Awards for prize bodies

A corps of Masterton bodybuilders bagged a haul of medals at a regional showdown in Wellington.

Bevan Mckenzie, owner of Wai Weight private gymnasium, said five bodybuilders training out of his Masterton gym had each taken medals at the 2013 National Amateur Bodybuilders Association World Fitness Federation Wellington Championships held at Victoria University in the capital.

Mckenzie, who last year won national gold and silver medals in the sport, said the new crop of victorious Masterton bodybuilders included Steve Oldfield, who took gold in the masters athletic over-35 class; Deon Smith, who took a silver medal in the NABBA masters class; Ethan Kilmister, 15, who won silver in the teenage men's class; and Daniel Aplin, who won bronze in the novice WFF class.

Steve and Linda Oldfield also took silver in the couples class, Mckenzie said.

They were set to compete at the NABBA Wellington regional championship this weekend as well.

Mckenzie said the haul of medals captured by the five Masterton athletes had been well deserved.

"Steve's win was outstanding for a man doing his first show at 53 years of age.

"Ethan lost 21kg ahead of his first competition, which also was simply outstanding," Mckenzie said.

"It shows that age is no barrier in a sport in which you can compete successfully from a young age and keep on competing for many, many years," he said.

He added the achievement of the group had motivated other gym members to consider competition in future, including Mckenzie himself.