Local bodybuilder claims two titles at national competition

As Zaid Adamo walked through the terminal of the John G. Diefenbaker International airport, people stopped to ask him about his souvenirs.

The Grand Falls-Windsor resident and his wife were each carrying an inukshuk made of a frosted glass-like material that easily catches the eye.

Adamo had to disappoint the inquisitors and tell them they are not available in the duty free shop.

Adamo won the two statues at the Canadian Bodybuilding Federation national competition in Saskatoon on Aug. 14. He finished first in the classic short category which is based on participants’ height and weight and in the lightweight division which is determined by weight only.

“It was beautiful - it went better than expected to be honest. I was aiming for the top three,” he said. “When they announced my name in the first weight category I said ‘wow’ second weight category I said ‘wow’ again. You get exhausted physically and mentally. It is an overwhelming event and because it’s my first time that added an extra mental burden.”

More than his first national event, Adamo was concerned how the cross-country flight would affect his performance.

"I prevailed and that’s amazing, but I don’t want that to dominate over my family life – I always prioritize." - Zaid Adamo

“I was dreading the flight because already you are dehydrated (from training) and the environment inside the airplane is a very dry,” said Adamo. “That will suck up the water from your body, which will add extra stress on your system. That was my major concern.”

The stars aligned for Adamo as he was preparing for the national competition. He was finished up his post-secondary education at a local college in Grand Falls-Windsor in June and took advantage of the time between school and career to prepare for the event.

“I said since I have time, I can dedicate these last two months to competition and then I’ll get back to real life again,” he said. “It was a perfect time. I looked at the factors  - say before I started my last three months of training and saw all the good factors lined up for me I said this is a once in a lifetime opportunity and that window will not be opened up for me again, so I’ll seize the opportunity before getting back to reality.”