VIDEO: Kurdish bodybuilder wants to receive pro status in Ukraine showpiece

Abdulkhaliq has put in hours in the gym to ensure he is in the best condition to participate in the Diamond Cup Ukraine 2018 which takes place between Nov. 30 to Dec. 1.
kurdistan24.net

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – A Kurdish bodybuilder from the Kurdistan Region hopes his months of training will be enough for him to receive a professional bodybuilding card at a prestigious showpiece in Ukraine at the end of November.  

For the past three months, Kurdish bodybuilder Hiwa Abdulkhaliq has been training and preparing for the Diamond Cup Ukraine 2018 in Kiev, an international bodybuilding competition.

Abdulkhaliq has put in hours in the gym to ensure he is in the best condition to participate in the Diamond Cup which takes place between Nov. 30 to Dec. 1, 2018.

The Kurdish athlete wants to compete in the 85-kilogram weight class. He has competed in that division in previous local and international competitions in the past.

“My goal, although I have yet to decide, is to compete in the 85-kilogram [weight class] or 90 kilograms,” he told Kurdistan 24. “If I can’t reach 90, I’m okay with 85 kilograms.”

According to Abdulkhaliq, the Diamond Cup is considered an amateur Mr. Olympia competition. There are five International Federation of Body Builders (IFBB) elite pro cards available at this year’s showpiece in Ukraine which he says is his primary goal.

“I’ve competed in the Arnold Classic, which is a very prestigious bodybuilding competition, in the United Kingdom, and also in the Mr. Universe in Finland where I tried to win the World Championship,” Abdulkhaliq stated. “But, the Diamond Cup in Kiev is very important for me.”

He also said he looks forward to competing with some of the best bodybuilders in the world and wants to achieve success in Ukraine.  

“Many nations around the world will attend the tournament. Ukraine itself has a rich history of bodybuilding, similar to Russia. These two nations are known for producing some of the best bodybuilders.”

The Kurdish bodybuilder boasts a collection of medals and awards himself, among them from competitions in the Kurdistan Region (2012) and the World Bodybuilding Championship in Greece (2014).

(Additional reporting by Kurdistan 24 correspondent Darbaz Ahmed)