THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, April 16, 1995 TAG: 9504140182
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 19 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BILL LEFFLER, CURRENTS SPORTS EDITOR
LENGTH: Short : 44 lines
Call it beginner's luck or muscles in the right place. Whatever, Portsmouth's Curt Hinton has qualified to compete for the Mr. America body building title.
Hinton, now a resident of Chesterfield County, won the AAU Mid-Atlantic Body Building Championship men's open tall division in competition at Atlee High School in Mechanicsville.
It was the first time the 5-10, 33-year-old Hinton had tried his hand - and biceps - in body building competition.
``I've been to many of the shows but never participated,'' he said.
Hinton won over a field of 52 and the victory qualifies him for any national competition in the next two years.
``I'm thinking about competing next year for Mr. America,'' said Hinton, son of retired Portsmouth school administrators A.C. and Libby Hinton.
If so, he's aware of the work ahead of him.
To get ready for this one, Hinton took off 50 pounds in 12 weeks. He muscle-toned his way down from 245 pounds on Jan. 2 to 195 at tourney time.
``My body fat was 13 percent when I started,'' he said. ``It was 3 percent when I competed.
``Actually I trained for about a year but I starting my dieting in January. I cut out simple sugars and fat intake. I ate about two dozen eggs a day.''
Hinton, a graduate of Manor High School and a 1984 Virginia Military Institute alumnus, has been lifting since his high school days. He is an environmental compliance engineer with Philip Morris.
He works out regularly at a Bodywise Health and Fitness Center, one of the sponsors of the regional competition. ``Someone there asked me about entering, so I thought I would try it,'' said Hinton.
The competition included 13 mandatory poses with all the contestants in a line. Each had to choreograph his own routine, too.
A panel of seven judges selected Hinton.
``Winning was a pleasant surprise,'' he said. by CNB