By Olfa Andolsi.
Tunis, 27 April 2017:
A Benghazi woman is to be the first Libyan female to take part in a world bodybuilding championship to be held in Belarus in July – if she can win support from her sport’s national body.
Last month, Fathiya Al-Amamy became the Libyan champion female bodybuilder at the national contest held in Shahat. But there is some doubt over her funding and support for the Belorussian world bodybuilding and fitness championship to be held in Minsk this July, despite the organisers accepting her as a contestant.
Mohamed Al-Waseeh, Benghazi head of the Bodybuilding Federation, who is also Amamy’s coach said he was hoping that the sport’s national body would support her trip.
Remarkably the 48 year-old only took up the sport five years ago. She was persuaded by her trainer and members of her family to enter her first competition, the 2012 Eastern Region Championship, which she won.
Before her national success last month in Shahat, she had also taken part in a series of local competitions.
In Libya, where there are no dedicated gymnasiums for female bodybuilders, Fathiya trains at a local sports centre virtually every day.
Amamy says she is an observant Muslim and will be proud to be representing the county wearing a headscarf.
