Body Power Fitness Gym’s John Kalitwa defied the odds to clinch the 2021 Mr. Uganda Bodybuilding Championship title that was held over the weekend.

Before booking his berth to the finals, Kalitwa flexed his muscles on the day, winning the light heavyweight category with ease to send a signal to his opponents of how ready he was to scoop the prestigious gong.

It is from this point that fans from a partially packed venue at Horse Power fitness centre in Muyenga tipped the towering muscle man to beat favourite and 2019 Mr. Kampala champion Godfrey Lubega.

Kalitwa, a Science, CRE, and Islam teacher at Kibiri Modern Secondary School in Makindye Sabagabo Municipality did not disappoint them in return.

The 2021 Mr. Uganda John Kalitwa

He outclassed his seniors welterweight Lubega, a runner-up at the 2019 Mr. Uganda Championship, middleweight Ronnie Kalule and 2018 Mr. Kampala Champion lightweight Lameck Muwanga defeating them hands-off.

Bantamweight Aksam Kisekka and heavyweight Frank Owash finished 5th and 6th respectively.

Kalitwala attributed the feat to his relentlessness and thirst for being a champion.

“I have been working hard to lift this gong and finally I am living my dream, winning this accolade dint come by chance but through hard work and resilience,” Kalitwa said.

Sharon Nanyonga and John Kalitwa posing with their accolades

“Since my debut in 2019, I have faced a lot to an extent that I wanted to quit especially during the COVID-19 lockdown, but I was determined not to give up.”

However, Kalitwa states that everything has a good and ugly part, that if it wasn’t for the lockdown, he could have missed a chance to win the Mr. Uganda accolade since he was facing another challenge of balancing his time in class and the gym sessions.

“This time I came prepared. I have spent most of my time training in the gym. I have been not teaching since schools are still closed because of the lockdown which wasn’t the case before,” Kalitwa said.

Kalitwa has now ascended as a new king in bodybuilding replacing Isaac Mubikirwa who has dominated the sport for the last five years winning the Mr. Uganda championship for three consecutive years in 2017, 2018, and 2019. In 2020, the championship wasn’t held due to COVID-19.

In the women’s category, Sharon Nanyonga emerged as the winner overcoming Cauthara Namujju in the women’s Physic category while Safaru Tamale took the disabled category.