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Steadfast Nutrition Presents Asia’s Biggest Bodybuilding Events at IHFF 2023


Since its inception, India’s fastest-growing premium nutrition and wellness brand Steadfast Nutrition, has consistently backed many sports championships, fitness expos, and marathons in India to boost India’s fitness industry, giving the country’s talented youth a global platform to showcase their talent and promote and advocate a healthy lifestyle among Indians. Steadfast Nutrition has specifically thrown its weight behind Indian bodybuilding, working to make it a mainstream sport and enhance its profile on an international scale by sponsoring Asia’s biggest bodybuilding event - the Steadfast Nutrition Pro Show and the country’s biggest championships for amateur athletes - the Amateur Olympia India and the Sheru Classic Pro Qualifiers year after year. These Steadfast-backed championships are organised every year at the International Health, Sports, and Fitness Festival (IHFF) and have cemented the brand’s stature in the fitness and nutraceutical industry.

IHFF: International Health, Sports, and Fitness Festival

IHFF exhibits health and fitness solutions, Asia’s biggest bodybuilding events, and innovative nutritional formulations. The festival attracts athletes, including fitness icons, from around India and the world, making it Asia's largest health and fitness expo. Lakhs of spectators throng the 3-day festival. Two editions of the IHFF take place each year - one in Delhi and the other in Mumbai. Action-packed with several activity zones, including MMA, Strongman, WWE, Sheru Classic Male and Female Model Search, and more designed to keep participants interested -  the IHFF promises to be a spectacular event you will not want to miss!

In recent years, Asia’s foremost health and fitness expo has been at the forefront of developing India's fitness environment. The expo promotes businesses, athletes, and sports and actively promotes the goal of creating a healthier nation - Steadfast Nutrition actively joins hands in this noble initiative of making India a healthier nation. IHFF 2023 witnessed the participation of 600 athletes from India and across the world, over 150 fitness brands, industry experts, businesses, and one lakh spectators, including health enthusiasts.

Steadfast Nutrition Pro Show: A Direct Ticket to Mr Olympia, USA

Steadfast Nutrition made history in 2022 at the IHFF Mumbai, bringing to India its first-ever pro show - a milestone event for Indian bodybuilding - sending ripples of happiness among professional bodybuilding athletes of India. 2023 featured the third edition of the Steadfast Nutrition Pro Show. The competition witnessed a face-off between top-tier professional Indian and international bodybuilding athletes competing for the prestigious Pro Show winner title in four different categories. The winners got a direct entry into the Oscars of bodybuilding- Mr Olympia, USA. The decision of Steadfast to bring the professional show to India was a watershed moment in the country's bodybuilding and fitness world.

Steadfast Nutrition Presents Amateur Olympia India

Steadfast Nutrition presented Amateur Olympia India 2023 - India’s biggest championship for amateur bodybuilding athletes - at the IHFF 2023. The sixth edition of the Amateur Olympia India series witnessed the participation of competitors from across India and the world. The significance of the Amateur Olympia is that it gives a chance to amateur athletes to earn pro cards from the prestigious International Fitness and Bodybuilding Federation (IFBB), the governing body for the sport the world over. A pro card win enables an amateur athlete to become a professional in their respective categories, giving them a chance to compete in pro league championships in India and across the world.

The Steadfast Nutrition-sponsored Amateur Olympia featured eight categories, with one to three pro cards awarded in each division, for a total of 21 IFBB Pro Cards.

By sponsoring the Amateur Olympia, Steadfast Nutrition aims to give India’s talented youth a lucrative career opportunity to pursue the sport of bodybuilding and get global exposure since 30% of the athletes who compete in the championship are from abroad.

Steadfast Nutrition’s Booth: One of the Largest at the IHFF Expo 

Three days before the IHFF 2023, the team built what was among the largest booths at the expo, using a hands-on approach to ensure that everything was in place for a successful display. The efforts of Team Steadfast and almost 40+ workers resulted in an awe-inspiring booth, arguably among the largest and most eye-catching at the IHFF expo. As the expo kickstarted, it quickly became a crowd-puller, attracting a large number of visitors, industry experts, competing and non-competing athletes, and influencers who savoured supplements from Steadfast’s premium range of products, interacted with athletes associated with the brand, participated in various fun activities, and networked with experts from the fitness and nutrition sector. 

IHFF Day-Wise Round-up

IHFF involves an intense and exciting preparation to back the 3-day fitness extravaganza. The two-month preparation period was a whirlwind of hard work, fun and tons of planning including extensive coordination, and innumerable team meetings to ensure everything was organised and ready for the event. Being the prime sponsor at IHFF, Team Steadfast worked late into the night to finalise strategy, logistics, and event arrangements. Steadfast Nutrition featured in most championships, events, and activities across all the three days of the Mumbai edition of the IHFF 2023.

IHFF Day 1 - Steadfast Nutrition Founder Aman Puri Takes Centre Stage

The three-day spectacular began with the ceremonial lighting of the lamp. Steadfast Nutrition founder Aman Puri inaugurated the festival with a ribbon-cutting ceremony with bodybuilding and fitness icons, corporate figures, and event organisers, followed by an enthusiastic discussion and approbation to officially kick off this momentous occasion. Aman Puri, the founder of Steadfast Nutrition, took centre stage, connecting with fitness industry heavyweights and holding discussions with them. Among the honoured guests were bodybuilding legends Terrence Ruffin and Chul Soon, Bollywood luminaries Sonu Sood and Suniel Shetty, and Shiv Sena MLA Pratap Sarnaik.

These remarkable personalities, including well-known bodybuilders, influencers, and yoga instructors, inspired and motivated visitors to pursue their fitness ambitions.

The opening day of IHFF exploded into action as athletes surged onto the stage, bursting with desire and emotion. Every athlete, including those from Steadfast, joyfully welcomed their participation in this prominent bodybuilding tournament, swarming the registration booths. Finally, the athletes received their trunk numbers, which functioned similarly to backstage passes, each with a unique tag reflecting their line-ups, categories, and divisions for the exhilarating three-day muscle extravaganza.

The attention quickly shifted to the gathering of Steadfast Nutrition Pro Show athletes. These athletes were presented with the Pro Show athlete robes as a token of appreciation for their devotion and efforts. Their joy was palpable as they were rewarded for their unwavering dedication to bodybuilding and fitness with high-quality, premium supplements from Steadfast Nutrition. The Steadfast Athletes captured the audience with stunning presentations, exhibiting the brand's supplements through their poses; the bustling activity at the Steadfast booth made the supplements enticing, paving the way for Steadfast to  feature prominently in the proceedings on Day 1. 

IHFF Day 2 - Steadfast Athletes Bring Honour

The second day of the IHFF began on a high note, with a distinct and unmissable dance honouring Lord Ganesh. Athletes rushed into the Green Room as the curtains were raised for the Steadfast Nutrition presents Amateur Olympia India 2023.

The energy level skyrocketed at the start of Steadfast Nutrition's presentation of Amateur Olympia India 2023, which featured intense pre-judging rounds in categories such as Men's Bodybuilding, Women's Physique, Women's Fitness, Women's Figure, Wheelchair Category, Men's Classic Physique, and Women's Wellness. Exceptional performers graced the stage in each division, displaying  their unique blend of strength and elegance. The excited audience exploded in applause as athletes demonstrated immaculate conditioning, executing precise stances, giving it their all. It was a battle for the spotlight, a physical display that wowed the audience. Steadfast Athletes performed - brilliantly, with Ishu Thakur taking gold and Rohit Shetty and Md. Akram claiming well-deserved bronze medals, bringing honour to their brand.

After the exciting finals, the most anticipated moment - the ultimate pro card showdown, arrived. Gold medalists from every category competed for the coveted pro card in a nail-biting competition, marking a watershed moment in their fitness careers.

The Athletes who earned pro cards included: 

Men’s Bodybuilding: Mohammad Mehrablou from Iran, Ifesinachi Friday from Nigeria, and Pahlavon Sowvahobov from Russia 

Women’s Physique: Natalia Ermolova from Russia and Nastaran Mahdizadeh from Iran 

Women’s Fitness: Soniya Mitra from India 

Women’s Figure: Natalia Lavgud from Russia, Tiylkina Anastasiia from Russia, and Elena Rakcheeva from Russia 

Men's Classic Physique: Chaitanya Prabhu from India, Anand Yadav from India, and Mohammed Mobin from India

Women’s Wellness: Dayely Alexandra Onate from Colombia, Somayeh Saeedi from Iran, and Elena Tseluiko from Russia

Women's Bikini: Oleksandra Khovrych from Ukraine, Daria Sulzhenko from Russia, Ekaterina Opekunova from Russia 

Men's Physique: Vardhan Malhotra from India, Surojit Dey from India, and Harvinder Singh from India

Following the announcement of the championship results, Mr Aman Puri honoured top-tier Steadfast Athletes and trainers who have been recognised as the best in the industry.

IHFF Day 3 - The Steadfast Nutrition Pro Show Grand Finale

The Amateur Olympia IFBB pro qualifiers in men's physique and women's bikini kicked off Day 3, ending in spectacular finals as participants pushed furiously for the prestigious pro card.

Mr Sheru Angrish, Steadfast Athlete and Actress Shweta Gulati, and brand ambassador and bodybuilding star Rohit Shetty felicitated Steadfast Nutrition's most loyal dealers.

Steadfast Nutrition launched HerbFast Protein, a unique formulation of whey protein with herbs and spices to meet Indians' daily protein requirements.

As the pro show's prejudging began, there was a historic occasion as the wheelchair category joined the Pro Show India for the first time, marking a milestone in bodybuilding history. Terence Ruffin and Chul Soon wowed the audience as guest posers following the pre-judging, scorching the stage with their spectacular performances. The performance of Terence on a popular song by Lt. Sidhu Moosewala garnered applause and praise, electrifying the expo with a powerful wave of energy.

The big finale produced a dramatic impression as the three-day spectacular came to a close and the highly anticipated pro acts began. Athletes delivered outstanding performances, displaying unrivalled dedication and extraordinary muscular strength and definition on stage. Five pro show winners earned direct entry into Mr Olympia, putting their imprint on the event.

Here’s the list of winners of the Steadfast Nutrition Pro Show:

212 Men's Bodybuilding: Vitor Alves Porto from Brazil 

Men’s Classic Physique: Terrence Ruffin from the USA

Men’s Physique: Benquil Marigny from USA

Women’s Bikini: Priscilla Rodrigues from Brazil 

Pro Wheelchair: Rajesh John from India

Steadfast Athletes Steal the Show at IHFF 2023

Three Steadfast Athletes brought glory home at this year’s IHFF - Ishu Thakur  won the gold medal (Men’s Classic Physique); Rohit Shetty clinched the bronze, and Md. Akram also won the bronze medal. All of them vouched for Steadfast Nutrition’s nutritional support in their success, giving credit to the supplements by the brand for their stellar performance. Steadfast became an essential element of their winning formula after committing to delivering premium nourishment and consistent support. 

Ishu Thakur's gold medal and Shetty and Akram's amazing stage performances attest to the synergetic relationship between Steadfast and its athletes, demonstrating the brand's significant influence in boosting athletic skill and bringing honour to their collective achievements.

But they weren’t the only show stealers - several well-known Steadfast Athletes graced the IHFF. When the squad walked in, their charisma and ability to draw crowds was evident. They included:

Other Iconic Athletes and Celebrities at the IHFF: 

Roelly Winklaar: He is an IFBB professional bodybuilder, widely regarded as one of the greatest bodybuilders of the modern age, with a rare mix of gigantic size and exceptional conditioning. 

Chul Soon: The South Korean bodybuilder is well-known for his outstanding muscular physique and has achieved success in different bodybuilding competitions.

Dexter Jackson: Dexter is a retired IFBB pro-American bodybuilder with a long career and holds the record for the most professional bodybuilding victories.

Vlad Sukhoruchko: The young bodybuilder from Ukraine has made uncountable headlines in the bodybuilding world.

Terrence Ruffin: Terrence Ruffin is a professional bodybuilder recognised for his aesthetically pleasing physique, posing skill, and dedication to the sport.

Sunil Shetty: Sunil Shetty is an Indian actor best known for his roles in several Bollywood films - especially action flicks and fitness and business enterprises.

Sonu Sood: Sonu Sood, a Bollywood actor who symbolises fitness, is known in the fitness world and beyond for his dedication, generosity, and zeal for serving society. 

Sooraj Pancholi: Sooraj Pancholi, a Bollywood actor exemplifies fitness and wellness with his focus and enthusiasm.

Steadfast Nutrition Steers IHFF to Glory 

Steadfast Nutrition was a big force behind the IHFF 2023. The highlights of the mega festival were undoubtedly the Steadfast Nutrition Pro Show in Association with Sheru Classic- and the Amateur Olympia India, sponsored by Steadfast Nutrition. The brand’s reputation in the fitness and nutraceutical world continues to rise with its sponsorship of these coveted championships, which are a huge draw for athletes, fitness enthusiasts, and spectators across the globe, giving a fillip to the IHFF.

The Steadfast booth was also jam-packed with dynamic elements and live sampling 30+ products, indicating a diverse range of nutrition and wellness supplements for all the IHFF attendees to try and love the taste of!

At the IHFF, Steadfast also takes utmost pride and honour to felicitate their premium athletes, loyal dealers, VIPs, and other important guests, whereas involvement with fitness clubs, gyms, and equipment distributors and manufacturers demonstrates a thorough approach to networking and industry collaboration.

Other Sports Events at IHFF

The IHFF (India Health & Fitness Festival) Expo is an exciting convergence of athleticism, wellness, and education, with a diverse range of programmes catering to every aspect of the fitness world. The expo provides a complete experience, often with electrifying performances of WWE superstars and NBA players, as well as peaceful sessions of yoga and Pilates, and MMA and powerlifting championships. Seminars and workshops offered by industry heavyweights covered a wide range of topics, including nutrition, mental health, training approaches, and overall well-being. Attendees enjoyed the awe-inspiring guest posing by known fitness superstars as well as the opportunity to engage in model searches, which fosters dreams in the fitness modelling world.

See you at IHFF 2024 Delhi!

The Mumbai edition of IHFF was a groundbreaking spectacle, filled with historic milestones and astonishing performances that will undoubtedly etch a lasting legacy in the realms of bodybuilding and fitness. IHFF raised the bar  for the fitness industry with incredible displays of muscular prowess, leaving everyone craving more.

If prioritising your well-being and remaining fit is a priority, this fitness expo is for you! Steadfast Nutrition continues to throw its weight behind the IHFF, Asia’s largest health and fitness festival, ensuring its enduring eminence and triumph. As India's fastest-growing premium sports nutrition and wellness brand, we are now gearing up to take the lead at the Sheru Classic Pro Qualifiers, a highly coveted bodybuilding event for amateur athletes at IHFF 2024, set to be held in the capital in June. Join us as we once again present India’s biggest bodybuilding championship for amateur athletes at the IHFF. See you at the Steadfast booth too!