The Coal Region has a new Mr. Anthracite.
Mike Mullen, 31, of Carbondale, won the title Saturday as the overall winner of the Mr. Anthracite Natural Bodybuilding Championships at the Sovereign Majestic Theater in Pottsville.
"It means the world to me," Mullen said. "It is a culmination of all my hard work. It all lead to this."
Sponsored by the National Gym Association, the natural bodybuilding and men's physique contest featured 12 contestants from the five-county area making up the Anthracite Coal Region.
Warren Egebo, a promoter with NGA, residing in Hegins, brought back the once annual event last year after a 30-year hiatus. Participants had to pass a polygraph test regarding steroid usage prior to the competition.
Mullen, a regional manager for Planet Fitness, said he just got hooked on bodybuilding after competing in Egebo's Mr. Natural Philadelphia Show in 2011.
"There was a lot of competition here, and I feel good about myself," Mullen said.
Mullen will now go on to compete in the Mr. Natural Philadelphia Show on May 3 at Plymouth-Whitemarsh High School in Plymouth.
"I'm going to continue to work hard and hopefully it will be a good year," Mullen said.
In addition to the title of Mr. Anthracite, winners were announced for various weight categories. Awards were also given to Travis Snyder, Hegins, for best poser, Mullen for best abs, and Core Fitness, Scranton, and Pap's Gym in Tower City for the most-represented gyms.
Full results are available on the event's Facebook page.
Competitors in this year's event included: Mullen; Snyder; J.D. Blaskiewicz, Avoca; Chris Blazosek, Avoca; Jay Blazosek, Avoca; Justin Fiorillo, Pottsville; Clair Harman, Hegins; Matt Huey, Port Carbon; Tim Lebo, Clarks Valley; John Krajewski, Throop; John Parker Jr., Tower City; and Brandon Whipple, Scranton.
"It's fun to have four contestants back from last year and a number of new contestants," Egebo said. "It's great to be back here. This is such a great venue for a show."
Also returning to the show was last year's winner, Jake Cotner. Now considered a professional, Cotner was featured as a guest poser Saturday.
"It's great to see the ambition and desire in young competitors to be fit," Cotner, Saint Clair, said. "It's a neat experience, and I was happy to see more people enter the competition, and hopefully, they come back next year and it continues to grow."
For more information about entering next year's competition, call Egebo at 215-200-1680, email klon@epix.net or visit www.mrnaturalphilly.com.
