Mr. Malawi prize money at K280 000

The Weightlifting and Bodybuilding Association of Malawi (Wbam) has announced that the prize money for Mr. Malawi Body Contest is now at K280 00 ($509).

Wbam president Richard Kuwali said in an interview that much as they would have wanted the prize money to be in the regions of K500 000 ($909), his organisation is limited financially.

“We wanted to make this very big but we are challenged financially as we depend on government subvention. We are approaching companies for segmented sponsorship and once we get support we might just increase the prize,” he said.

Last year’s winner Henry Master got K200 000 ($364) as prize money.

“We understand the hard work bodybuilders go through and for them to make it to the finals, they spend a lot. But like I said we have no corporate support unlike in other countries,” said Kuwali.

In a separate interview Master said for a bodybuilder to get in shape they spend more than K200 000 a year just on diet and gym fee.

“It is high time companies started supporting this event. In Zimbabwe the prize money is very high and Mr. Zimbabwe is great status. We need to catch up,” said Master, who has dominated the Mr. Malawi contest for the past five years.

Meanwhile, Kuwali has announced that this year’s edition of Mr. Malawi will be hosted at Mkango Lodge in Blantyre.

“We have to rotate for the past two years the event has been hosted in Lilongwe at the Crossroads Hotel. Ths year around we thought of shifting to Blantyre,” he said. n