JEDDAH, 24 September 2005 — Morrocan Muhammad Touri bested an elite field of bodybuilders to romp off with the title of champion of champions at the close Thursday of the Grand Kai 2005 first National Bodybuilding Championships at the Kai Fitness Center here.
Touri was also adjudged winner in his weight category, over 85 kgs., during the final where another Moroccan, Amr Alsori, captured the below 75 kgs. title and Yemeni Ahmed Saeed the below 85 kgs. crown.
The event attracted huge crowds that thronged the Kai Center to watch the two-day battle of biceps organized at a national level for the first time as part of efforts to promote bodybuilding in the Kingdom. The Saudi Bodybuilding Federation and International Bodybuilding Federation co-sanctioned the tournament.
Amid blaring music, the bodybuilding enthusiasts enjoyed themselves inside the specially-made tent at Kai as the competitors paraded their glistening well sculpted bodies.
At the end of the show, an elated Kai Fitness Center owner and manager, Dr. Badr Al-Shibani, told the crowd this will not be the first nor the last event of its kind to be held in Saudi Arabia. “This championship has been born to last,” Al-Shibani said. “We promise you next year you will see more international and famous bodybuilders coming to visit the Kingdom to perform. Next year, it will be something you have never seen before.”
Al-Shibani said that with the staging of the event awareness in bodybuilding will increase. He thanked the participants and apologized for the absence of Al-Shahat Mabrout, due to injury, and Iranian Ali Tabrizi, due to unavoidable circumstances.
American bodybuilding champion Melvin Anthony did a special show and acted as a judge during the highly successful event.
Touri won an addition cash prize of SR15,000 for winning the overall crown. Category winners each got SR10,000 with the second placers receiving SR6,000 and third placers SR 3,000.
Here are the competition results:
Below 75 kgs. — 1.Amr Alsori 2. Ibrahim Turkumani 3. Hamza Abdul Mulouy 4. Muhammad Noor Alkassas 5. Mustafa Khiyari
Below 85 kgs. — 1. Ahmed Saeed 2. Adel Alsaid 3. Khamis Maro 4. Ahmed Ismat 5. Muhammad Hasan
Above 85 kgs. — 1. Muhammad Touri 2. Muhammad Mishal 3. Hasan Musali 4. Ahmed Mustafa 5. Said Abdullah.
