Bodybuilding/World Amateur

Date: 30-10-2006 Posted by: Anabolic Info TeamMalaysia

ASIAN Games-bound bodybuilder Sazali Samad’s hopes of winning his third World Amateur Bodybuilding Championships title was given a boost when he qualified for the semi-finals of the bantamweight category in Ostrava, the Czech Republic yesterday.

If Sazali does win the bantamweight (65kg) title for the third time, he will become the first bodybuilder in the world to do so in that weight category.

The 39-year-old Sazali claimed his first world title in 2000 in Malacca and four years later in Moscow, Russia.

Malaysian Body Building Federation (MBBF) secretary-general Francis Yong said Sazali was selected among the 15 semi-finalist after the pre-judging on Saturday.

"Judging from Sazali’s form, he should be able to do well in the championships," he said via sms (short message system) from Ostrava yesterday.

"He is expected to face a stiff challenge from defending champion Jose Santos of Brazil and bodybuilders from the United States and Egypt in his quest to win the title."

Sazali is hoping for a good showing in the world meet to boost his chances of a golden finish in his Asian Games debut in Doha.

In last year’s world meet in Shanghai, China, Sazali finished second behind Jose Santos of Brazil.

However, Sazali’s teammate Liaw Teck Leong failed to qualify for the semi-finals in the light middleweight category (80kg).

Besides Sazali, the only other Malaysian bodybuilder to have won the world championships was Clancy Wong. He clinched the world title in 1962.