Bodybuilder facing life in chair

Lynette Kilmartin has been told she'll probably never walk again.

But the man who hit her with his Ford Laser and drove off is allowed to continue with his provincial hockey career.

Prasant Nathoo, 23, is on bail awaiting sentencing next month after pleading guilty to reckless driving causing injury and failing to stop after a crash to see if anyone was injured.

The November 20 hit-and-run happened on Ponsonby Rd in Central Auckland 10 minutes after the 23-year-old had attacked a 43-year-old prostitute.

He pleaded guilty to a charge of injuring the prostitute with intent.

The last thing Ms Kilmartin, 36, remembers is getting out of a taxi about 4.20am, after spending the night with friends, before Nathoo's speeding car crashed into her, throwing her several metres down the road and knocking her unconscious.

The vehicle was found abandoned in Herne Bay later that morning and Nathoo was located at a North Shore address and arrested.

Ms Kilmartin's leg was almost severed from the knee down. She also suffered head and shoulder injuries. She spent two months in hospital and has been in and out ever since, undergoing five operations.
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Her leg is still bandaged and doctors have told her she may spend the rest of her life in a wheelchair. Ms Kilmartin had moved to Auckland from Wellington only three weeks before the accident to start a new job as a sales representative for L'Oreal.

The life she lives now is a far cry from how she was living in Wellington, where she taught aerobics at Les Mills for 16 years and competed in several body-building competitions.

She is living off ACC payments as she is unable to work.

"Do you know how perfect I was? And now I have a bit of a leg."

She still hopes to compete at the end of the year but will have to stand on one leg while lifting weights.

Nathoo, a North Shore service station forecourt attendant, played for the lower North Island side the Central Mavericks in last year's national hockey league but is this season representing the men's Albany Birkenhead Collegians team.

His lawyer, Geoff Anderson, said he did not believe his bail conditions prevented him from playing. "He is not in breach of bail, otherwise the police would have arrested him."

Ms Kilmartin said she has never met or spoken to Nathoo but his mother visited her in hospital.

"She didn't want her son to go to jail. I said 'I'm not putting him there, he's put himself there'."

Source:www.nzherald.co.nz

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Tallahassee Man Goes From Drug Addict to Body Building Champion

There’s the old saying, if you can’t take the heat, get out of the kitchen….These days, heat is the least of Tim Durning’s concerns. He recently bought the Crosscreek Grille in Tallahassee and in this down economy, many wonder why?

“I didn’t plan that part.”

Durning has been an executive chef for 23 years so it’s no surprise that he’s behind the grille at Crosscreek. But while food is his job, his passion is in the gym.

Everyday from 2-4, you can find Tim at the gym. He’s 45 years old and already won two masters competitions this year beating guys half his age. He leads a manic schedule, but when you’re training for nationals, it’s what you have to do.

“It’s a dream to set foot on the stage. If you could have seen me eight years ago, before that. There was no hope at that time.”

Eight years ago, Tim Durning was addicted to drugs and alcohol. His life was in shambles and he was on a downward spiral.

“There’s a saying, you can only keep what you have by giving it away.”

So Tim kept his new life, by giving away his old one. And in doing so, he went from 160 pounds to this:

Tim is a perfectionist. Every meal needs to look perfect, every set has to be perfect. Because that’s what you do when you know that one mis-step is all it takes to lose everything.

“I’m completely blessed. I can’t believe I’m here right now. I can’t believe I’m talking to you right now. I’d been in my skin the whole time, I know how bad it was. I know how good it is now.”

And he knows how good it will be if he wins nationals on July 15th. Tim says his drive is evidence of a mis-spent youth. And it’s that drive that keeps him alive, and striving for perfection at the restaurant…and in the gym.

Tim won the Masters Over 40 Class at the Shannon Dey Classic in Panama City held on May 15 through May 16.

He most recently competed in the Steele World Bodybuilding championships on May 30, 2009 in Mobile, AL. He won the Masters Over 40 class, the Open Light Heavy Weight Class and won both the Overall Masters and the Overall Bodybuilding Championship.

Source - www.wctv.tv

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Bodybuilder makes fitness her business

Gabriela DeSilva could look forward to spokesmodeling, travel and the spotlight if she impresses judges at her first body building competition.

The 25-year-old Fishkill resident plans to compete at a fitness competition in Poughkeepsie organized by the International Natural Bodybuilding Fitness & Federation in October.
“I’m going out there as a personal goal. It should be fun,” DeSilva said.
She was scheduled to compete in Manhattan June 27.

“I ended up not competing because the tanning stuff they put on my body burned me. It was horrible. I was all ready to go,” she said.

Most bodybuilders don’t compete for money but do it for the challenge and to get their physique in excellent shape.

However, there is some money to be made eventually depending on success.
If DeSilva wins a national amateur event, she is allowed to compete on a professional level. If she wins a professional national event, she could find herself in photography studios posing for fitness supplement advertisements, calendars and more.

The lucky ones become fitness celebrities and that fame often leads to entrepreneurial opportunities such as fitness centers and personal training, maybe even Hollywood. Think of Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Kim Koelbel, a trainer and nutritionist at the Millbrook Training Center, spent three years doing competitions in the 1990s, winning titles such as Ms. Fitness Eastern States Champion and Ms. Fitness USA New Jersey Champion.

As a result, Koelbel got the attention of Pump Magazine, HotSkins Fitness Wear, Pinnacle Supplement Advertising, Muscle Mag Publications and Powertek Ab Roller.

“If you win a national competition you will be splattered all over the place,” said Koelbel, 42, of Pleasant Valley. “If they like you and your look, you will get work. Can you make a living? A select few will, but it’s good to have a degree in the field.”

The International Natural Bodybuilding & Fitness Federation’s Web site boasts it has 5,000 competitors and 35 events per year.

DeSilva will flex in a bathing suit, focusing in the figure competition.

For two years, the Westchester County native and former art teacher has been in training, working out five times a week for three hours each session. She said she wasn’t ready to compete until recently.

“There’s so much more than getting up there in a swimsuit and posing,” DeSilva explained.
Koelbel, a former United States Natural Bodybuilding Association head judge, elaborated.
“You have to walk across the stage in a six-inch heel and look fabulous - hair, makeup, tan. You have to have a suit made,” she said.

Koelbel competed in fitness, which meant doing a gymnastics routine, an evening gown and/or bikini round and a public speaking segment.

“For us, it was music, timing, choreography, learning all the tricks because you are judged on all of that,” the Maryland native said.

DeSilva’s boyfriend -a bodybuilder -piqued her interest. Now she’s quit her day job to attend Dutchess Community College for a degree in fitness and wellness.
As far as making any commitments to fitness competitions, DeSilva said she’ll wait and see how her first event goes.

“The dieting process is not fun at all but the day of going on stage is really exciting,” she said. “We’ll see how I do.”

For two years, the Westchester County native and former art teacher has been in training, working out five times a week for three hours each session. She said she wasn’t ready to compete until recently.

“There’s so much more than getting up there in a swimsuit and posing,” DeSilva explained.
Koelbel, a former United States Natural Bodybuilding Association head judge, elaborated.
“You have to walk across the stage in a six-inch heel and look fabulous - hair, makeup, tan. You have to have a suit made,” she said.

Koelbel competed in fitness, which meant doing a gymnastics routine, an evening gown and/or bikini round and a public speaking segment.

“For us, it was music, timing, choreography, learning all the tricks because you are judged on all of that,” the Maryland native said.

DeSilva’s boyfriend -a bodybuilder -piqued her interest. Now she’s quit her day job to attend Dutchess Community College for a degree in fitness and wellness.
As far as making any commitments to fitness competitions, DeSilva said she’ll wait and see how her first event goes.

“The dieting process is not fun at all but the day of going on stage is really exciting,” she said. “We’ll see how I do.”

Source - www.poughkeepsiejournal.com

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Stephen Merchent takes second at Chico bodybuilding contest

After Stephen Merchent finishes up at his day job with Brad Moss Drywall, he spends evenings at Body Works Gym working on building, toning and honing his body, mostly for fun but also for competition.

“I got into bodybuilding because I have been weight-training since I was 14 years old for wrestling,” Merchent explained. “Now that wrestling is over, I needed another activity to keep me busy.”

On June 13, Merchent competed for the first time in the Lightweight Men’s Division at the Chico Bodybuilding, Figure and Fitness Contest.

For his on-stage routine, Merchent did 15 poses, including eight mandatory poses: the front double biceps, the front lat spread, side chest, side triceps, rear lat spread, rear double biceps, abdominals, and lastly, the most muscular.

“My favorite pose is the side triceps pose,” Merchent noted. “It shows off your triceps muscle from the side, but also you have to flex every other in your body, so the whole picture looks good but the main focus is the triceps.”

Merchent took second place in his division and brought home a trophy, which currently resides at Body Works Gym.

Merchent noted his “breakfast of champions” usually includes four to five whole large eggs, 2/3 cup oatmeal with maple syrup, a piece of multigrain bread, and coffee.

To prepare for the contest, Merchent enrolled the help of veteran Willits bodybuilder Angela Higginbotham, who has been a personal trainer for the past 15 years.

Higginbotham was named both Ms. USA and Ms. California twice, and competed in many natural bodybuilding contests across the county between 1993 and 1996.For the last three months Higginbotham has helped Merchant refine his poses and routine, and aided him in preparing for the contest. Higginbotham said she gave Merchent advice, told him what to expect, and helped tweak things so the music flowed with the routine.

Higginbotham noted she would videotape Merchent once a week and have him review the tapes, enabling him to see how he displayed his muscles and how he could do so to the best advantage to the judges.

“I’m extremely proud of him,” Higginbotham said. “He did a wonderful job and gave a very professional show on stage. He did everything I told him [she laughed] and he looked very polished throughout.”

For those who want to start bodybuilding, Merchent offers the following advice:
“Read. Find out as much as you can about all aspects of bodybuilding and try to make up your mind as to how you want to go. Are you doing it for fun or because you want to be a pro?”
Merchent adds that he plans to compete in more contests, though probably not until fall.

Source - http://www.willitsnews.com/ci_12697574

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On a health kick

PLYMOUTH — The owners of the new Cape Cod Nutrition Corner at Colony Place have tried just about every one of the products they sell.

For Mike Craven and Russ Kleekamp, it’s important that their customers receive the best nutritional products for meeting their goals.

“Pretty much everything we’ll sell I’ve tried before,” Kleekamp said. “It’s a wide variety of products,” he said.

For Craven that includes supplements, wheat shakes, multivitamins and other kinds of nutritional products they’ll sell when the store at 221 Colony Place, next to PetCo, opens this Saturday, June 20. A grand opening celebration will also be held 11 a.m. to 4 p.m Saturday, June 27, with special appearances by fitness experts.
Craven and Kleekamp met about four years ago at the gym where they both work out. The two men from Sandwich decided to team up to buy real estate, and while looking for other business opportunities, they decided to open a Cape Cod Nutrition Corner in Plymouth.
Their friend opened a Cape Cod Nutrition Corner in Hyannis 12 years ago and in just a few years was able to build a new store from the ground up. When he decided to expand the business further, he convinced Craven and Kleekamp to team up.

It didn’t take too much convincing.

“Every year he’s seen progressive growth to the point where he built a whole new store,” Kleekamp said.

Plymouth was chosen as a good fit from a business standpoint because it’s a growing area where Cape Cod Nutrition Corner can fill a void.

Craven studied exercise science and cardiac rehabilitation in college and worked for three years as a fitness director. He played soccer in high school and remains active.
“I’ve always been into fitness and nutrition,” he said.

Kleekamp works full-time as an environmental engineer, but stays in shape with the right foods and right supplements. He has run marathons and competed in bodybuilding competitions among other kinds of fitness events.

“I’ve always stayed active,” he said.

Along the way, as he plans to do with customers when he works at the store, he started offering advice to friends. “I got involved in helping people with their diets,” he said.

Good nutrition benefits everyone, Craven and Kleekamp believe, so they will offer supplements that aid seniors, diabetics, athletes and other customers. Some people might be worried about joint care, while others may be in need of antioxidants.

Their manager, Dave Lifeford, has a degree in nutrition and, like Kleekamp, is into bodybuilding.

Cape Cod Nutrition Corner at 221 Colony Place will be open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. Sundays. The store’s phone number is 508-591-8555.

Source - http://www.wickedlocal.com/plymouth

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Body Building Champ

Already known to China as a small nation packing a mighty punch when it comes to athleticism following the 2008 Olympics, The Bahamas stands a great chance of earning yet another medal when Paul “Mighty Mouse” Wilson faces off during the 2009 World Games in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

At 5-feet 2-inches tall and 152 pounds, Wilson is a 26 year-old bodybuilding champion in the lightweight amateur division and the local federation executives believe he has a “good chance” of bringing back a medal. He started the sport nine years ago while in high school and spent the last eight years dominating his division.

Among the titles he’s accumulated are the reigning Central American Caribbean champion gold medalist, the reigning national lightweight champion, and the two time champion of the Southern States Body Building Competition in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. While representing The Bahamas for the past eight years, the man they call Mighty Mouse earned one gold, two silvers, and one bronze medal at four of those competitions. In 2006, he placed 17th out of 71 competitors at the World Championships held in the Czech Republic. “I’ve been doing this sport since I was a teenager,” Wilson reflects. “In fact, I entered my first competition the day after I graduated Faith Temple Christian High School. I became a certified fitness instructor in Nevada and now I’m one of the personal fitness instructors at Mystikal Fitness, where I also train. All in all, I am more than ready to compete.”

Another thing that Wilson is ready to do is to bring more attention to the sport and he’s determined to get the financial backing he needs to reach his goals. “I think that body building in The Bahamas is being stunted because of the downturn in the economy and the stigmatism that goes along with the sport,” he noted. “It does take a lot of money to stick to the proper diet, the vitamins, supplements and gym membership but a the same time, Bahamians have not only proven to be successful in the sport, but also are serious when it comes to abusing their bodies with steroids. I’m proud to say that we (The Bahamas) don’t have anyone known for drug abuse at these competitions,” he said proudly.As for his pending competition, Wilson is ready to make the nation proud on his first trip to Asia. “I’m excited about going to Chinese Taipei,” he says. “I’ve seen some of the top notch athletes at other competitions and I’m ready. I’ve faced off against some of them before and I know the caliber of athletes on that level. Overall, I’m motivated to compete and bring what I’ve got to the forefront.”

Source - www.jonesbahamas.com

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Heart patient is Mr Universe

GUWAHATI: In 2002, he won a battle against death with a big lump in his heart. Seven years down the line, he has won a match of muscles with hisperfectly toned abs. Meet the Mr Universe 2009 and the man with a big heart Mahadev Deka.

The 40-year old engineer from Assam on Saturday night clinched the title in the bantam weight category for India at the 2009 Musclemania Superbody world championship at Florida in the US.

“Mahadev called me from Florida on Sunday morning immediately after winning the title. This is the happiest moment in our lives. We are waiting for him to reach home,” said his wife Nayana, a fitness freak herself.

In 2008, he won the Musclemania at Miami and picked up the runners-up trophy. Though he had to make-do with a tight budget for his diet, Deka is the first from the state to win this prestigious world body building championship.

Mahadev underwent an open heart surgery in August 2002 after which he developed a lump in his chest. Doctors advised an open-heart surgery to get it removed. He rested for barely three months. Soon his love for the sport took him back to his favourite place, the gym.

Deka is an assistant engineer with the public health department of the state government. He took his first training from Monohar Ich in Kolkata in 1992 and went on to win won the bronze in that year’s Bharar Kumar Championship held at Bangalore.

He has won the Mr Assam title for seven years since 1992. He was also Mr North-East four times and Senior Mr India twice in a row. His first international exposure was at the Mr World championship 2005 in Germany and managed a semi-final berth.

Deka’s daily diet includes 20 egg whites, a chicken, fruit juice, little rice, lot of green vegetables and allotted supplements.

Source - timesofindia.indiatimes.com/

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Abs-olutely rippled CT winners

DOING it the natural way is the motto for two bodybuilders who are making waves at bodybuilding qualifier competitions in Cape Town.Evan Petersen was the overall winner at the Cape Peninsula Bodybuilding competition and won the light heavyweight division. His training buddy, Kenny Bisset , won the novice award, came second in the middle weight and was third overall at the same qualifier.

The shy 24-year-old Kenny Bisset of Parow Valley started studying panelbeating and started training just for the fun of it, while studying. This was in 2004 and he started training formally at gym in 2007.

His friends approached him to start entering competitions, because at this stage he was starting to take shape very well.

In preparation for the recent competition, he dieted for ten days and for two months he was following a low carb and high protein diet.

Currently this muscle-house works as an apprentice at a truck company in Bellville. For the competition he lost eight kilograms in 10 days, which was mostly water.

“One needs to lose water to improve the definition of your muscle,” he said.

Asked about his first competition he said: “I was so nervous during the first line-up.”

Sponsor Lloyd Martin of Fox Fitness and Leisure interjected saying: “You should have seen him, he looked petrified, but later on he started relaxing,” he laughed.

He continued: “Nobody comes close to Kenny’s biceps; the guys looked like school boys compared to him.”

Martin helps him along from competition to competition and finds this is all worth it. They take part in the category of bodybuilding which is 100% natural (Natural League). This means that participants use no steroids at all.

“It is such a pity that it is hard to get sponsorship for people like Kenny and Evan as bodybuilding is always seen as a sport where drugs are taken to enhance performance and muscle tone. I think this puts sponsors off.”

Petersen, the overall winner, who hails from Mitchell’s Plain, where he attended Spes Bona High in Athlone as an average-sized youngster, weighed in at 69 kg in his matric year.

“I was depressed, it seemed the ladies were making such a fuss over men with a big build in general. That led me to have an interest in shaping my body as well.

“Yes,” he laughs, “at first it was to impress ladies, but the competitive factor of the sport is what made me go further.

“My interest really started at 20 in 2005 where a guy from Mitchell’s Plain was placed first in the IFBB Amateur u.21 Bodybuilding Show in the world champs.

“Just then and there I felt I could do it as well.”

Source - www.news24.com

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‘Top dog’ bodybuilder hails from Titusville

Dubbed sport’s top teen athlete, man, now 65, will lift again

To stand up to the bullies when he was a child, Harold Poole built the only weight set his family could afford.

With permission, the 10-year-old took concrete blocks and iron poles from a hospital construction site and began lifting them in his backyard.

“They walked up to me and said, ‘What the hell are you? You’re not black; you’re not white. We don’t like you,’ ” Poole said of his childhood tormentors. “And that’s when I realized I’ve got to get stronger, I’ve got to gain weight, and I have to learn to run.”

Little did he realize that what began outside his Indiana home in 1954 — because of his German, Cherokee and black heritage — would lead to a legendary bodybuilding career.

This month’s Flex Magazine hailed Poole, now 65 and living in Titusville, as the greatest teenage bodybuilder in history.

Arnold Schwarzenegger came in third.

“To be recognized as the greatest teenage bodybuilder in the history of the sport is the icing on the cake,” Poole said.

But he isn’t done yet.

After more than 25 years away from the sport, he plans a comeback later this year.

Starting quickly

At age 19, Poole became the first teenager to be named Mr. Universe in the International Federation of Body Building competition.

At 21, he was the youngest person to compete in the Mr. Olympia contest and was the runner-up in 1965 and 1966. Poole has five Mr. America titles and was inducted into the IFBB Hall of Fame in 2004 and the World Body Building Guild Hall of Fame in 2007.

Poole said he never used steroids. His title-winning dwindled in the mid-1970s, and he said he stopped competing in 1983 because of competitors’ drug use.“They don’t talk about it, but anyone who is in the sport knows it’s there,” he said. “I got tired of trying to compete when I am natural, and everyone is on the ‘roids.’ I don’t care how great your genetics are: If a guy is using chemicals, you can’t win.”

Earning a living

Poole received $2,000 for winning the Mr. Universe competition. He said competing didn’t pay enough to make a living, so he worked as a bouncer at Cheetah, a New York City nightclub, and as a bodyguard for various clients, including Twiggy, a famous English model.

He also was paid to be in a video for “Love is a Battlefield” by Grammy-winning rocker Pat Benatar.

At 21, he married a woman from Italy, and they were divorced two years later.

“She drove me crazy. She was jealous like crazy,” Poole said. “I made myself a promise that if anyone ever asked ‘Do you?’ again, I would say, ‘No, I do not.’ “

In 2001, Poole wanted a change of pace and moved to Fort Lauderdale. He met Marliese Schmatolla, and they began dating.

He eventually followed her to Titusville. They have been together seven years — Poole’s longest relationship.

“She’s the best,” Poole said. “And when you have the best, you don’t think about the rest.”

Making comeback

Today, Poole trains at Parrish Health and Fitness Center in Titusville.

Doug Blake, a former bodybuilder and the center’s health and fitness director, called Poole a bodybuilding icon. Blake said he aspired to look like Poole during his own competition days.

“Harold was one of the guys we’d say, ‘Wow, we’d love to have an upper body like Harold Poole or a set of biceps like Harold Poole,’ ” Blake said.

In September, Poole will compete for the first time in 26 years at the IFBB Atlantic City Pro Masters Men’s Bodybuilding competition in New Jersey. He’ll be in the 60 and older division.

“When I pray, after I have thanked (God) for all the things he has blessed me with, then I ask him to please renew my strength, my health and my drive — things that I will need to once again become a world champion,” he said.

Source - http://www.floridatoday.com

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71-year-old man to muscle in on bodybuilding competition

A HIPSBURN man is preparing to flex his muscles at a regional bodybuilding championship – aged 71.

Pumped-up pensioner Ian Smith will prove age is no barrier when he flaunts his physique at the NABBA North Britain Bodybuilding Championships in Hartlepool at the beginning of May.

And it is believed that when Ian steps on stage, he will be the oldest competitior to ever grace the championships.

Toned Ian, of Steppy Lane, will be entering the Over 50s class and competing against musclemen 20-years his junior.

He said: “I’m looking forward to the challenge and I am taking part for the experience.

“I know I won’t look like Arnold Schwarzenegar or even Mr Universe but I never expected to come this far and I will be happy with the result at the end of the day.”

Ian, who admits some of his friends think he is ‘crackers’ for taking up the challenge, is transforming his body at Alnwick’s No Limits Gym on Fenkle Street.

He is currently training four times a week, with a mixture of weight and cardiovascular work, and is eating a protein-rich, low-fat controlled diet of 2,000 calories a day.

Ian Simpson, who runs No Limits Gym, said: “Ian is not your average 71-year-old.

“I have been to a lot of shows and I have never seen anyone that age on the stage. But he certainly won’t embarrass himself.”

Super-fit Ian currently has 17 per cent body fat and he is aiming to slash that further in the next few weeks. The average 40-year-old has a body fat of between 30 and 40 per cent.

Mr Simpson added: “Ian’s story sends out a positive message and proves that age is no barrier.”

Ian started working out a few years ago when his doctor told him to reduce his cholesterol and body weight.

He said: “I was starting to put on some weight so I joined No Limits. Things started to happen, firstly weight loss but also my strength was increasing regularly, causing me to lift more weights and gain muscle definition.

“In 2008, members of the gym said: ‘I hope I look like that when I’m 70.’

“So I approached Ian about the competition and asked whether or not he thought I would look okay for it and he saw no reason why I shouldn’t go for it.”

Ian has also urged people of a similar age to join a gym and get active.

He said: “I would say have a crack at it. It does take dedication and discipline, but anybody can do it.”

Ian isn’t the only No Limits member to be preparing for the Hartlepool event in the spring. Sixteen-year-old James Spinks, of Felton, and Alnwick’s Harry Ainslie, 20, are competing. There is also a father and son connection, with Stuart French, 16, and dad Leslie, 44, both of South Broomhill, gearing up for the contest.

Source -www.northumberlandgazette.co.uk

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Bodybuilding has found a home in DeKalb through competition, enthusiasts

When you think of DeKalb, bodybuilding is probably not the first thing that comes to mind.

But if you’re Ray Binkowski, owner of Wright Athletic Club, it does.

The Egyptian Theatre, 135 N. Second Street, has hosted the Organization of Competitive Bodybuilders’ Midwest States Bodybuilding and Figure Competition since 2005.

Binkowski, an NIU alumnus, is the organizer and promoter of the drug-free event and serves as a judge.

“I’m a competitor,” he said. “I wanted to create a place where people can compete.”

Binkowski said the Egyptian Theatre is a unique place to host the event.

“It’s a national landmark theater,” he said. “We have Egyptian-themed awards and trophies, which means the competitors have an opportunity to win something they can’t get any place else.”

Binkowski said it has taken some time to gain popularity.

“The first year we only had about 19 competitors,” Binkowski said. “Now we average between 60 and 70 competitors.”

Bodybuilders from all over the United States now come to compete, Binkowski said.

First-time competitor and DeKalb resident Matt Kunz said competing in the event was a goal of his.

“It was one of my life goals to be in good enough shape to compete,” Kunz, 33, said, “and to have the guts to get up on stage.”

Kunz helped with the event in the past, mainly setting up and taking down the sets. This year, he wanted to take it a step further.

“It was very rewarding to see the results of hard work,” Kunz said. “I’ve learned a lot in terms of weight management and self-discipline.”

Alex Nerad, Egyptian Theatre operations director, said Binkowski has been a major reason why the event has been successful.

“He has done a great job in promoting the event,” Nerad said. “It has turned into a great annual event for the theater to hold.”

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