The Ghana Bodybuilding and Fitness Association (GBFA), in collaboration with Fitnation and the 2023 Odwira festival organising committee, has launched the 16th edition of its flagship event, the Man Ghana Bodybuilding Championship, slated for September 29.

The event, scheduled for the Odwira village at the Akropong School of the Blind, has been christened the Odwira 2023 Man Ghana Bodybuilding Championship as part of activities lined up to mark the 2023 Odwira festival of the chiefs and people of Akuapem in the Eastern region.

According to the organisers, bodybuilders will compete in the men's physique, and women's bikini contests.

The winner would receive a trophy, medal, cash award, and an opportunity to join the national bodybuilding team, the Black Muscles, and also earn the title of Mr Odwira.

Launching the event, the Deputy Director General of the National Sports Authority (NSA), Abdul Majeed Bawa, lauded the decision of the GBFA to move the event out of Accra to the Eastern region in order to give it a festival spice.

"Bodybuilding is a grassroots sport with bases found in every corner of the country, and attaching it to a prestige festival like the Odwira festival is a great move that must be applauded by all."

"Apart from the event exposing the sport to the many revelers at the festival, it would promote tourism, and make it conducive for corporate Ghana. I know that with the right moves by the GBFA, there would be a lot of support for this event from corporate Ghana."

The Vice President of GBFA, George Fausta Baffoe, said Accra has been the main host for the championship, but this year's event was moved in a bid to expand the fan base of the sport.

Kwaku Fosuhene, a member of the Odwira festival planning committee, expressed his outfit's gratitude to the GBFA for accepting to partner with them and expressed the hope that the partnership would be sustained.