Tag Archives: Majiziya Bhanu – Hijabi – Female Body Builder

INSPIRING MUSLIMS – Powerlifters Majiziya Bhanu, Aaniya Ahmed and Mohammed Azmat Win Gold at Powerlifting World Cup in Moscow

Amazing Feats, Karnataka (under research project), Sports, World Opinion, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

KERALA  / NEW DELHI / KARNATAKA  :

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Indian powerlifters Majiziya Bhanu, Aaniya Ahmed and Mohammed Azmat have won gold medals at the recently held World Powerlifting Congress’s World Cup in Moscow, where they competed against 600 athletes from 20 countries. The tournament was held from 14-16 December 2018.

24-year-old Majiziya, who hails from Kerala, and has been sweeping headlines for being a hijab-clad powerlifter, won gold in the open category powerlifting, where she was adjudged the best lifter.

23-year-old Delhiite Aaniya Ahmed won gold in the junior category. And 42-year-old Bangalore-based Mohammed Azmat won the medal in 100-kilo weight class in the 40-to-45-year-old master’s division. Azmat hoisted 237.5 kgs in the squat competition, 155 kgs in the bench press and 200 kgs in the deadlift to win his weight class and age group.

The other Indian athletes, who won at the tournament are Daljit Singh, Varad Patil, Raghu Hondadakeri, Sandeep Kothari, and Bhavana Shah. India also won the best team award at the tournament.

The World Powerlifting Congress (WPC) consists of 46 countries worldwide that participate in an annual World Championships. The Indian affiliate for the WPC is the WPC India, which is headed by powerlifter Daljit Singh. Azmat, who has been representing India for the past 4 years at different championships, and who works full time as a program manager at global IT giant DXC Technology, is the chapter’s South India Head.

“WPC India has sent 20 athletes to different championships worldwide this year, including to the World Cup held in Moscow and to the one held in the USA in November. As a team, we are very proud of what we have achieved so far. Although on the stage, every athlete is an individual, however, this sport is all about team spirit. And we couldn’t have achieved all this without the support of my teammatesRaghu Hondadakeri, Daljit Singh, Varad Patil, Sandeep Kothari and others,” Azmat told The Cognate.

Azmat, who has also trained both Majiziya and Aaniya said that he is planning to launch a sports federation with like-minded individuals, where women from the Muslim community would be trained and encouraged to participate in powerlifting competitions while complying with the religious dress code. “There is a misconception in our community that women should not participate in sports, as that would violate their modesty. However, women like Majiziya are a living example that Muslim women can observe their religious practice, and at the same time compete in sports”.

source: http://www.thecognate.com / The Cognate.com / Home> Inspiring Muslims / by Shaik Zakeer Hussain / December 22nd, 2018

Bodybuilder in hijab, the head-turner at Mr. Kerala

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Orakkatteri, Kozhikode , KERALA :

Majiziya Bhanu takes part in the Mr. Kerala contest.
Majiziya Bhanu takes part in the Mr. Kerala contest.

Majiziya, winner in women’s category, is also a powerlifter

Quite a few were shocked when Majiziya Bhanu was announced the winner in the women’s category of the Mr. Kerala competition in Kochi recently. But the one most stumped was Majiziya herself. She had entered the bodybuilding circuit, which is mostly a male bastion, and managed to reconstruct the familiar image of the woman bodybuilder. The 23-year-old posed in a hijab, probably the only woman in the State to do so. And, it was her first time in such a contest.

The last one-and-a-half years were eventful for Majiziya, a final year BDS student from Orkatteri in Kozhikode. As a child, she was into athletics and other sports and had maintained a strong physique.

Boxing plans

She took an interest in boxing in 2016, but soon dropped out as she was not allowed to enter the boxing ring wearing braces. She then turned her attention to powerlifting and was declared the ‘Strong Woman of Kerala’ thrice by the Kerala Powerlifting Association. She got silver medal in the Asian Powerlifting Championship in 2017.

The idea of bodybuilding popped up recently. “I was apprehensive about taking part as it involved much skin show,” Majiziya said. “But then I came across some videos of Egyptian women bodybuilders and decided to adopt the costumes they used.”

She did not know how to pose, and being too nervous, couldn’t even smile while on stage. But thanks to fellow male bodybuilders from Kozhikode who encouraged her and officials who tipped her on the importance of smile, she gained confidence by the time she reached the finals. “The clothes were never a problem as the judges were experienced enough to assess a clothed person’s build,” Majiziya explained.

Source of support

She considers her family and fiance, who encourages her in her endeavours, as her greatest strength. Majiziya, who competes in the 52-kilogram category, now dreams of taking part in the World Powerlifting Championship.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Kerala / by Aabha Raveendran / Kozhikode – March 05th, 2018

Fully-clad hijabwearing contestant wins body building competition

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Sports, , , ,

Orkkatteri, Kozhikode , KERALA :

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Kochi :
It is rare that a fully-clad hijabwearing contestant wins a body building competition, that too when the fellow contestants could show their fully toned bodies. Majiziya Bhanu, who hails from Orkkatteri in Kozhikode, could do just that as she was able to wow the judges by her fitness despite wearing a body-hugging sportswear and won the gold at a body building event held in Kochi on Sunday evening.

Majiziya Bhanu, a professional weightlifter, was on her way to Kozhikode after attending the contest in Alappuzha, when she heard about the contest in Kochi.“My fiancée encouraged me to attend the event. I had never before taken part in a bodybuilding competition.

So, I sought the help of my weightlifting coach, who sent photos of poses to be displayed on WhatsApp,” said Majizia, a final-year BDS student.“I was quite confident of winning the championship as I found the other women contestants to be chubby,” she added.

Wearing black body-hugging sports pants, full sleeve tight top and a headscarf, Majiziya displayed her physique through the mandatory four postures. Within hours after winning the powerlifting championship in Alappuzha, Majiziya achieved success once again in the bodybuilding championship in Kochi.

“I don’t defy my religion as I cover my body. I am quite confident about attending more powerlifting championships in future. I want to start an academy for powerlifting to facilitate children in my native village to get training in powerlifting,” she said.

Majiziya follows a strict diet and does not eat rice so that she can maintain her weight. Her daily diet includes vegetables, goat milk, dry fruits, chicken and oats.

While girls in her age walk extra miles to make their bodies flimsy, Majiziya prefers to focus on fitness.

She says that she is grateful to her parents for their unequivocal support in allowing her to participate in the weightlifting championship. Her father Abdul Majeed is a businessman in the Middle East while her mother Razia is a homemaker.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News> City News> Kochi News / by T C Sreemol / TNN / February 27th, 2018