A great body at 41

Like an exciting movie awards night, last Friday’s Great Bodies competition had seniors, veterans and repeaters in the running for prizes. An annual contest conducted by Slimmers World International, the search, particularly in the male division, pitted the young against the seasoned fitness buffs.

Chosen Mr. Great Bodies was Marc Dungo, who already won the title a decade ago. The fitness center actually allows a time lapse of at least five years before former winners could compete again.

Marc should still be a familiar face among the public. A freelance model, he first gained fame as an endorser of a papaya soap brand that promises to whiten and smoothen skin. After winning the Great Bodies title, he was frequently seen in the same contest as presenter and even as part of the board of judges. He came back this time to be assessed once more and triumphed in his desire to be proclaimed all over again as the fittest.

Now 41 years old, the 5’10” and 173 lbs., Marc is truly still in great shape. His confidence and stage presence also contributed to his winning the title a second time. He represented once again the Slimmers World branch in Pasay Road.

Marc wasn’t the first winner to bag the title Mr. Great Bodies twice. Fifty-year-old dentist Art Guerrero also brought home the crown two times (2000 and 2005) and was again in the running in the Great Bodies competition held in Le Pavillion off Roxas Boulevard Friday night. Lightning didn’t strike thrice for him though, but he fought hard enough to end up as one of the five male finalists.

In the female division, Katherine Tan of Adriatico branch was named Ms. Great Bodies. A retail marketer, Katherine is 26 years old, stands 5’3” and weighs 113 lbs.

Twenty-seven-year-old Russian Nataliya Chystsiakova finished first runner-up. Working as a company manager and as translator on the side, she had chosen Manila as her base and works out in Slimmers Pasay Road.

Ms. Great Bodies second runner-up is Charlene Medina, an 18-year-old student who does her fitness program in Slimmers Caloocan. The two other finalists in the female division were Marilyn Luna, a 38-year-old housewife working out in Slimmers Megamall and Rhevi Lobo, a 22-year-old mom, who had successfully been shedding off excess weight at Slimmers Greenhills.

Marc’s other tough competitors aside from Art Guerrero were finalist Noel Victor Ceniza, a 6’1” 22-year-old student working out in Slimmers Alabang and second runner-up Arnold Salas, a 27-year-old gym instructor who sweats it out in Slimmers Adriatico.

Crowd favorite, however, was Bernardo Lirag, a 61-year-old member of Slimmers Pasay Road. He finished first runner-up. The senior citizen is the president and CEO of a private company and impressed the audience not only with his physique, but also with his winning personality. During his interview with hosts Christian “Slyde” Ardiente and Sheryll Crystal, he impressed everyone with his impeccable command of the King’s language and displayed dignity and respectability even if he was parading around in the barest pair of trunks that he had to wear as part of the competition.

His presence in the contest made it difficult for the judges to pick the top winner. On our side of the panel — from Andrew Wolfe, Slimmers World International physician, Dr. Caroline Chavez, Nelson Canlas and all the way to my end, we had a hard time. I tried to look at the other side where Slimmers World vice president Helen Camacho was seated beside big boss Ronald Joseph Moy and I could sense that they, too, were wracking their brains trying to figure out the winners in both categories.

To serve as breakers, we were treated to a Cirque de Soleil-inspired production number and that was a respite from our chores as judges. Selecting the winners in this most recent competition was one of the toughest I’ve experienced in my years of judging Slimmers World competitive events.

The Great Bodies contest had always been grand presentations, but this last one was the most suspenseful — and emotional. In the male division, the sentiments were mostly for the more senior contestants, especially 61-year-old Lirag, because their presence there was a testimony to the undying mission of Slimmers World International to keep everyone strong, healthy and in shape regardless of age.