Marume revives Ironman romance
SINCE calling time on his illustrious career, Givemore Marume has led a quiet life. The 49-year-old former bodybuilder has taken up a new hobby — an unlikely one for that matter.
He has since taken up spin which is a group exercise class in which participants use stationary spin bikes as their main workout equipment.
“People don’t know that I am a very good spin instructor.
“I am very good at that,” he said. Marume has also spent the last couple of years mixing and mingling with old friends and associates.
He even contemplated trying out farming. “I have recently found excitement in trying out farming, just as an experiment.
“The aim is to try it out and I haven’t really made up my mind on whether I will concentrate on cash crops, poultry or even something like piggery,” he said.
The sad part about all these new ventures and hobbies is that they are likely to take a back seat, as Marume’s first love has beckoned to him, and ever the loyal soldier, he has answered.
With the return of the Ironman competition on the Zimbabwe calendar, albeit under a new name and format, the National Federation of Zimbabwe Bodybuilding and Fitness needed to find the right man to front its great comeback.
And, who better than the competition’s most decorated champion, Givemore Marume.
A four-time Mr Zimbabwe and six-time Ironman champion, he has been roped in as technical director of the Ironman Festival.
It is a role he didn’t need to think twice about accepting, and one that brought fond memories of his glory days during the festival’s big launch in Kadoma last weekend.
“I didn’t need to be asked twice and I jumped at the offer to return to the Ironman competition as technical director,” he said.
“I have been doing similar gigs as the athletes’ manager during international shows.
“I have been helping out with the Arnold Classics during the last couple of years and I would take care of all our athletes’ welfare, helped them prepare and generally made sure everything was in place.”
The Ironman Festival will be held on May 28 in Kadoma.
This time it involves an array of activities such as a half-marathon and strength and skill challenges, with the main event being the Ironman competition itself.
Returning after a five-year hiatus, the Ironman competition is synonymous with the name Givemore Marume.
The veteran bodybuilder won it six times in consecutive years between 1993 and 1999.
“The Ironman titles have a special place in my heart, as they represent the peak years of my career.
“I had just moved from the junior category and was now a senior.
“I started winning every competition that came my way, and looking back, I think it is all down to my body balance.
“I had good proportions and worked hard to shape them.”
He fondly remembers how competitive the field was back then, with Elvis Chibhamu, Kevin Gobbes and Tendai Chaipa giving him a good run for his money.
Beating this impressive field made the victory sweeter. The competition has made legends of some great Zimbabwe bodybuilders like James Sopa (1987), Walter Munyikwa (2002-03), Chaipa (1992) and, more recently, Isaac Chimuchenga, Victor Kandiyero,
Champion Chienderamwano and Nunurai Masosonere. Marume is not the only multiple champion, as bodybuilders such as Munyikwa (2002-3), Kandiyero (2011-13) and Zumailer Eusen Mamman (2001, 2004, 2005 and 2007) have a number of titles under their belt.
Still, what is more astonishing is the fact that despite all his success in the competition, the Ironman is not his favourite.
“Looking back, the titles I value most are the four Mr Zimbabwe titles.
“It was a tough competition to compete in and to be crowned Mr Zimbabwe is an indescribable feeling.
“Half the time, one would think that it was all a dream . . .
“Now, to do that four times was clearly the highlight of my career.”