I salute you!