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Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
TRIUMPHANT Manicaland Classic winner, Knowledge Mudzingwa, has cut short the festivities of celebrating his victory to prepare for the oncoming Mr Zimbabwe contest.
The Mr Zimbabwe competition is pencilled in for November 28 in Harare.
Knox, as Mudzingwa is fondly referred to in bodybuilding circles, shrugged off the seemingly perennial third position tag to win this year’s edition of the Manicaland Classic.
The 37-year-old Jade Studio bodybuilder settled for third position during the Mr Manicaland contest of 2014, before ending in the same position the following year in the same competition.
In 2016, the script was the same for Mudzingwa in the same competition — Mr Manicaland bodybuilding contest.
As if that was not enough, Mudzingwa returned to the podium again in third position during the Mr Manicaland 2017 edition.
The same year, Mudzingwa participated in the Mr Marume Classic where he settled for third position.
The Mutare-based passionate bodybuilder once took part in the Mr Zimbabwe competition where he came second in the lightweight category in 2019.
He finally got it right in the recent Manicaland Classic where he scooped the first prize.
He has now set his sights on Mr Zimbabwe contest.
“I think I have come a long way and deserve to be on the winners’ podium in the Mr Zimbabwe competition. My major challenge is securing resources needed to put up a fight in that competition, but I am really determined to partake in it,” said Mudzingwa.
Meanwhile, in the recent Manicaland Classic, in the women bikini fitness category, Yeukai Midzi of Muscle and Fitness Gym in Gweru came out tops, while Michelle Chivake of Harare’s Ladonz Fitness came second.
In the men’s fitness category, Beloved George of Beloved Fitness Club in Harare was named the winner, while Tatenda Makoto of Mutare’s Transformers Club came second.
Pearson Charakupa from Muscle and Fitness Gym in Gweru was third.
For the men’s physique category, Blessing Itai Sithole of County Club in Harare was the winner, while Weignrace Masendeke of Harare’s Royal Fitness Club came second.
Charakupa was third.
Chinhoyi’s Muscle and Fitness Club’s Brighton Ndawana came fourth, while Bothwell Ndambi of Sakubva Fitness Centre in Mutare came fifth.
Collen Chikodzi of BG Fitness in Mutare was sixth. Denver Ngwaru snatched pole position in the junior men bodybuilding category, while Keith Chingonzo came second.
Tadiwanashe Dahwa of Mutare’s Body Size Gym was third.
Innocent Chawakaona of Mutare’s Rochman Club, Tinotenda Karumbioza of BG Fitness Gym (Mutare) and Sean Sithole of Masvingo’s Love One Fit Family Gym, came fourth, fifth and sixth, respectively.
In the senior men bodybuilding category, steely Mutare’s Jade Studio bodybuilder, Mudzingwa outshined all the competitors to land the coveted gong, while young and determined Ngwaru from yet another Mutare club, MMO Fitness Gym settled for second position.
Another Jade Studio protégée, Keith Chingonzo came third.
The best poser award went to Keith Chingonzo of Jade Studio.
Coordinator of the 2023 Manicaland Classic contest, Blessing ‘Hunky Bee’ Saunyama, said: “We are grateful to our partners that include Clique Pharmacy, Bluetech Mart, Obey the Dentists, Kaizen Pharmacy, Tinty’s Hardware, Chibbro Motors, Whismas Logistics, Global Brothers and Jade Studio Gym.
“We really want to urge more corporate players to come on board and partner the sport of bodybuilding. There is mileage in it apart from playing their role as responsible corporate citizens.”
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