JEDDAH, 3 August — Eighty-five bodybuilders from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Yemen, Syria and Morocco took part in an annual tournament for bodybuilders, which ended with the final event at the Al-Ahli Club on Friday. The fourth annual tournament was held under the supervision of the Jeddah Tourism Revival Board. Saudi participants represented various teams from different cities.
Participants competed in five categories of different weights — 65kg, 70kg, 75kg, 80kg and 90kg. The first three winners in each category were: 65kg — Ali Khuzam (Yemen), and Saleh Ba’adeem and Hazem Junaidi, both Saudis; 70kg-Ali Malallah, Fadel Khadem, silver medalist of last month’s Continents Competition held in Egypt, and Bander Easa, all Saudis; 75kg — Nori Ibrahem, Khaled Haider and Amar Cashghri, all Saudis. In the 80kg category Emad Harbi lost first place to Ahmad Mubarak because of the tournament rule, which forbids the use of “tattoo,” while Morocco’s Ismail Muhammad came third. In the 90kg category, Asian champion UAE’ s Ali Muhammad came first, followed by Yousef Bakheet Harbi, a Saudi, and Egyptian Muhammad Sanoti.
Club Manager Wajdi Taweel presented medals and checks of SR2,500, SR2,000 and SR1,000 respectively to the first three winners in each category.
Madinah’s Al-Nemer Club was declared the best gym based on its entry of bodybuilders, while UAE’s Ali Muhammad won the best exhibitor title. Muhammad, who appeared with a musical presentation, told Arab News that the cheers and encouragement of Saudi spectators thrilled him. “I’ll impress on my country’s bodybuilders to take part in this tournament next year,” he remarked.
