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Duay: CNMI will soon catch up with Guam
Guam champion bodybuilder Mike Duay believes bodybuilding will be a big thing in the CNMI with the Commonwealth’s muscle men soon catching up with their southern neighbors.
Guam’s Mike Duay, right, poses with Dee Clayton Classic overall champion Derek Cutting after last Saturday’s annual bodybuilding competition at PIC’s Charley’s Cabaret. Duay was one of the judges of the event.
(Jon Perez)
Duay said the birth pains that Saipan have been experiencing are normal since the same thing happened to Guam when bodybuilding was just starting there.
“It’s just only starting here and it will keep getting better. It will get as big as Guam, it’s been always like that. Bodybuilding here is still in its growth stages and it will explode more on Saipan,” said Duay in an interview with the Saipan Tribune.
Duay was on Saipan over the weekend to serve as one of the judges in last Saturday’s Dee Clayton Classic.
He said bodybuilding events would further promote the sport to the community, especially to the younger generation.
“Seeing all the hard work the competitors put in would get people motivated to get into fitness and live a healthy lifestyle. Everyone will work harder,” said Duay.
“It is also good to see younger kids get into fitness. They will be the next generation that will compete here and hopefully would represent the CNMI in international tournaments,” Duay added.
Duay, who competes in the heavyweight division, said that he had a number of runner-up finishes in the Guam nationals before finally winning it in 2014.
Duay added that previously he was not into bodybuilding and his current physique was not used to be like that. He said that he was overweight before and weighed close to 300 lbs.
“Watching bodybuilding shows and people lifting weights get me motivated to get healthy. I was overweight when I was still in my early 20s. And I said to myself ‘I need to get in shape and have a healthy lifestyle.’”
“So, I met people who helped me step by step to lose weight and eat right. They taught me everything I know about working out, resting, and the consistency of your program. I want to show the results of all my hard work.”
Now, the 26-year-old plans to join the U.S. nationals but he said he needs to get bigger since competition there will be at a different level.
