Published on January 13, 2006

Sitthi “Oh” Charoenrith was yesterday declared World Amateur Bodybuilding Champion, after a drug scandal eliminated a Spaniard initially awarded the title late last year. The Surin native became the first Asian man to claim a gold in the prestigious tournament.

In November, Sitthi finished second in the contest held in Shanghai. But yesterday he was elevated to winner after Spanish gold medallist Arturo Castaneda was stripped of the title for testing positive to banned drugs.

Vice president of the Inter-national Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation (IFBB) Paul Chua broke the news at Bangkok’s Radisson Hotel yesterday. Sitthi was presented with the gold medal, a trophy and a certificate. It was his first gold in the light middleweight category – an early birthday present for Sitthi, who turns 32 on Sunday.

“I am very proud to be the first Thai and the first Asian to hold this trophy and the gold medal. It has finally paid off, after 11 years of hard training,’’ said Sitthi, a political science graduate from Ramkhamhaeng University.

Sitthi, whose nickname is “Oh’’, has a host of winner’s trophies from international events, but until yesterday none from top-class contests.

Five days after the World Amateurs, Sitthi represented Thailand at the SEA Games in Manila and grabbed the Kingdom’s lone gold medal for bodybuilding.

After his win, Sitthi was rewarded with Bt2 million – Bt1 million from the government and Bt1 million from Thailand Bodybuilding Association president Pakpong Kriengsak.

“I’ve yet to think what I will do with the money. I will keep it in the bank for awhile,’’ said the bodybuilder, who revealed that a strict diet was the key to his big muscles.

“For the past 10 months, I have stuck with my diet campaign. I need three grams of protein per a kilo of my weight. Half of the protein must stem from natural food and the other half from supplements,’’ said Sitthi, who eats six meals a day.

Somporn Suphop

The Nation

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