An up-and-coming bodybuilder from Welkom is ready to set a record at the World Powerlifting Congress (WPC) World Powerlifting Championship in November in Durban.
“This year I fought so hard to make it in the bodybuilding world. I competed in Gauteng to qualify for the international event to be hosted by South Africa,” says Kagisho Segatlaka.
He is a powerlifter and a member of the Body Wizards Gym in Welkom.
Segatlaka, born in Ventersburg, has always been involved in sports.
“Like any other boy from the townships, I played soccer and ran a lot without competing. My serious participation in sports started with basketball, when I played for the local and school team.”
He started bodybuilding while playing basketball to improve his strength.
“I was very tiny and had a skinny build. Years went by and I moved to Welkom and joined one of the big local gyms and focused on muscle building. At the same time, I was playing soccer for the office team and enjoyed running marathons. I made friends with local bodybuilders and they warned me about running if I really want to build muscle and strength,” he says.
It was around 2014 when he started focusing on bodybuilding.
“I met coordinators of powerlifting who invited me to my first event in 2015. I went there and was the only African competing. Later that year I went to Botshabelo, taking part in a development event and won two first place medals and a trophy. Every year after that I won first and second place in my division, with medals collected in both powerlifting and strongman competitions,” he says.
“In March 2021 I had an injury with a 35kg dumbbell hitting my left knee. I never stopped training even though many believed I would never squat again. I attended one event that same year and won two gold medals, for best benchpress and best lifter. My squat is now my strong point,” he says.
To make it to the competition, Segatlaka says he will rely on sponsors and the goodwill of Welkom.
