Buda Anchah still bites
KUCHING: Former Royal Malaysian Air Force (TUDM) officer Buda Anchah is living proof that age is just a number.
The 46-year-old native of Sri Aman clinched the gold medal in the Men’s Masters (Age 4049, Up to 80kg) category of the 10th World Bodybuilding and Physique Sports Championships in Chiangmai, Thailand on Friday. Tun Min of Myanmar and Farkhod Subkhankulov of Uzbekistan were the runners-up.
The Sarawakian also bagged the silver in the Men’s Bodybuilding Lightweight (70kg) category which was won by the host’s Khuntal Phuangphet with Rama Krishna of India placed third.
“It was a tough fight, especially in the Lightweight category where there were many excellent athletes competing.
“However, my strict threemonth intensive regimen certainly paid off. I felt that I was 100 per cent prepared for this Thai outing, and I’m very happy about the way things have turned out,” said Buda via WhatsApp chat yesterday.
He was also elated that the first person to congratulate him was his wife, Mahani Lijau.
“She also posted the wish on Facebook. This person is my pillar, along with my children, my family and my close friends,” said Buda, who is now attached with Sarawak Sports Corporation (SSC).
The gold medal from Chiangmai marked Buda’s second world championship win after his victory in Budapest, Hungary in 2013.
It was also his second silver medal after bagging his first in Mumbai, India in 2014.
Adding on, the bodybuilder expressed his appreciation to Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, Assistant Minister of Youth and Sports Datuk Snowdan Lawan, his ‘boss’ Dr Ong Kong Swee who is Sarawak State Sports Council (MSNS) director and chief executive officer of SSC CEO as well as Sarawak Bodybuilding Association (SBBA) president Dato Wee Hong Seng.
“My buddies at Iron Hardcore Samarahan and my own gym, Buda Hardcore Fitness Centre Sri Aman, have always been supportive of me.
“Special thanks also to our national bodybuilding coach Sgt Othman Yahya and his wife Intan Syafinaz Mohamad, who never once missed any championship run by the WBPF (World Bodybuilding and Physique Sports Federation) and have continued to guide our Malaysian bodybuilders,” he said.
Buda was among two Sarawakians in the seven-member Malaysian team competing in Chiangmai.
Dr Malvern Abdullah fought hard in the Men’s Bodybuilding Flyweight (60kg) category, but did not pass through the preliminary round.