The Bhutanese Leading the way.
Four Bhutanese athletes will be leaving for the 48th Asian Bodybuilding and Physique Sports Championship and Annual Congress in Macau, China on August 23.
The four athletes will be accompanied by the General Secretary of the Bhutan Bodybuilding Federation. The event will take place from August 26 to September 1.
The Bhutan Bodybuilding and Weightlifting Federation was invited by the Macau Bodybuilding and Fitness Association.
A release from the Bhutan Olympic Committee states, “This is a first time that the ABBF member federations can join together in the beautiful city of Macau which will provide good possibility and platform to promote the bodybuilding via our Asian championships and enhance friendship and mutual understanding among our bodybuilding family.”
One of the participants, in the model physique category, Yeatoeh Lhamo Penjore, 23, said she is more confident and hopes to win a medal. She shared that discipline, dedication, and determination are three challenges while in training.
Last year, she has received a medal of appreciation from the World Bodybuilding and Physique Federation. She has also been honored as the first Bhutanese woman at weightlifting World Bodybuilding and Physique Sports Championship in Hungary.
Another participant in the heavyweight category, Tandin Wangchen, 38, Mr Bhutan runners up in 2012 and 2013.
This year’s Mr Bhutan, Pema Thekchok, 29, who is also a gym owner at Phuentsholing, is participating in the middle weight category. He said the competition would be tough but he will try his best.
On the Bhutanese bodybuilders hoping to compete in the world-level competition in near future, he is optimistic that in about two years’ time, the Bhutanese bodybuilders would be able to participate given the dedicated training. He said the bodybuilders in Bhutan are facing the difficulties in planning their diet since a cost of diet in a month comes around Nu 40,000.
Sangay Tshering, a retired army captain, will be participating in the athletic physique category said, “I will not just participate and come, but with fame even if not the medal.”
On the challenges faced by bodybuilders in Bhutan, he said, “We need lot of time, dedication, discipline, effort, and support from the family to dedicate ourselves in bodybuilding.”
Talking about the youth participation in bodybuilding in the future, he said, “There will be lesser youngsters joining the bodybuilding in the future as there are limited facilities and support from the government. Also, they are not so interested.”
