Cooks bodybuilding contest attracts 2000

THE first South Pacific Bodybuilding Championships in Rarotonga, Cook Islands, drew a capacity crowd of over 2000 people to the national auditorium. The crowd included the minister for sport, the minister for health, the deputy prime minister and the Queens representative and Lady Maui Short.

Following a display of cultural dances by Cook Island dancers, which was a beautiful reminder of the culture of the host country, the contest began. Team posing was the first event and the crowd favourite Guam, was the winner with the Cook Islands the runners-up.

The overall team trophy, for the most placings, was won by New Caledonia, with a string of placings in all open weight classes. Medal winners included Norfolk Island, the smallest and also the youngest team, winning two silver medals, while

Guam, which put up a high standard performance, won three gold medals.

Medal winners from the other countries, included Papua New Guinea, Tahiti, Western Samoa, and the Cook Islands.

The overall standard was good and the athletes looking splendid in their team uniforms, were a credit to their respective countries. The event was drug tested, random tests as well as testing of the winners, took place and this was seen by all, as a positive step and essential exercise in the future growth and success of this new federation and the sport of bodybuilding in the South Pacific. The International Federation of Bodybuild ing presented its highest award to Ngerteina Puna, Minister of Health and Education, the prestigious “Distinguished Service Award”, also the Gold Medal with ribbon to Tiki Matapo Minister of Sport and Justice. □