Issa flexes way to top in Eldoret
Rashid Issa celebrates with the title after winning the Mr. and Miss East Africa Natural Body Building Contest at Rupa ground in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County on October 08, 2022.
What you need to know:
- In the men’s physique category, Joseph Wesonga won by beating Bryton Okoth and Rashid Abdalla to the top podium place.
- In the women’s category - contested across the Wellness, Figure and Bikini categories - Caren Mulyanga was top in the Figure category beating Tanzania’ Loveness Stanley Tarimu while Zulaika Najuma settled for third place.
Eldoret has always been identified with distance running, but there’s a different sport that’s fast taking shape in the “City of Champions.”
Bodybuilding is the new craze in town and the sport is quickly making the Uasin Gishu County capital the place to be for “musclemen” and “musclewomen.”
Like two-time Mr Nairobi champion Rashid Issa, who was on Saturday night crowned champion of the first edition of Mr and Miss East Africa Natural Body Building Championships, at Eldoret’s Rupas Fitness and Wellness Centre in the heart of Eldoret.
Over 130 competitors from East Africa converged on the centre to compete for the top honours, including the Sh300,000 top prize.
Issa, a gym manager at Fitness Empire in Eastleigh, Nairobi, scored top points in a tight contest that saw judges scratch their heads to decide the winner.
As the crowd cheered for their favourites, Issa flexed his muscles to narrowly beat his competitors that the judges had narrowed down to six in the overall category.
Rashid Issa (centre) is awarded by Gidraf Gakuru after he emerged the overall winner in the Mr. and Miss East Africa Natural Body Building Contest at Rupa ground in Eldoret on October 08, 2022.
He managed to beat Jotham Elahatia to second position with the Eldoret-based Dennis Litali settling for third place.
Stephen Adika, Brandon Abedi and Assam Kiseka were in the fourth, fifth and sixth positions respectively.
The soft-spoken gym manager said he was happy his training ahead of the event had paid off and his target was to win the overall title as he focuses on other international events in the near future.
“I must admit that the contest was tight and I came prepared because I wanted to win, and I’m proud because I’m going home with a trophy and some other goodies.
Female contestants flex during the Figure Category of the Mr. and Miss East Africa Natural Body Building Contest at Rupa’s Fun and Fitness Centre ground in Eldoret town, Uasin Gishu County on October 08, 2022.
“I prepared well for this event and I will be focusing in other international events,” said Issa.
In the men’s physique category, Joseph Wesonga won by beating Bryton Okoth and Rashid Abdalla to the top podium place.
In the women’s category - contested across the Wellness, Figure and Bikini categories - Caren Mulyanga was top in the Figure category beating Tanzania’ Loveness Stanley Tarimu while Zulaika Najuma settled for third place.
In the Wellness category, Mulyanga bagged the title beating Esther Mwando to second place while Priscilla Ibalai won in the Bikini category with Lucy Ndirangu coming in second.
From left: Obadiah Okwam, Rashid Issa and Noah Omolo during the Mr. and Miss East Africa Natural Body Building Contest (Heavy Weight Category) at Rupa’z Fun and Fitness Centre ground in Eldoret town, Uasin Gishu County, on October 08, 2022.
According to the competition’s chief judge, Great Britain’s Robert Phill – a fitness coach and former International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB) professional – there’s “good potential” in Kenyan athletes.
But he hastened to add that contestants need to understand international rules so that they compete better on the world stage.
“Kenya’s got talent in bodybuilding and I’m proud to have witnessed myself during the competition.
“To be the best in the world in physique you need to pose more and that applies to wellness and physique and I have to challenge coaches to work on this,” said Phill.
Jidraph Gakuru, the Rupas Fitness and Wellness Centre gym manager, who is also a member of the weekend’s championships’ organizing committee, the inaugural competition was successful and the next target is to hold it annually as one way of encouraging youths to venture into the sport.
“We started our campaign early enough and we went round the country sensitising the public and having seminars about natural bodybuilding.
“We are glad that the event went on well and we shall be holding it annually," said Gakuru.
