For the first time, Bhutan will host the World Bodybuilding and Physique Sports Championships. The 18th edition of the global event will open in Thimphu towards the end of next year. With over 1,000 athletes from around 70 countries expected to compete, it will be one of the biggest sporting events ever staged in the country.
The announcement came on home soil. The World Bodybuilding and Physique Sports Federation (WBPF) named Bhutan as the host during the South Asian Bodybuilding Executive Meeting, held ahead of the 16th South Asian Bodybuilding and Physique Sports Championships in Thimphu recently.
It caps a remarkable turnaround for the sport. Bhutan returned to hosting international physique sports only last year, staging the 15th South Asian Championships after a 14-year gap. In the space of two years, Bhutan has gone from regional comeback to world stage.
Preparations are already underway. The Bhutan Bodybuilding Association has formed a working committee to oversee the arrangements. The championship will be held at the Royal Institute of Management in Thimphu next year. Last month, a team led by the President of the World Bodybuilding and Physique Sports Federation inspected the progress.
“In fact, he has already inspected the location for the championship, the venues, the transportation, the arrangements, and he has been very satisfied with all the arrangements that have been done in Bhutan,” said Sonam Penjor (PhD), President, Bhutan Bodybuilding Association.
For Bhutanese athletes, a World Championship at home is a rare chance to test themselves against the world’s best.
Thirty-three-year-old Thinley Dorji from Trongsa will represent Bhutan at the championships next year. He is a two-time Mr Bhutan winner, claiming the national title in 2024 and 2026.
He also won gold in the Men’s Athletic Physique over 167 centimetres category at the South Asian Bodybuilding and Physique Sports Championships.
Thinley Dorji is among Bhutan’s most successful physique athletes, with international achievements including gold at the Asian Championship and silver at the World Championship.
“When there’s a championship in our country, we have a big advantage, in terms of diet and exercise. So, I am going to take this opportunity and prepare for the World Championship . To be in the host country and to train in your own country, to train in your own house, it’s a big advantage for the host country athletes,” said Thinley Dorji, Bodybuilder.
He is not alone in setting his sights on the home stage. Thirty-five-year-old Mahalal Rai from Tsirang, who won gold at the South Asian Bodybuilding and Physique Sports Championships and Mr Bhutan 2025, is equally excited.
“The World Bodybuilding Championship will be organised in Bhutan next year, and I am also planning to participate. When we talk about the World Bodybuilding Championship, there will be more participants from many countries in it. I will also be working hard to participate in it,” said Mahalal Rai, Bodybuilder.
For 30-year-old Dawa Tashi from Monggar, another South Asian gold medalist and one of the country’s rising stars, competing at the global stage demands a change of mindset.
“Our mindset is to perform 100 per cent better than this. We should not expect to settle for second or third place. Some athletes say it is okay to finish second or third, but that mindset is not enough. We have to aim high. Only when we aim high can we achieve our goals,” said Dawa Tashi, Bodybuilder.
Beyond the stage, the championship is expected to deliver for the wider economy. More than 1,000 athletes, along with officials and supporters from some 70 countries, are expected to fill hotels and boost the tourism and hospitality sectors during the seven-day event.
“This is also for the first time that a huge amount of cash, USD 25,000, will be given to the athletes in Bhutan la. So, this means world champions will be coming to Bhutan. A lot of athletes will be coming to Bhutan. This will help our economy. This will help the tourism sector, hotels, and also for Brand Bhutan,” said Sonam Penjor (PhD), President, Bhutan Bodybuilding Association.
From a 14-year absence to hosting the world in two years, the 18th World Bodybuilding and Physique Sports Championships will put Bhutan on the global bodybuilding map, and give its athletes the chance to compete with, and learn from, the world’s best on home soil.
Karma Wangdi
Edited by Sonam Wangdi
