Weightlifting & Body Building

by Hla Min

Updated : June 2025

Early Days

In the Weightlifting competitions, there were three categories:

• [Military] Press
• Snatch
• Clean and Jerk

Later Competitions

In the later competitions, there are only two categories:

• Snatch
• Clean and Jerk.

Medals

• There is a medal for
  each Catergory, and
  the best Total.

Olympics

U Zaw Weik

• “Thiri Pyan Chi” U Zaw Weik competed in the 1936 Berlin Olympics as a member of the British India team.
• After Burma’s Independence, he founded the Burma Olympic Club.

U Aung Gyi

• In the 1972 Munich Olympics, U Aung Gyi set an Olympic record in the Flyweight division.

SEAP Games

• Burma won many Gold Medals.
• In 1969, Burma dominated the event.
• See posts by sons of U Ba Thein (Mandalay)

Five Bala (Strength / Prowess)

Kayabala ကာယဗလ

• “Kayabala” (Physical Prowess) is one of the five Bala (strength).
  It is complementary to
  “Nyanabala” (Mental),
  “Bawgabala” (Wealth),
  “Meiktabala” (Friendship), and
  “Carittabala” (Moral).

Members of Kayabala

• Kayabala U Shein was manager and mentor of U Zaw Weik.
• Kayabala U Than Tun and others continued to help with weightlifters and body builders.

Body Building

Early Maung Bama (Mr. Burma)

• Bohmu Maung Maung
• U Ba Kun
• U Sein Maung

RIT

• Saya Dr. Kyaw Sein (M65) headed and managed the RIT Weightlifting and Body Building team.

• RIT won trophies in the Inter-Institute Tournament.
• Ko Jimmy Kyin (T69), Ko Khin Win (EP69), Ko Than Htike (70) & Ko Thein Aung (Met72) are some well-known Weightlifters and Body Builders.
• Ko Thein Aung won “Set Hmu Maung” (Mr. RIT) in 1968.