Teklem is Mr South Pacific
BY TAROMANE MARTIN
SOLOMON Islands body builders competing at the 23rd South Pacific Body Building Championship in Honiara have created sports history, dominating the medal tallies over the weekend.
The body building championship was held at the Multipurpose Hall on Saturday and saw athletes from New Caledonia, Tahiti, Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands competing to be crowned the overall South Pacific Body Builder champion.
Solomon Islands won gold in the men’s junior category, the U-65kg, U-70kg, U-80kg, U-85kg, U-90kg, U-100kg, the master’s category. Under- 75kg gold medal winner Rocky Teklem claimed the overall title as the South Pacific Body Building champion after a tough show down with U-75kg gold medalist New Caledonian Sanmarso Nelson, U-80kg gold medalist Tahitian Mataira Teripuia and Under-85kg gold medalist John Ima.
Solomon Islands Body Building Federation Vice President Dickson Kai thanked the government and their sponsors for believing in their athletes saying, “Preparations will continue for next year’s event”.