South African Marius Dohne poses at Damodar Hall, Parel
Date: 06-10-2011
Posted by: Anabolic Info TeamIndia |
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South African Mr Olympia in town to advise Indian body-builders ahead of the November Worlds
It's not just the self-aggrandizing titles of Miss (Some Nation) or Mr (Another) that bodybuilders share with winners of beauty pageants or ramp-way man-hunts. Prancing, preening vanity is to be found in equal measure amongst the hulks who share a certain Bollywood star's affinity for dropping their shirts at the slightest pretexts. So, bodybuilding seemed to be the obvious thing to do for the cetacean South African Marius Dohne, when his dabblings at rugby, swimming and athletics back home culminated into a torn hamstring, and some idle hours rehabbing in the gym and thinking at home. The mention of the Springbokks' progress in the Rugby World Cup draws some shrugging ('Yeah-alright, they'll win the quarters. When's the game?') encouragement from the former amateur rugger.
"I think my face was too pretty to be a rugby player," he declares with a huge chuckle, looking around for a missing mirror that he's not peeked into for a whole hour now. You suspect he's not kidding at all here.
Unleashed on the Damodar Hall auditorium full of hooting men - who with their din could drown out the bustling noise of the Parel week-day evening traffic and Navratri rush - Dohne, the reigning IFBB Tampa Pro winner (a prestigious title for strongmen) and the 2011 IFBB Mr.Olympia, talks about the inevitability of his career-choice with breezy candour, insisting that his hamstring-setback only hastened his decision of a discipline. He appears on the stage, which is very unsuitably flanked by pink walls, for this macho event, to the tune of the latest buff-blackbuster Bodyguard. He proceeds to strike poses - strutting his stuff, as it is called - using his animated face and big eyes to draw attention to ripping muscles. Admittedly, this is the off-season biff-bod, when he allows himseld a little leeway while gobbling the right stuff. "Off-seasons, if I want chocolate, I eat chocolate," he says, like a obedient child, permitting himself a treat.
