STEADFAST PRESENTS SHERU CLASSIC PRO QUALIFIERS AT IHFF 2022, BOOSTER DOSE TO INDIAN BODYBUILDING

STEADFAST PRESENTS SHERU CLASSIC PRO QUALIFIERS AT IHFF 2022, BOOSTER DOSE TO INDIAN BODYBUILDING

Mar 21, 2023

Steadfast Nutrition and Asian Business Exhibitions and Conferences Ltd (ABEC) once again teamed up to bring Asia's largest health and fitness festival, the International Health, Sports, and Fitness Festival (IHFF) 2022, to the region. The mega event, which took place in Pragati Maidan in the heart of the capital from June 17 to 19, drew thousands of participants, over 100 exhibitors, and more than 1.5 lakh spectators.

The Sheru Classic Pro Qualifiers, the country's largest bodybuilding championship, was presented by Steadfast Nutrition. Steadfast says it sponsored the championship to raise the level of Indian sports and to provide opportunities for Indian bodybuilders to win International Federation of Bodybuilding (IFBB) pro cards, which can ultimately provide them an opportunity to establish a name for themselves on the global stage.

Steadfast Athletes were also present in large numbers at the event, both as celebrities and participants. In the Sheru Classic, Navneet Kaur of Steadfast won the coveted IFBB Pro Card. Archana Chauhan, another Steadfast Athlete, won gold in powerlifting. In addition, Steadfast's bikini athletes Annu Doley and Tapasya Solanki won silver and bronze respectively at the bikini bodybuilding event. The company also sponsored the All India Mixed Martial Arts Federation Open National Mixed Martial Arts Championship, which is a popular MMA competition in India. Athletes from across the country competed in various weight classes in the MMA and Striking MMA disciplines.

For the success of the event, Steadfast Nutrition collaborated with some of the biggest names in the fitness industry, including Manish Gandhi, co-founder of ABEC and organiser of the IHFF; and Sheru Angrish, founder of the Sheru Classic and a well-known name in the fitness industry.

Talking about the success of the IHFF and explaining why Steadfast threw its weight behind the IHFF, Aman Puri, founder, Steadfast Nutrition, said, "We are happy that the IHFF 2022 has been such a smashing success. Through our association, we were able to bring key players of the country’s rapidly-growing health and wellness industry under one roof, which has helped enhance the visibility of Indian brands at a global level, instilling confidence among global consumers in our country’s capabilities in this arena. India is a powerhouse of sporting talent. By sponsoring these tournaments, we want to draw a clear road map for the success of Indian athletes at the international level and make winning a habit for them. Bodybuilding and MMA haven’t gone mainstream like cricket, football, or tennis. Success in such events will make these sports lucrative career options for the youth, which will bring us closer to our long-term aim of making India the Sports Capital of the World by 2050. 10 pro cards were given out at the Sheru Classic, considered a gateway to the world’s ultimate bodybuilding championship, Mr Olympia.”

Steadfast Nutrition has been working hard to ensure that all Indian athletes have access to high-quality, organ-friendly nutrition that allows them to excel in sports. The company wishes to channelise the energy of India's youth population, which is the largest in the world, into something that can make the country proud. Mr Aman Puri, the organisation's founder, has been an athlete himself, and it is his understanding of sports that provides the organisation with its vision. By organising international events like IHFF with the support of great organisations like ABEC, Steadfast Nutrition also amplifies the long pending demand of bodybuilders all around the globe to get bodybuilding recognised as an international sport by the International Olympic Committee. Bodybuilding has been maligned as a sport because of the use of steroids and performance-enhancing drugs. Through its top quality, steroid-free, and rigorously-tested nutritional supplements, Steadfast also wants to make bodybuilding a risk-free sport and remove the stigma associated with it. 

Asked to comment on his partnership with Steadfast, Manish Gandhi said, “Our idea is to give a push to the Indian supplements and sports industry by providing a platform to all Indian supplement brands at the IHFF. The event succeeds when companies like Steadfast Nutrition take the centre stage and stand tall as an example. The brand goes above and beyond to ensure the event's success. Everything about Steadfast is world-class, from their supplements to their athletes, and especially the idea behind sponsoring such grand events at IHFF. Their energy is undeniably unrivalled. They are the IHFF's beating heart. The organisation wants to change the sports scene in India patriotically, and we at ABEC would love to show our support by collaborating with them on future sports and fitness events."