2007 EUROPEAN MEN BODYBUILDING CHAMPIONSHIPS

by Andrew Michalak

2007 European Men’s came to the history! They were held at the East borders of the continental Europe, in Baku, under the patronage of Mr. Ilham Aliyev, president of the Azerbaijan Republic, who met with the IFBB and EBFF president, Dr. Rafael Santonja, accompanied by the top EBFF officials. The contest, staged in the Heydar Aliyev Sport Palace, was opened by the Minister of Youth and Sport, Mr. Azad Ragimov, who was honoured with the IFBB Gold Medal. Mr. Ismail Ismailov, Deputy Minister of Youth and Sport, attended the finals and presented the medals to the winners, together with Mr. Rauf Bunyataliyev, Azerbeijan Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation President and the top EBFF officials.

Many of the participants remembered the 2001 European Championships, also held in Baku, and they could better seen the development of this oriental Caspian metropolis, when the European and Asian culture and tradition meltdown, created a new, dynamic possibilities, where Western-style sky-scrapers interiors are covered with the oriental hand-made carpets.

Over 100 competitors arrived to the Absheron Hotel in Baku to combat for medals in eight bodybuilding and three classic bodybuilding categories. After few not-so-successful years Russia re-built a very strong team and grasped most of the medals. Only the current world champion Robert Piotrkowicz of Poland stopped the Russian dominance, winning the 100 kg category. Pavel Kirilenko - the best 2007 European bodybuilder emerged from the Russian team. He won bronze medal in 2004 and then has hardly worked to improve his physique. Having almost perfect bone structure and overall body proportions, he developed massive muscularity, displaying in Baku an unbeatable “total package”.

Three gold medals in classic bodybuilding went to the three different nations but the battle for the overall title between Swiss well-known bodybuilder Parfait-Aime Konstedt and the Russian experienced star Roman Plachinta was very close. Konstedt showed fantastic muscularity with full, nicely curved and rock-hard muscles. Plachinta displayed wonderful physique with perfect classic body proportions and balanced muscularity. Finally, Konstedt was declared the winner, one point ahead of Plachinta.

Most of the winners had to leave the hotel at the midnight, just after the farewell banquet, and took the plane to Odessa, Ukraine, where at the banks of the Black Sea they fought for US $ 25 000 prize money (in total) offered to them at the first in this year Euro Elite Tour show held on Wednesday, May 9, 2007 in the Odessa’s Sport Palace.

COUNTRY	ATHLETES	PLACE
Russia	159	1
Azerbaijan	73	2
Ukraine	65	3
Poland	58	4
Slovakia	50	5