A 23-year-old bodybuilder from Anantnag district of south Kashmir has become the first from the Valley and youngest in the country to have won the “Men’s Classic Physique” and a pro-card.Subeel Nisar Shah, alias Subeel Tahir, son of Nisar Ahmad Shah, a resident of #Khiram village in Bijbehara area of Anantnag district has won the feat in the “Sheru Classic” event held on March 1 in Chandigarh.
The Sheru Classic is a pro-league bodybuilding championship held under the aegis of International Federation of Bodybuilding and is considered to be the biggest in Asia and South America.
The championship has eight categories, four each for men and women. More than 400 athletes from across the country had participated in the March 1 event held at the Tagore Hall in Sector 18.
Subeel had participated in the Men’s Classic Physique, where it is pre-requisite to have body weight in proportion to one’s height. This particular section had four categories and a single winner, Subeel Tahir.
He has been awarded a cash prize of Rs 50,000 and a sponsorship by bodybuilding supplement making companies.
“The real feat however is the pro-card, which is a doorway to the Olympia. It means entry to the pro-shows around the world,” Subeel said. He said that he had been working really hard to realise this dream and believed in himself all along. “Bodybuilding is taken up for fun in Kashmir. Not many pursue it as a serious sport. I wanted to change that. I think I am moving in the right direction,” Subeel said. Subeel said if he would be able to motivate even a few youths in the Valley to take up this sport seriously, he would consider his job done. “I am an online coach as well and I make sure that I keep passing on pro-tips to the budding bodybuilders of the Valley and the country,” Subeel said.
