Arnold Classic gold winner, Oliver Rockson Prempeh has promised to take body building to greater heights.
He made Ghana proud in the just-ended Arnold Classic Body Building competition in South Africa over the weekend by winning gold in the middleweight category of the bodybuilding competition.
At a press conference in Accra yesterday, the champion attributed his victory to his strict adherence to his coach’s instructions- correct dieting and enough rest.
Prempeh revealed that before he travelled from Ghana to South Africa, he promised himself to bring the gold to Ghana because in last year’s competition he was robbed of the honour and he knew that this year’s edition belongs to him.
The annual Arnold Classic Africa which begun last year draws countries from Africa, Asia and Europe participating in South Africa.
It features live sports, a health and fitness trade explosion, attracts top body building stars in the United States, Australia, Europe, Asia and South America.
The 33-year-old competed in the amateur weight division of 80kg of the bodybuilding competition.
The Arnold Classic was first launched in the US in 1989 and has since expanded to create an international series of multi-sport festivals, driven by Austrian-born Arnold Schwarzenegger, who is renowned as a seven-time Mr Olympia, Hollywood star and former Governor of California.
Prempeh who is among the elite bodybuilders in the country also holds a bronze medal in the muscle-building competition.
In 2015, he was adjudged the overall most muscular body in the competition and was the runner- up in the final competition of the ‘Mr Physique Ghana’.
The well-built athlete, who demonstrated gross brilliance in all the sessions said “I am impressed with the performance of the Ghanaian athletes who took part in the competition. It was our wish to win at least three medals but fate could not have it. We promise to do better next year.
“My target is to gradually push to the professional level,” he said.
He thanked God and the management of Gye Nyame physique, a diverse sporting centre, South Africa Airline, Total Fitness Centre, Nick Hotel and other individuals who made it possible for him to compete.
Ghanaian athletes who participated in the various weight divisions were; Arnold Classic Africa 2017 Results
Men’s Bodybuilding under 70kg- Michael Parnell, Men’s Bodybuilding under 80kg- Oliver Prempeh and Godwin Frimpong and Men’s Bodybuilding under 90kg-Cyrille Kofi Adja.
By Kofi Owusu Aduonum