STRONG, STRONGER, STRONGEST
Where in Botswana would you prefer the games to be held?
I’d love it to come to Maun, not only because I am based here, but because Maun is a growing tourist destination. It is no longer just a rural place but also urban village which is located closer to world attraction areas, it is the gateway to the Okavango Delta and other beautiful geographic sites, so we want to showcase the beauty of our country through sport tourism as well. You see, when we competed in Zambia, they took us to Victoria Falls, it was an opportunity to promote their tourism sites as well. Maun is our pride and we want more people to visit, but if we do not manage to bring it to Botswana this year, definitely in 2025 we are bringing it here.
Do we have the capacity to hold such a competition?
Yes, we do; structures are there, we have equipment. Our united strongest man is based in South Africa, Johannesburg. We have to build the sport, get more people, young people especially, to join in. As we speak, I have written to the president of the association and we are hoping we will get the go-ahead to host it in Botswana. If they agree, it cannot be difficult to get us working and put everything in order. Our team here, organisers of this sport, are really looking forward to hosting the athletes here. The set-up is there so we are prepared.
When did you first come to Botswana and why?
I am originally from Egypt, but I stay here in Botswana. I came here when I was 18 as an investor and now I am 37 years old. In short, my life is here, my shop, farm and family. But, very soon I will be a Motswana since I have applied for citizenship. I am married to a Motswana woman, my children are Batswana, so my life is here in Botswana. That does not mean I hate Egypt, no, but I am a Motswana at heart, the competition I give out there is for the glory of the people of Botswana and the country itself; the title is for Botswana. I like it here. I am married with four boys and a step daughter.
What else are you doing for the country in terms of sports development?
All athletes competing in Maun in this kind of sport are my juniors, and I encourage them to work harder and some of them are doing well in international tournaments, they do get bronze, silver and gold medals, so we are relatively a young team but very promising, I can tell you. They are all strong.
If someone wants to join the sport, what are the requirements?
You just have to be physically and mentally fit and also reliable and disciplined. One has to be committed and take the sport seriously if they are to make any strides forward.
What’s your rule in life?
Never give up. It’s all about hard work. There is nothing special about me, its all about patience and endurance and keep on keeping on, that’s my principle and rule in life. Respect others the way you want them to treat you. As it is, everyone is working hard to try and get the title from me, but it is and will be so difficult for them because the more they try, the more effort I put it in as well. I have no limit.
When did you start powerlifting?
I started when I was 18. I was a body builder first. I went to the gym, built muscles and I never stopped, it just became part of my life’s routine.
What is the difference between body building and powerlifting?
Body building is all about the looks - looking good, but strong man and power lifting means you have to be strong, not just size or the looks. I am one of the few people who combined both body building with power. I do three sports at the same time: body building, powerlifting and strong man. Strong man and powerlifting are related but strong man is bigger. You pull objects like aeroplanes, horse and trailer, carry a car and run, that kind of sport. It’s exhilarating, a very enjoyable sport that needs stamina, power, muscles, strategy, patience and discipline.
How much weight can you take?
I have no limits, I compete according to who I am competing with, if I go far, I go far. I carry weight according to a challenge.
How is your daily routine?
It differs a bit on whether I am preparing for competition or it is a normal day. On a normal day, I exercise once a day, but for competition I get up very early, spend two hours or so in the gym and have six or seven meals in a day because food is very important, but good food, not junk food. From there, from seven o’clock, my exercises are for preparation for the competition. Then I take a break and go to the gym again in the evening, but this time for lighter exercises and stretching, not pushing weights.
Talking about diet and sports, we see young men consuming a lot of shakes and nutritional supplements to build muscles. Are these healthy?
This is a good advantage of this sport, beside taking the young men from the streets and from alcohol and drug abuse, the sport keeps them focused in life, well built and healthy. So, all these shakes sold in pharmacies are healthy, they are nutritional supplements. There is a misconceptions about these shakes. Any shake sold in pharmacy is good for consumption because if they contain any harmful elements against the human body, then pharmacies would not sell them. They are mostly rich in proteins, same as you see in dried milk powders for children. People need to understand these things, shakes are food and nutritional supplements, some people cannot take six to seven meals a day, they cannot digest it and therefore these shakes give them all the daily nutrients they need but compressed into small qualities. It is basically meal replacement, but the important thing is to feed your body only what it needs, not more, not less.
Thank God it’s Friday, what are you up to this weekend?
I am a gym person so on Saturdays I go to the gym, come back to check my business and shop, afternoon I take my kids and everyone to the farm and return on Sunday, that’s what I will be doing.
THIS past week was a whirlwind of entertaining, trending topics up for discussion.
We had everything from political landscape tremors to Hip Hop house raids. Here are the highlights on this week’s Social Media Round Up.
J. COLE APOLOGISES FOR RAP DISS American rapper, J. Cole, recently went viral for his diss track aimed at Kendrick Lamar.
The rapper released a song called ‘7 Minute Drill’ where he replies to the diss from Kendrick Lamar towards himself and Drake. However, after a couple days of traction, the ‘Love Yours’ hitmaker walked back the diss and expressed his regret for releasing the song. He asked for forgiveness from Lamar, calling the song a “mis-step” and said he hoped to “get back to my true path”.
Social media was highly unimpressed. “J Cole said he wanted all the smoke on every verse but as soon as that smoke came he tapped out. This has to be one of the most embarrassing moments in rap I’ve ever seen,” said one comment. While in defense of J. Cole someone posted, “My timeline is full of people not understanding what Cole did. Grown men sometimes get passionate and say things. And sometimes you get it wrong. And if you’re a real one, you apologise when you do. Cole’s energy didn’t feel right on that song and he knew it.”
BPF QUITS UDC Election season is usually full of plot twists and this year is no exception.
This past week we learned that Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF) has decided to quit the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) in it’s current agreement. BPF wishes to renegotiate the terms to form a pact. With elections looming closer, Batswana are not keen on the need for a new arrangement. One comment on social media read, “At this point BDP doesn’t even need to campaign. Opposition is losing by itself.” Another commenter said, “You guys do realize that BPF is a essentially a rebel faction of the BDP, one that is destined to return home at some point.
This is why I agreed with Saleshando regarding UDC forming an alliance with BPF, it makes no sense.” While someone else replied, “They called Saleshando a mad man. But we all see who the problem is.” In defense of UDC, one commenter said, “The UDC doesn’t refuse a pact model, nor does it agree, it is busy setting up a tone for its campaign going to 2024, the UDC needs to settle down some few issues within itself. The UDC without BPF is actually a blessing.”
DIDDY HOUSE RAIDED American Hip Hop artist and mogul, Sean Diddy Combs, had his Los Angeles and Miami homes raided this past week by US Homeland Security. The raids are in connection with a federal sex trafficking investigation.
Footage from the raid appears to show several individuals in handcuffs near the property. A couple of them appear to be Diddy’s sons, Justin and King Combs. Diddy is in a load of trouble and social media had a field day. “The only way Diddy can save himself is if he turns informant and brings everyone down with him,” said one commenter. Another comment read, “Homeland Security doesn’t go after you like this unless they know there is a case to follow. Diddy definitely did it.” While someone else posted, “50 Cent warned us about Diddy. There has to be a documentary in the works right now.”
Diddy was nowhere to be found during the time of the raid. Many are wondering if he made an attempt to flee the country. I believe we will be hearing a lot more from this developing story.