Ariel Guong wins gold, 2013 Arnold Classic bodybuilding competition
Ariel Guong, a Filipino bodybuilder based in Kuwait, won a gold medal in the 75 kilos below category of the 2013 Arnold Classic bodybuilding competition held recently in Madrid, Spain. 
In an interview, Guong said that he could still not believe that he beat other international bodybuilders.
"Nong nasa backstage, kabado ako. Pero nong umakyat ako ng stage, inisip ko na kailangan maging high confidence. Ang ginawa ko po every posing ko laging nakangiti, every posing swabe. Nagpanalo sa akin, sa kilos, sa smile, sa pisikal at kay God. Binigyan ako ng lakas ng loob," Guond said.
"Syempre po napakasaya po . Unang-una po sa lahat, ang natanggap ko pong tropeo ito hindi lang po ito para sa akin, para po ito sa lahat ng mga Pilipino," he added.
The 2013 Arnold Classic gold medalist promised to train even harder to give further honor to the Philippines through the field of bodybuilding.
"Pinasasalamatan ko family ko, asawa ko, mga kapatid ko po. Pinasasalamatan ko po si Ma’am Genevieve Corneta na walang-sawang tumutulong sa mga bodybuilder dito sa Kuwait at sa Pilipinas. Pinasasalamatan ko rin po ang aking coach na si Gerald Alexander Pangan, na siyang naging inspirasyon ko po para makuha ko rin po ang karanagalan na ito," Ariel Guong said.
Meanwhile, getting to the top wasn't easy as Ariel and his colleagues had to undergo an intensive training in preparation for the competition.
"Una po talaga sa lahat, disiplina sa pagkain, disiplina sa pagtulog, disiplina sa pagwo-workout, yon po ang pinaka-importante, at saka kailangan po talaga dasal sa Diyos," he said.
Guong's fellow bodybuilders in Kuwait are happy for his successful bid in the competition.
"Ngayon, may gold na tayo. We’re not just going to stop there. Actually, dito sa Kuwait, nagpa-plano ulit kami that we are going to compete in Bahrain sa isang malaking event din, Mr. Olympia Amateur," said Machris Delfin, press relations officer of FitPro Kuwait.
The 2013 Arnold Classic bodybuilding competition was headed by former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenneger.-ABS-CBNnews