FAME and NTP Unite Africa Through Fitness!

The 2010 FAME-NTP Africa Championship roared its success across sub-saharan Eldoret in Kenya, like a lion declaring it's pride to the world!

On January 30th, 2010, The FAME-NTP Africa Championship joined the legacy of successful FAME 2010 World Tour events. It featured natural bodybuilders from over 7 African countries. That included Ugandan national champion Ivan Byekwaso and multi-champions Paul Mwangale and Meshack Ochieng from Kenya. Other bodybuilders participated from Angola, Cameroon, Congo and DR Congo, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Tanzania, South Africa and Zambia.

This event drew 70+ competitors and over 1000 spectators who filled every single seat and all the standing room available.

They also had North American FAME Ambassador, Malachi Smith, who some fans AND athletes walked 3 and 4 days in the hot African sun to meet.

Sent to Africa by the DFSA after winning his WNSO Pro Status, Malachi Smith was there as part of its Muscles Making A Difference Everywhere program. He was honored with a handcarved wooden plaque, press conferences, and most importantly, being able to inspire so many young people.

What made the event so hugely successful was what it ACCOMPLISHED: this breathtaking event united *8* African countries under FAME's single, peaceful credo of “Uniting The World Through Fitness”. There were competitors and spectators whose villages saved out and gathered enough food for them to be able to make that 2 – 4 day-trek the event.

This triumphant, natural event took place in a land where steroids are far easier to get your hands on than supplements and protein! Getting "big" is a way out of the slums and destitution -- that's the only focus. So many African athletes look up to juiced-up poster athletes because they don't know or care anything about the dangers of steroids. Unfortunately, those posters are everywhere. And, more often than not, “everywhere” is a gym with a handful of mismatched weights or even weights made of a mixture of cowdung, sand, and straw.

FAME’s presence brought authority to the concept of being a “natural” athlete. Drug testing was conducted on the top athletes from each category. And it was hardcore WNSO-guided testing: each athlete was escorted by an armed soldier and an event official who went with them to watch them pee in a cup. It was done immediately, right as they walk off the stage still in their man trunks! They weren’t even allowed to change!

Some objected to that stringent behaviour. And, because of the demographics of the event, objection could have escalated into something worse. Yet Malachi was an Ambassador in both title AND fact: as the honoured North American guest, he was able to smooth ruffled feathers while, simultaneously, backing Kalyango around maintaining FAME’s drug-testing stance. Malachi said his heart was pounding, at one point, because he saw that this could have become a very real international sports incident. His level-headedness and diplomacy precluded that. WELL DONE, MALACHI! It takes 2 weeks to get the drug test results back, so be sure to check back here for the announcement of the 2010 winners!

So kudos to Kalyango and his team! The show was a raving success because Kalyango had the will and acumen to drive his busload of natural athletes across the FAME finish line. Other factors also supported Kalyango's determination: Malachi, for example, got to contribute his acquired knowledge of stage set up; posing; registration process; rules; and what to expect as African competitors enter the States at the Worlds in Vegas. Plus, media houses from Uganda and Kenya covered the progress of this event for the last three weeks, so the buzz got sent out early to many countries. Even TV channels from Kampala, Uganda traveled to Eldoret to cover this event beside Kenya's local channels, so covereage was local and international when all the good things were happening at and around the show! Excellent planning, timing, promotion, and goodwill translated into the excellent event East Africa deserved to see.

In fact, Kalyango is already gearing up to do a SECOND pan-African show at the end of the summer! Plus, the winners of the FAME-NTP Africa Championship now qualify to compete at the FAME World Championships in November in Las Vegas. If they make the trek across the ocean, the African winners will represent their respective countries while also having a chance of being featured in international fitness magazines.

You Inspire Me!

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