Africa-Press – Uganda. Motor-mouthed bodybuilder and fitness coach Yakubu Bin Hassan cannot wait to hit the stage at the Greater Columbus Convention Center and Ohio Expo Center, USA the venue for the Arnold Sports Festival 2024 starting February 29.
US-based Roy Mubiru may have participated in the strongman competition but Bin Hassan will become the first Ugandan bodybuilder to compete at the second biggest bodybuilding event in the world after the IFBB Mr. Olympia.
The festival, organised by the International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness Professional League (IFBB Pro League), was started by seven-time Mr. Olympia and Hollywood star Arnold Schwarzenegger and legendary promoter Jim Lorimer in 1989. Over the years, it has grown to accommodate professional bodybuilding (Arnold Classic), strongman (Arnold Strongman Classic), fitness, figure and bikini weekend expo.
Bin Hassan, a health club instructor at Afro Park Gym, Muyenga, is training hard at Meilin International Hotel, Nakasero ahead of the most important event of his career and could not hide his excitement.
“I’m really excited to be heading for the Arnold Classic, and I am proud that I will be representing Uganda and Africa,” Bin Hassan said at the Meilin Hotel this week.
“Being on the stage with great athletes at the Arnold Classic is not easy. Kenyans, Nigerian, have tried but have failed,” the man nicknamed Mr Ten Packs, bragged.
Bin Hassan was one of the most promising stars, winning the 2021 Mr Kampala Physique category at Qib’z Gym in Kyebando. But falling out with the national federation soon after, kept him off the stage, and somehow dented his progress.
Now that is water under the bridge and is back more focused, hungrier.
“We are proud to be with you ahead of this world tournament; we wish you all the best, we are behind you all the time,” said Francis Mjomba, the manager of the Meilin Hotel.
This year’s edition promises to be the grandest of the Arnold Sports Festival in the 36-year-old event.
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