Former champion undermines Master, Ichocho
Former national weightlifting champion Thoko Kakhongwe vowed to undermine the superiority of defending champion Henry Master and his runner-up Yasin ‘Ichocho’ Suwedi as the Mr. Malawi Bodybuilding Championship starts in Lilongwe on Saturday.
Kakhongwe said although he relied on a makeshift gym for building his muscles and local cuisines such as futali (seasoned sweat potatoes) as supplements, he will grab the crown at Cross Roads Hotel this weekend.
“I hear Master and Ichocho are using sophisticated gyms and are taking good protein supplements. As for me, makeshift gyms and local diets, especially futali will do. Moreover, hard work will beat talent on Saturday. Just like the biblical Moses, I will lead the nation as Mr. Malawi,” Kakhongwe said.
He added through a Facebook message: “Mukungomujambula Ichocho yekha mu news, eish! Ine sindikumuopa pamodzi ndi Master. I will defeat them. If you can see my photos on my timeline profile, you will understand what I mean. I am heavily built. Just look at my chest and biceps; do you see any possibility of me losing the competition?”
But Master and Ichocho have since described Kakhongwe’s challenge as mere rhetoric of an attention-seeker.
“Let him prove what he has said on the stage. He should remember that action always speaks louder,” Master said.
On his part, Ichocho said he will not waste time engaging in a verbal war with mere participants, rather he is planning on how to displace the titleholder, Master.
According to Weightlifting and Bodybuilding Association of Malawi (Wbam) general secretary Harold Mwayang’ana, over 20 athletes have registered for the competition.
