Raymond Jaravaza Sports Correspondent
UP and coming bodybuilder Selina Manuel, 17, scooped a major title in Harare barely four months after taking up the sport.
Manuel shrugged off serious competition to grab the Ms Novice title, dethroning Nicole da Francessa of Shake Your Sassy Gym, who won silver, and Yeukai Kangadze from Stoddart Gym, who took bronze.
The Ms Novice competition was Manuel’s first national event since taking up bodybuilding in January.
The Petra High School pupil, who trains at Body Works Gym under veteran body builder Simon Gama, is also an avid hockey player.
“I attend classes and hockey training sessions from 7AM to 5:30PM during the week and then rush to gym for an hour-and-a-half workout. The only time that I skip gym is when I’ve hockey games and then rest on weekends. It has not been easy, but I’ve learnt to strike a balance between my school work and sports activities,” said Manuel.
Her mother Magdalene said: “She understands that school comes first and that it’s important to balance her studies with hockey and body building. I can’t explain the feeling I experienced when she was announced winner of Ms Novice in Harare. It was the best feeling ever, especially after the hard work that she put in the gym,” said Magdalene.
Manuel is presently nursing a knee injury sustained during a hockey training session, but the budding body builder is not sitting on her laurels as a result of the set back.
“Injuries are part of hockey, but for now I will do light training until I’ve fully recovered and then start training in the gym,” she said.
She has now set her sights on the Mr and Ms Zim to be held in October.