KUCHING: The Sarawak Body Building Association (SBBA) is placing its hopes on Dr Malvern Abdullah to win a title at the 48th Asian Bodybuilding and Physique Sports Championship in Macau from Aug 26 to Sept 1.
Only three Sarawakians have won the Mr Asia titles and they are Solomon Ismanto, Bujang Taha and Liaw Teck Liong.
Liaw is the last bodybuilder from the state to win the title more than 20 years ago.
Malvern, 39, a senior lecturer with UiTM at Samarahan, will be competing in the bantam weight (60-65kg) where he is expected to meet stiff competition from bodybuilders from Thailand, Iran and Kuwait.
He had passed two doping tests to fulfill the requirements set by Asian Bodybuilding Federation.
The first test was carried out immediately after he won the Mr Malaysia titles while the second test was done two weeks ago.
“We are not setting a target for Malvern so as not to give him any unnecessary pressure but I believe he can do well as he has a good record,” said SBBA president Dato Wee Hong Seng.
“Hopefully, he can finish as one of the best in the championship and win glory for Sarawak and Malaysia,” he added.
Echoing the same sentiment was assistant sports minister Datuk Lee Kim Shin who presented the state colours to Malvern at his office at Bangunan Baitulmakmur in Petra Jaya yesterday.
Lee, also the state assistant communications minister, said Malvern stood a very good chance of winning at the Asian meet.
“I believe he has been training very hard and preparing for the competition. I hope he can win a medal for Malaysia and do us proud,” he added.
Meanwhile, Malvern has set his sights making the finals in his category and finish among the top five contestants.
Making his debut appearance in the championship, Malvern is feeling a bit nervous, happy and excited and looking forward to putting a good performance in the competition.
He has been training alone at Pheonix Gym and is also glad that one of his teammates is his good friend and idol Sazali Samad.
“Sazali is a nine-time Mr Universe and eight-time Mr Asia and I admire him a lot,” said the bodybuilder who picked up the sport in 2004.
Since 2005, Malvern has won numerous titles at the Mr Sarawak championship including bantam weight champion from 2006-2011 and lightweight champion in 2005, 2012 and 2014.
For three straight years from 2011 to 2013, he was also Mr Sarawak overall champion.
He was Mr Malaysia bantam weight runner-up in 2008, 2012 and light weight runner-up in 2013 before he grabbed the lightweight title, best poser award and champion of the champions title this year.
He also won the national Mr Gym 1 Malaysia (below 65kg) title this year.
Other members of the Malaysian bodybuilding squad are Abdul Naim from Johor, Mohd Rozaimi from Pahang, another Sarawakian Budak Ancah but representing ATM and based in Kuala Lumpur, Azahar Mohammad and Mahaiyan Rozmani from PDRM and Wong Hong from Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysia will also field three contestants in the Body Physique and one contestant in the women’s bodybuilding.