Nigerian wins Dh110,000 in Dubai bodybuilding championship

The second edition of the Benos Classic Bodybuilding and Allied Sports Championship concluded on Sunday evening at the Dubai Trade Center, with the crowning of the first place winners and the distribution of cash prizes amounting to 1.2 million dirhams.

The winners were crowned by Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad bin Saif Al Sharqi, Chairman of the UAE Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation, Ali Omar, Director of Sports Events Department at the Dubai Sports Council, and Anis Benous, Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the Championship, in the presence of the President of the International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness, Dr. Rafael Santoga, and a number of sports leaders.

The Champion of Champions Cup was won by four players: Emirati Ali Dhawi in the Physique category, Omani Zaim Al Fazari in Classic Bodybuilding, and Sajad Haidari (International Federation Team) in Classic Physique. The Champion of Champions Cup for Bodybuilding went to Nigerian David Bodibe, who received a cash prize of 110,000 dirhams. The tournament witnessed the excellence of players from the UAE, including citizens and residents, as well as Egypt, Oman and Syria, and a group of players who competed on behalf of the International Federation of Bodybuilding.

Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad bin Saif Al Sharqi described the success achieved by the championship as great and distinctive, and that it achieved great gains in various technical and administrative aspects, and that it achieved a great addition to Emirati bodybuilding.

In turn, the head of the organizing committee, Anis Binous, expressed his happiness with the technical and organizational success achieved by the tournament, and the overwhelming happiness experienced by the tournament family, including players, coaches, audiences, and companies that presented their shows. He said: “We in the organizing committee were happy to see that the main goal of organizing the tournament was achieved in this prominent sports festival.”

He added: “We are pleased that this championship has become a landmark among international championships organized in the UAE in particular, and the world in general, despite it being the second edition.”

The competitions were attended by the technical director of the UAE national bodybuilding team, Zuwaid Salmeen Al Zaabi, who confirmed that the championship witnessed the participation of national and resident players who succeeded in presenting distinguished physical levels that promise a bright future. They will be on the federation’s radar to be included in the team in upcoming championships.

Among the most prominent results, the Emirati player Abdullah Rustum won the silver medal in the 90 kg weight category, succeeding the player Ilya Ashtiani (International Federation) and won the gold medal. The resident Abakuri won the gold medal in the 80 kg weight category, and the Syrian Ibrahim Shourai came in second. The Egyptians Hassan Mohammed Alwan and Alaa Abdel Khaleq won the gold and silver medals, respectively, in the 75 kg weight category. The UAE residents Fayrouz Atta and Ronjit Chandra won the gold and silver medals in the 65 kg weight category, respectively.