Mchunu pumped up for one of the biggest tournaments in SA
LINDIWE Mchunu, 33, is taking part in one of the biggest bodybuilding tournaments to be hosted in South Africa – the Arnold Classic Africa Sport Festival.
The tournament will take place on Friday in the Ruimsig Stadium in Johannesburg, where Mchunu will compete with bodybuilders from 27 countries.
Mchunu, from Mandlanzini in Richards Bay, is also an assistant referee on a national level, and a cycling coach. She started bodybuilding in 2020.
“At that time we were not allowed to go out because of the Covid-19 lockdown. I am someone who loves sports, so to keep my body fit I decided to start training at home with limited materials. Seeing the outcome and improvement in my body, I decided to pursue a bodybuilding sport career,” she said.
Mchunu contacted Sakhile Ndwandwe, who had a bodybuilding team with Sabelo Nxumalo called Max’s Team.
In 2021, she began training professionally. Mchunu said a year later, she “was in the spotlight” as an upcoming woman in the bodybuilding fraternity.
Mchunu began competing in main events such as Sunfest in Durban, where she qualified for the Arnold Classic Africa Festival.
She said one of the challenges of the sport was the financial cost – competition outfits, joining fees, travelling and diets.
Mchunu said what kept her going was the stigma attached to women competing in the sport.
“There are a lot of people who do not understand the sport of bodybuilding, especially in black communities. Whenever I am posting pictures of myself on social media, I am always bullied, called names and insulted, saying I am trying to make myself like a man or I look like a man. Well that does not discourage me, instead it pushes me to work harder than before. It motivates me”, she said.
Mchunu said she felt honoured to achieve this in such a short space of time. She entered the Arnold Classic Africa for the first time and it meant a lot to her. Mchunu said she was not going there just to be a number, “I'm going there to compete”.
“To be in international competition is such a great achievement, and to be one of the individuals to represent South Africa on such a huge stage really feels great. My dream is to become Miss Olympia one day, which is one of the biggest events in the world. I hope this tournament will pave the way for my dream to come true,” she said.
Mchunu thanked her family, the KZN referee, Max Team and Café Gym for their support, and pleaded with anyone who could, to be kind enough to assist her with financial support for preparations for the tournament.