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Mehluli Sibanda , Senior Sports Reporter
NOT being able to defend the category she has won over the past two years at the Zimbabwe National Bodybuilding Championships held in Harare last Saturday did not deter Shantel Greenland with the Bulawayo-based athlete picking up yet another accolade in a different classification.
Greenland competed in two categories at the national event, the first being a title defence of the beach bikini which she has won for two years in a row. Things did not go her way when she finished third. She explained that judges felt that her body had become too defined for beach bikini, so she decided to also enter bikini fitness.
“I was too defined for beach bikini and suitable for bikini fitness. I’ve become too hard for beach bikini so I was marked down,’’ she said.
After finishing third in the beach bikini, the 32-year-old took part in the bikini fitness where she came out best. She was delighted to land the bikini fitness at the first time of trying.
“I felt so awesome, it’s my first time in that category which is more challenging and I’ve taken the title so I am really overwhelmed,’’ Greenland.
The Body Works Gym athlete said she had a feeling that she had been marked down by the judges in the beach bikini but she knew she had also entered another category so she knew that her chances of walking away with a top prize were not yet over.
In terms of training, she feels that it was slightly different as compared to previous competitions and her body responded well.
Last Saturday’s show was a good outing for Bulawayo female athletes at the national competition with Charity Juma winning the women’s physique and Mitchell Matsito was crowned the women body fitness champion.
Marko Mwale of Dynamics Gym defended his title in the men’s wheelchair category where Mugoni Chikove who trains at Body Works Gym was third.
South Africa-based Ndumiso Dlodlo, who grew up in Bulawayo was once again adjudged as the best overall men’s champion for the second year in a row.
Online Reporter