VietNamNet Bridge – The world champion will re-appear at the international bodybuilding arena when joining his teammates at the Asian Bodybuilding Championships 2012 from September 22.

There was a time that many people were familiar with the image of a “singer” Pham Van Mach, after Mach participated in the “Just the Two of Us” reality show. But Mach has come back as a bodybuilder to seek glory at the sports arena.

Vietnam’s leading bodybuilder Pham Van Mach and 15 teammates will represent Vietnam to compete at the 46th Asian bodybuilding Championship, which will take place on September 22-23 in Guangzhou, China.

Pham Van Mach is the defending champion at the tournament. He has dominated the Asian arena in the men’s 55kg class for seven years, from 2004 to 2011, except in 2006 when the Asian Championships was not held.

In the world stage, he was three times crowned in 2000, 2009 and 2010. In 2011, he dropped to the 6th grade in the men’s 60kg class. Devoting his effort in singing career after the “Just the Two of Us” show, Mach gained weight and his muscles were no long in form as before.

The failure was a dipper of severely cold water for Mach, which urged him to again focus on bodybuilding. This year, he will compete in the men’s 55 kg event, his forte, besides his teammates (Se Pha – men’s 70kg, Nguyen Hai Au – men’s 65kg class).

In the women's event, the world and Asian champion 2011, the "Queen of Fitness" Nguyen Thi My Linh (52kg) and the world silver fitness winner Dinh Thi Kim Loan are the most prominent representatives.

Over 200 athletes of 20 Asian countries and territories will compete in the contest, including many strong teams such as South Korea, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Mongolia, India, and Uzbekistan.

Nam Nguyen