adminAugustine Hwata Senior Sports Reporter
AFTER winning the lightweight division at the IFBB Boksburg Classic exactly a week ago, promising Zimbabwean bodybuilder Nigel Donald Maphosa now aims to take part in the Amateur Olympia Championship set for Johannesburg, South Africa, in October.Last Saturday, Maphosa achieved a personal milestone in the sport when he won the Boksburg Classic Under-75kg division while fellow Zimbabwean Regina Jonga came second in the women’s fitness and physique category.
It was the first time that Maphosa, who grew up in Gweru, was taking part in a bodybuilding contest outside Zimbabwe and the victory has spurred him to aim for more accolades.
“The Boksburg Classic was my first competition beyond the borders and I am thrilled that I won something. I think this trophy will always remain memorable in my career.
“I would like to believe that I have the potential to do better and my next competition will be in the Amateur Olympia qualifiers in South Africa on October 28,” said Maphosa.
The 22-year-old athlete said he would be going to South Africa to fight for a ticket to the Arnold Schwarzenegger Classics set for the United States next year.
Maphosa works as a personal trainer at Harare’s Excel Gym which is housed at Harare Sports Club and one of his clients Roy Antonio said his mentor’s success in South Africa has motivated their camp.
“I have been made to understand that the contest in October would earn the top finishers places to the Arnold Classic and Schwarzenegger is expected to be at the qualifiers,” said Maphosa.
Maphosa started pumping iron at backyard gyms at Senga in Gweru before the seasoned Isaac ‘Sugar” Chimuchenga poked him to take the sport more seriously.
“I started going to the gym in 2011 but then it was just to pass time before I met Sugar who told me that I could be able to make a living out of the sport. Sugar began to train me at Muscle and Fitness in Gweru and towards the end of the year 2011, I entered the Mr Pro-Fitness where I finished fourth in the juniors,” said Maphosa.
In 2012, Maphosa entered the Africa Olympia where he finished third in the juniors but he fared well in the Musclemania where he won the junior section while he was crowned the Mr Iron Man junior in 2013.
“While I am happy that I won the Boksburg lightweight title, I feel that I need to work on my chest and my back ahead of the next events. My physique was okay, especially my thighs and stomach but there is room to improve.
“My conditioning was the best and some spectators said I looked like a statue,” said Maphosa.
At the moment Maphosa works as a personal trainer at Excel Gym which is housed at Harare Sports Club and one of his clients Roy Antonio said his mentor’s success in South Africa has motivated their camp.
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