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| Sunday, 8 August 2004 |
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Lankan women to flex muscles at gala Asian contest by Srian Obeyesekere Sri Lankan women will flex their muscles at the South Asian Body Building Championships to be held in Sri Lanka on August 19. They have received the blessings of the Sports Ministry, and will initially showcase in exhibition posing at the forthcoming championships. Although local women have been competing in local championships now and then, it is the first time that the female gender will be taking part in an international event, according to Sri Lankan authorities. This, they claimed, is expected to be a watershed in the field at that level. Incidentally, Sri Lanka has taken a back seat as far as women competitors, according to the President of the SABBF, M. W. Deen. "Even third world countries like Bangladesh, which is financially impoverished, has evolved women in the sport," observed Deen. In fact, it was highly developed globally where body building was not only a recreation but lucrative as well. "They are provided with all training facilities and find body building a wage earner too," he added. The concept of evolving women for body building was mooted on a five-year development plan submitted by the Sri Lanka Body Building Federation (SLBBF) in 2003. Accordingly, aerobics fitness exercise programmes have been introduced by the Fitness Kingdom Gymnasiums and Fitness Centres in conjunction with the South Asian Body Building Federation (SABBF). Already, two women body builders from Singapore and Khazakhastan are in Sri Lanka to give local women training lessons, according to Aruna Aluthge, Director of Fitness Kingdom. He said that this August's Asian muscle contest would be a stepping stone for Sri Lanka to compete in the 2005 and 2006 Women's Asian Body Building Championships. Currently officials are finecombing for talent to hone the muscle strength of the fairer sex in the age group of 18-30 to be future competitive body builders, according to Aluthge. He said that the muscle sport was a big draw in the Asian region and over 100 competitors are expected for the grand event to be conducted at the BMICH. It was officially launched by Sports Minister, Jeevan Kumaranatunga at the Hotel Ceylon Continental on Friday. |
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