Faulkner improves to lift title

Wanganui's Darren Faulkner, seen here competing in Hawkes Bay, won the Master's Athletic 40+ title at the Nabba national bodybuilding championships on Sunday. PHOTO/FILE

Wanganui bodybuilder Darren Faulkner went one placing better than his runner-up spot in his debut year to claim the Master's title at the Nabba national bodybuilding championships in Auckland on Sunday.

Competing at the Bruce Mason Theatre in Takapuna for Inspire Health & Fitness Centre, Faulkner won the Master's Athletic 40+ title which had been his long-term goal after finishing second place in 2012.

"I'm really pleased. I've been doing 45 minutes cardio, seven days a week, for the last eight weeks. Plus training five days a week and doing all my other stuff," he said.

Faulkner went on to compete with six other men for the overall title, but was unsuccessful.

Nonetheless, the win completes an excellent first year of events in the sport after Faulkner entered competitive bodybuilding in July 2012.

Following the runner-up spot at his first nationals, he went on to win the Masters title at the Nabba Taranaki and Manawatu championships, then in May he represented New Zealand and teamed with New Plymouth's Tamara Merriman to win the mixed class of the Nabba Asia-Pacific championships.

Faulkner will wait until next month to see if he makes the next New Zealand team, which will compete in Germany in 2014.

His first domestic competition of the year will be the Nabba Taranaki championships in March.

There are two new Wanganui national champions as City Gym's Vicky Boswell won the Women's Novice Physique Short section.

In other placings by locals, Thomas Tataurangi of Wanganui Club Fitness came third in the Men's Novice Physique Tall, while fellow Club Fitness competitor Maureen Thomas, another New Zealand representative, was third in the Women's International Figure.

Also competing was Club Fitness's Mark Kaico, along with Audrey O'Keefe, Courtney Harvey and Michaela Sullenburger of Revitalise Natural Health & Fitness Centre.

There were 170 athletes taking part from the 400 who qualified through good results at the dozen regional qualifying shows held during the year.