Pokhara, September 17

Arjun Barnabal won the title of the second Bullsmen National Open Bodybuilding Championship here at the Sabhagriha hall on Saturday.

The Nepal Byayayam Mandir builder, who also won the above-75kg weight category contest, defeated defending champion Ram Bahadur Dahal and 50th Asian Championship gold medallist Maheshwor Maharjan among others to lift the overall title. Barnabal pocketed Rs 150,000 along with the trophy.

Dahal contested in the overall category as the winner of the 65kg weight category, while Maharjan made it to the finals after he bagged the 75kg section trophy. Likewise, winners of other weigh categories — Kamal Bhandari (55kg), Sanjeev Shrestha (60kg) and Ram Hari Khanal (70kg) — were also in race of the overall title. They all earned Rs 15,000 each.

Apart from the Nepali bodybuilders, players from India, Macau and Hong Kong also took part in the second edition of the championship organised by the Bullsmen Club. The organisers also feted former bodybuilders Narayan Pradhan and Sachit Pradhan for their contribution to the sport along with journalist Dhana Basnet.