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Bodybuilder on a missionDate: 24.11.2006
Posted by: Anabolic Info Team Canada
TOM HEFFNER of Winnipeg, competitor and president of the Manitoba Amateur Bodybuilding Association, is on a mission.
The 61-year-old Heffner returned from Agrigento, Sicily, earlier this week with an eighth-place showing in the 2007 IFBB World Bodybuilding Championship masters 60-plus class. He's back with a new plan but without his wallet and about $800.
"The competition was a great experience. I plan to go back next year better than ever, but I had my wallet lifted on the subway in Rome," said Heffner, who competed in the Nov. 10-13 event and travelled in Italy for the following week with his wife. On his first day home, after he applied for new identification and credit cards, he arranged for a personal trainer.
"I'm going to work with Jeff Fisher from Elite Performance. He thinks he can put enough size on me so I can do better next year," said Heffner, involved in bodybuilding since 1969. Heffner said he felt he could have cracked the top five at the worlds if not for some politics and some competitors assisted by banned substances.
"It is frustrating in that way, but I really enjoy the experience and going on stage and hearing 'Canada,' " he said. "What I'm really hoping is that I'll go back next year and beat some of these guys at their own game, but I'll do it the right way."
Heffner said he was encouraged by the IFBB instituting the new masters 60-plus category in which he competed. Formerly, the masters class was an open 50-and-over category, but has now been subdivided, with the 60-and-over group in their own class.
"With the new 60-plus, I thought maybe drugs wouldn't be a big part, but it was worse than last year," said Heffner, who was drug-tested Aug. 5 during the 2006 Canadian World Qualifier in Toronto. He said he had his eyes opened considerably when several competitors spoke to him about substance use and asked him about his "stacks" -- a term used to describe two or more types of anabolic steroids used during a period of time called a "cycle."
"I said to them, 'What stacks? We test in Canada, so I come in here clean,' and they were shocked," Heffner said, adding that to his knowledge, there was limited testing at the competition due to the high cost.
"I like to win like everyone else does, but not like that. I'll just train harder until my body tells me different," he said.
Wesmen join with centre
THE University of Winnipeg Wesmen Dare To Dream Breakfast has partnered with Rossbrook House, a leading Winnipeg inner-city neighbourhood centre for at-risk children and young adults.
All funds raised at the Dec. 5 breakfast at the Radisson Hotel Winnipeg Downtown will go to the women's basketball and volleyball athletic scholarship fund and Rossbrook House, founded in 1976 as "a constant alternative to the destructive environment of the streets."
The keynote speaker at the breakfast will be Sister Bernadette O'Reilly, executive director of Rossbrook House. The centre, used by more than 5,000 people a year, is open 24/7, 365 days a year. It offers healthy snacks and meals along with numerous programs for youth, including a basketball league for students 12 and under.
Shea an award winner
LAURA SHEA of Winnipeg has been selected as the recipient of the annual Coaching Manitoba Investors Group Volunteer Sport Administrator Award for outstanding service by a volunteer in an administration capacity. Shea, manager and president of the St. James Rods of the Manitoba Major Football League, has been a member of Football Manitoba's board of directors since 2003.
4 MJHL players on team
FOUR players from the Manitoba Junior Hockey League have been selected to compete as members of Team West in the 2006 Canadian Junior A Hockey League Prospects Game next month in Vernon, B.C. Forwards Aaron Lewadniuk, 17, of Winkler Flyers and Eric Delong, 18, of Portage Terriers, along with defencemen Jeff Penner, 19, of Dauphin Kings and Travis Hamonic, 16, of Winnipeg Saints will join other players 19 and under from four other leagues on Team West in the Dec. 13 game.
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