Byekwaso cries for presidential assistance

By Michael Nsubuga

As bodybuilder Ivan Byekwaso struggles to raise funds that will enable him compete at the INBA Natural Universe body building championship in Texas, in September and the Natural Olympiad in November, he is also hoping he can start benefitting from the presidential sports award in the new financial year.

Byekwaso won a bronze at the INBA Natural Body Building Olympiad in San Diego in November last year adding to an earlier silver he won at the World Championships in Slovakia in June.

As President Museveni flagged off the commonwealth games team last year in July, he congratulated Byekwaso and promised to add the athlete to the presidential sports award beneficiaries; but up to now he hasn't received anything apart from the facilitation to the Olympiad in the US in November, where he won a bronze.

At the Olympiad, Byekwaso did not only compete as an athlete but also as an ambassador after the Ministry of Foreign Affairs accredited him at the US embassy as one.

"I'm not only competing for myself but I'm also doing it for the country so that other coming up can be inspired to the same in future; Kizito Mubarak's recent gold medals is a good example," Byekwaso said.

Byekwaso's manager Kamal Sabuni is also hopeful the presidential award can be effected so that the athlete is wholly focused on training.

"As Kiprotich is for athletics Byekwaso is for bodybuilding so we want him to remain at the top level, so we hope he the presidential award can be effected in order to help Byekwaso's livelihood and training," Sabuni remarked.

Currently Byekwaso's training is monitored by US-based renowned fitness trainer Gasper Lorenzo and his daily diet includes 5kg of chicken or fish.

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