Ivan Byekwaso Returns to Compete for Another World Cup Title Nine Years After His Last Victory
Ivan Byekwaso, former INBA Mr. Universe and 2015 World Cup champion, is set to return to competition nine years after his last win. Following two top-five finishes in the Netherlands earlier this year, he will compete in the U.S. in November for another World Cup title and the Natural Olympia in Las Vegas.
Former International Natural Bodybuilding Association (INBA) Mr. Universe and 2015 Mr. AM World Cup champion Ivan Byekwaso is set to make another bid for the title he last claimed nine years ago.
The five-time Mr. Uganda Bodybuilding Champion, currently residing in Germany, made a return to the international stage this year by competing in the 2024 INBA/PNBA Pro/Am World Championships held in the Netherlands in June. During the event, Byekwaso achieved two top-five finishes in the Men’s Open and Masters categories, earning two bronze medals.
Byekwaso is now set to travel to the United States, where he will compete for another World Cup medal at this year’s championship, scheduled to take place at the El Segundo Performing Arts Center in California on November 2. Following this event, he will proceed to Las Vegas to compete in the prestigious Natural Olympia five days later, an event offering up to $100,000 (approximately UGX 366 million) in cash and prizes.
In preparation, Byekwaso has intensified his training regimen under the guidance of his coach, Phillip Ricardo Jr., and is optimistic about his upcoming performance. “My preparations are progressing very well; the most important thing is that I am in good health and training hard,” Byekwaso commented. “Although I have lost some energy due to a restricted diet of only 1,000 calories a day, my coach is focused on ensuring that I am in peak condition. Despite feeling weaker at times, I endure it to achieve greater muscle definition, making me a stronger competitor,” he added.
In these competitions, judging criteria include symmetry, muscularity, definition (conditioning), and stage presence. Competitors are evaluated across 11 mandatory poses, which include the front double biceps, front lat spread, abdominal and quadriceps, left side chest, left side triceps, and hands-on-hips most muscular, among others.
