Hard work pays off for hulk Hungwe

lifting the Mr Pro-Fitness crown at the Celebration Centre on Saturday night.
The hulk from Pro-Fitness caused an upset when he stunned an impressive field of local and Botswana-based athletes to claim the US$1 000 on offer, a trophy and a hamper.
Hungwe first won from the tightly-contested light-heavyweight and heavyweight category where he upstaged some of the household names in the domestic bodybuilding circles before edging out Mr Iron Man, Victor Kandiyero, who had came through from the middleweight division and Tapiwa Chibata, the winner from the lightweight section.
The inaugural Ms Pro-Fitness title went to the reigning Ms Iron Man, Christine Matange, who beat former Ms Zimbabwe Pearl Thompson into second place while Tara Anderson came third with the diminutive Precious Mutuna coming fourth.
Edward Mailson from Botswana was crowned the junior Mr Pro-Fitness and dazzled the audience with his rhumba jives while Whisper Musondera came second with Noah Dzokora claiming third place.
Nyasha Chiundiza was placed fourth in the juniors with Nigel Maposa taking position five and Washington Lunga was sixth for the athletes Under-21 years.
But it was Hungwe who emerged the biggest winner of the night and the real battle was in the light-heavy and heavyweight section where the competition was stiff.
Hungwe said his hard work had finally paid off and he also paid tribute to fitness instructor Otis Goredema.
“Last year, I went to Cape Town and came second and for the past two editions of this Mr Pro-Fitness, I have been finishing as the runner-up in my division but this time I won.
“At the moment, I have no words to describe how I am feeling but I will say I am so excited.
“I had really worked hard for this and I think I deserved it,” said an elated Hungwe.
With the Mr Zimbabwe contest coming up at the end of this month, Hungwe said he would be taking a cautious approach.
“At the moment, I just want to take a rest and I will make one step at a time.
“I will look at the Mr Zimbabwe later,” he said.
Ten athletes went to the podium and the judges had a difficult task separating them to the next round of six.
Gonse Seshele of Botswana came sixth while veteran Walter Munyikwa was placed in fifth position.
Even the once mighty Givemore Marume found the going tough and failed to get a place in the top three as he was relegated to fourth place.
Tarirai Chirume, the last man to win the Mr Zimbabwe title, was placed third while Itai Mukotekwa had to overcome an illness to push into second place.
Chirume walked home with US$500, a trophy and a hamper while Mukotekwa took US$750, a trophy and hamper.
Mukotekwa possessed a well-chiseled upper body and proportional legs with the perfect cuts and biceps but his body language told a different story.
This division was just the gathering of the big boys and even the athletes like Zimbabwe Republic Police officer Partson Chatedzuka left their mark.
There was also Ross White who gave the field a good run while top kyokushin-kan karateka Mugove Muhambi’s antics in his individual poses were outstanding.
Brighton Mazikana came dressed in a “super-man” robe for his poses while last year’s winner Isaac “Sugar” Chimuchenga had earlier lost the middleweight division to Kandiyero.
However, the bikini and fitness contest easily stole the thunder as the sight of curvy women in bikinis, glitters and high-heeled shoes left the auditorium clamouring for more and kept people on the edge of the their seats.
In this section, which featured some sleek dances and aerobic moves, Merna Moore – who is a pilot by profession and trains under Team Otis – came first while Jena Nichole was the runner-up.
Megan Shadwin finished third but in the end all the female contestants were saluted for their stunning performances with Tracy Pike of South Africa spicing up the night as the guest poser with her massive muscles.