Langa body building champ to defend his title

“Older guys like Ronnie Coleman who also defended his title many times motivated me to come back again. I know the other guys are also working extra hard to beat me, but I plan to hit it hard this year,” he said.

Damba will join nearly 200 athletes from across the country who are expected to compete at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology in Bellville this weekend.

Battle of the Titans owner Kevin Schwartz said two athletes in either the men’s or women’s divisions will be awarded with a bursary to study in the fitness industry valued at R25,000 along with cash and other prizes up for grabs.

“I started the show to create a platform for anyone to get involved and showcase the athletes hard work. The final weigh-in and registration is on Friday evening. Only then will we know exactly how many athletes will be competing. The show will start at 6pm on Saturday,” Schwartz said.

Meanwhile, Damba who is a police officer at the Kensington police station, said he has been training for the tournament for the past six months.

“I was recruited by a guy where I grew up in Hill Town in the Eastern Cape in 1997. I was still in high school at the time. I was a very naughty boy and the man told me this was the right way to keep busy,” Damba said.

Undefeated men’s champion, Xolile Damba from Langa. Picture by Masixole Feni.

The 33-year-old father of two said he is positive that he will once again flex his way into the top spot.

“I work shifts which allows me to fit in as much training time as I can. I try and get to the gym twice a day for about two hours. I focus on a specific body part each day. You have to change the circuits you do regularly so your body doesn’t get used to them. If your body gets used to one thing, eventually you won’t grow. You just have to stay motivated as well,” he said.

Damba added that maintaining a high protein diet was essential for achieving success.

“Watching your diet is also an important part of training. I usually eat Jungle Oats in the morning and a spoon of peanut butter. During the day I will eat something like tuna with basmati rice. For supper, I will try and eat hake and vegetables. Between those meals, I will eat egg white, two bananas or a pineapple. I’m constantly monitoring my body’s growth, especially close to a competition,” he said.

“I was disappointed last year when I couldn’t enter Western Province championship because of an injury after the Titans. It was still a great honour to stand on the podium among some respected bodybuilders and still win Titans for the second time last year,” he said.

Damba said while he remains passionate about the sport, there are many challenges that prevent him from performing at his full potential.

Last year, he was chosen to participate in a bodybuilding show hosted by Arnold Schwarzenegger in the United States. However, he was forced to decline it as he didn’t have enough money to fund the trip.

“To stand among the well-known bodybuilders who have sponsorships is tough. That is one of the biggest challenges in the industry. The companies often have a long list of requirements. I know many guys who were good, but left the industry after they had no progress or sponsorships. I do this for the love of it out of my own pocket. There is also a lack of equipment in the gyms in townships too,” he said.

Damba also encouraged youths to join the sport. He said it taught him to be discipled and hardworking.

“There are always people at the gym that will help you if you don’t know what to do. It is my aim to one day go back to my hometown and train young kids. I know my life would’ve been very different today if I didn’t get started with bodybuilding. My family is very happy and support me,” he said.

Undefeated men’s champion, Xolile Damba from Langa. Picture by Masixole Feni.