Sundaymail Editor
Deputy Sports Editor
BODY-BUILDING sensation Regina Jonga is ready to return to the stage that once made her a darling of the nation.
The Arnold Sports Festival, slated for June 3 to June 5 in South Africa, is set to mark her official return to the spotlight, but before that, the 44-year-old is expected to headline this month’s Ironman Festival.
The two seem to be a perfect fit given that the Ironman contest — once one of the country’s top body-building competitions — is coming back after a five-month hiatus.
Jonga had seemingly retired from the sport.
However, she is expected to lead a star-studded line-up of the country’s top body-building talent in the rebranded competition.
The Ironman Festival, which is pencilled in for May 28 in Kadoma, promises to be one of the biggest events on the sport’s calendar.
“We had roughly 50 athletes taking the stage at our last event, Mr Novice, and I can safely say that about 80 percent of those have already confirmed their participation at the Ironman Festival.
“Add to that the many who chose to skip Mr Novice to prepare for the festival, and you have one of the biggest events of the year,” National Federation of Zimbabwe Body-building and Fitness Development secretary Keith Chirimanzi said.
“This is just in terms of the numbers. We have a host of other activities which we expect to attract old and new people to the sport.
“The Strength Wars will be one of the activities expected to be a seller, and these will involve our participants doing bench presses, squats and deadlifts for top prize money.
“Preparations are already at an advanced stage.
“We are currently going through the registration process and running around looking for sponsorships for one or two events still lagging.”
Among those confirmed for the event are Edward Mutero, Mark Anthony Valisatos, Gideon Teguru, Francis ‘Tatanca’ Chideme, CC Banks and Paul Bako in the men’s category.
Lynnette Tom, Chantelle Bhatch are set to headline the women’s event.
Mutero is the current national bodybuilding light heavyweight champion, while Valisatos is the reigning national body-building heavyweight champion.
Teguru is the Harare Classic body-building champion, while CC Banks is the reigning Arnold Classic Physique over 178cm Champion.
Aaron Musarurwa, who won the last Manicaland Classic junior body-building category, is also expected to grace the event.
There is no doubting though that much of the spotlight will fall on the returning Jonga.
One would have spent the last decade living under a rock for them not to know Jonga’s story.
She was at some point a housemaid in South Africa’s city of Tshwane before she took to the gym as a form of escapism in 2012 and instantly made an impact.
In a short space of time, she competed in a variety of local, regional and international events like the Miss Zimbabwe, Arnold Classic 2016 and 2017, LFBBS South African Championship and the Pretoria Classic.
However, her breakthrough came in 2019 when she competed in her first international show in China and was awarded a pro card.
She seemingly dropped off the radar during the Covid-19 pandemic and is now expected to resurface at the upcoming festival.
“We are very excited to have her at the festival as she is one of the top body-builders, male or female, in the country,” said Chirimanzi.
“We are glad that it looks like the pandemic has subsided to the point where we can hold this festival and also have an athlete of her calibre.
“Jonga is hoping to use the festival as part of her preparations for the Arnold Classic, which will be held a week after in South Africa, and having her confirmed for the festival is certainly good news for us.”
Online Reporter