By Mohammed Siddique, TwoCircles.net,
Hyderabad: Mir Mohtesham Ali Khan, the acclaimed body builder from Hyderabad, has brought the rare honor to the country by winning Bronze medal at the Musclemania World Tour competition, the highly respected world bodybuilding championship in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Mohtesham Ali Khan, 33, won the bronze in the heavy weight category of the world championship held at the Grand Hall of Golden Nugget Hotel in Las Vegas on Saturday. The 6.2 ft tall Khan, who made it to top ten and then to top five on the first day of the competition gave impressive performance in the finals. The professional body builders from China and Columbia won the gold and the bronze medals.
Mohtesham, who before leaving Hyderabad last week had vowed to bring laurels to the country in the field where Indians do not have much to celebrate till now, said, “I had hoped and worked hard to leave my mark. Even then this victory is much more than what I had dreamt. Achieving something at this level of international competition is not easy”, he said over phone from Las Vegas, Nevada.
Mohtesham, however, was not the only bright spot for India. Prakash, another of the 8 Indians participating in the event, won gold medal in the light weight category. There were five categories in which 400 body builders from 26 countries participated in the Musclemania world championship, the leader in natural body building events in the world.
As the news of the victory of Mohtesham Ali Khan, spread, hundreds of his supporters and well wishers gathered at his residence in Hussaini Alam area of old Hyderabad and celebrated the victory. Youth took out a procession with Mohtesham’s daughters Tahera and Humaira carrying the national flag on the back of camel.
Mohtesham’s father Mir Abul Mani Khan was so moved by the good news from Las Vegas that he could not hold back his tears. “We prayed for him throughout the night as he was participating in the contest”, he said. “It is a great joy for all of us as he has brought name and honor to the country”, he said.
Mohtesham Ali Khan is the first body builder from Andhra Pradesh to compete in the world bodybuilding championship.
Mohtesham, who works in the railways and has won several medals at the national level, said that he was thankful to God and the people who supported him. “I am very happy and I dedicate this victory to my country, my people. My wish of doing country proud is fulfilled”, he said.