Ivan Mamaev, a student of the Faculty of Journalism, successfully performed in the “debut” category and beat five other participants in this nomination. 180 athletes took part in the competition, competing in 27 different categories.
The Voronezh Region Body-building Cup was held on September 24, 2023. Despite the fact that the competition had a regional status, athletes from all over Russia took part in it. The event was organised in the Event-Hall in the “Grad” shopping centre.
According to Ivan, preparations for the competition began in January 2023, more than six months before the competition. From January to July he focused on gaining mass. Next was the drying stage:
“In August, my friends and I went to the sea. I spent most of my vacation in the gym, and the only food I had was boiled chicken breast and cereal. Around us were cafes and restaurants... In the end, I only went to the beach in the evening. It was difficult: seven days a week, training twice a day, and this in my free time between study and work, and when eating I couldn't even eat buckwheat, only boiled chicken breast and green vegetables,” said Ivan.
The performance was exciting for the student. According to Ivan, just being on stage already felt like a victory. At first the student didn’t even believe that he had won first place in the competition.
“I'm not going to stop. The spring season is ahead and I plan to participate in other competitions, not only in Voronezh, but also in other cities, including Moscow. Maybe I will participate in another category. I understand that the best body-builders in the world did not allow themselves to relax and did not give up when faced with difficulties along the way. Life is a series of choices. You need to choose something that will help you in the future,” said Ivan Mamaev.
