Brains and brawn: Engineers win Mr S'pore and Ms S'pore Bikini titles in bodybuilding competition
Offshore engineer and marine surveyor Michael Marc Ong won the title of Mr Singapore 2024 at the Fitness Movement Singapore Nationals on Sept 7.
The bodybuilding competition was held at the Singapore Airlines Theatre in Lasalle College of the Arts.
Mr Ong, who last competed in 2014, also won the title of Mr Singapore Physique 2024.
"We always loved the game. But it took 10 long years for us to finally get back into it," he said in an Instagram post.
"Winning this title has only reaffirmed my decision that my comeback journey will not stop here. This is only where it begins."
According to his LinkedIn page, Mr Ong graduated from Newcastle University with a degree in offshore engineering in 2015 and now works as a surveyor for DNV GL - Maritime.
An engineer also won the title of Ms Singapore Bikini at the same event.
She is Ms Leah Sonna, who graduated from the Singapore Institute of Technology with a civil engineering degree in 2023 and now works for national water agency PUB.
She posted on Instagram: "Over these past eight weeks of my first-ever bikini prep, I stayed laser-focused, calm, and committed - managing what I could control and sticking to the plan, no matter what."
One of the sponsors of the event was Spartan tanning company.
Spray tanning is mandatory for the athletes taking part.
Organiser Fitness Movement stated in its information sheet: "For operational reasons and to guarantee uniformity of colouring at Nationals so that no athlete is disadvantaged, all athletes must use the professional spray tanning service by our official tanning vendor, Spartan."
The standard competition spray tanning package costs $120.
The information sheet added: "Fitness Movement does not condone or advocate the use of anabolic steroids or sports enhancement substances. Any of these substances found in the athlete's possession will be subjected to immediate disqualification from the competition."
