Singapore seizes the gold: awe-inspiring muscle

Flex, Oct, 2004 by Dean Brierly

* Singapore finished true to forecast by winning three gold medals at the South-East Asian Bodybuilding Championships in Bali on June 21. The country also clinched the team championship despite stiff opposition from Vietnam and Myanmar. Taking part in the SEA Championships (which are always held during a non-SEA Games year) were athletes from host country Indonesia, plus Malaysia, Vietnam, Myanmar, Thailand, Philippines and Singapore.

Hanafi Bin Sulaiman was the first to raise the Singapore flag when he grabbed the 65-kg bantamweight gold. His triumph was all the more remarkable since he was making his international debut in Bali. Nguyen Hai Au of Vietnam took the silver and Thailand's Kongithid Hanchayuttakom earned the bronze in the bantam class.

Alan Ng collected Singapore's second gold in the 80-kg light-middleweight category. He crowned his glory by bagging the "Most Improved Bodybuilder of the SEA Region" award. Vietnam finished second and third in this class, with Nguyen Van Tuan taking the silver and Tran Dinh Chung the bronze.

Former world champion Azman Bin Abdullah put the icing on the Singapore cake by muscling aside Chu Bang Vu of Vietnam for the gold in the 90-kg light-heavyweight class. Chu took the silver and Indiana of Indonesia earned the bronze. It was the perfect birthday present for the ex-Sportsman of the Year, who turned 41 on June 17. Abdullah, who won the world title in 1993 in Korea, has been fighting a tough battle to regain his form ever since resuming bodybuilding last year. His Bali success is a triumphant return to his winning form and augurs well for next year's SEA Games in Manila.

Credit for Singapore's fine showing (the team also returned home with three silvers and two bronzes) must go to Assistant National Coach Techna Miti s/o Nadeson, a former bodybuilder who had been tirelessly overseeing the technical and physical tune-up for the athletes in the past few months.

--Bernard Pereira

A Family Affair

* IFBB President Ben Weider is a big believer in family, so whenever he finds himself in Madrid, Spain, he spends several days with the family of his friend and colleague Rafael Santonja. Weider is pictured here with Santonja's son, Rafael Jr. (left), who is interested in archeology, history, bodybuilding and the IFBB, with which he hopes someday to become involved. In the center is Santonja's father, Manuel, a retired doctor who is still active in the community. The Santonja family's proud tradition of public service continues to inspire Weider's efforts to improve the lives of people everywhere through the health and fitness benefits of bodybuilding.

Official of the Month

Name Erich Janner

Title General Secretary, German Bodybuilding Federation

Bodybuilding Timeline

* 1960 Begins weight training with Albert Busek

* 1963 Wins first competition, the Mr. Munich Jr.; finalist in the tall class of Mr. Germany

* 1966 With Arnold Schwarzenegger and Albert Busek, among others, founds German Bodybuilding Federation (GBBF)

* 1966-67 Trains with Arnold Schwarzenegger

* 1967 Race car accident precludes further hardcore training

* 1968 Applies as a judge for the Mr. Germany competition

* 1979-present Executive member of the GBBF

* 1980 Named best judge by his mentor, Oscar State; wins IFBB Certificate of Merit

* 1982-present Chief bodybuilding judge in Germany

* 1983 Serves as first judge at Mr. Olympia in Munich

* 1984 Named best judge at European Championships and Mr. Universe contest

* 1989 Wins IFBB Silver Medal

* 1991 Wins IFBB Gold Medal

* 1992-present General Secretary of GBBF

* 1994 Wins Oscar State Memorial Award

On the Run with Rafael

* In his role as IFBB executive assistant, Rafael Santonja continues to circle the globe to develop new relationships and strengthen existing friendships with leading officials of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Recently, he took part in a meeting in South America with IOC President Jacques Rogge, who congratulated Santonja for his efforts on behalf of bodybuilding and his dedication to combating drugs in sport. Bearing witness to this important occasion were (second from left) Mario Vazquez Rana, a member of the IOC Executive Board, and Julio Maglione, president of the Uruguay Olympic Committee and an important official of the Pan American Games.

REMEMBERING

* Egypt is one of the strongest bodybuilding countries in the world today, with gyms and clubs in every city turning out championship competitors in ever-increasing numbers. Much credit for this happy state of affairs must go to Adel Fahim El Sayed (pictured at right), president of the Egyptian Bodybuilding Federation as well as a top official of the Arab Bodybuilding Federation. Kudos must also go to Aly El Din Helal, Egypt's Minister of Youth, for his efforts to promote the sport among the young people of his country. In recognition of his efforts, Ben Weider and Rafael Santonja made a special visit to Cairo in 1996 to present Helal with the IFBB's Distinguished Service Award.