• At 57, Nimal Wanniarachchi is viral, defies age, and conquers the global stage

Crowned the ‘World's Best Muscle Displayer’, Our protagonist today is Nimal Wanniarachch fondly known as Nimal Wanni in the sporting world, a veteran 57-year-old bodybuilder, who won the Master's category at the World Bodybuilding and Physique Championship, held in Batam, Indonesia 2025. 

He also secured fifth place in the 55-60 age groups and first place in the open category for best muscle displayer. Nimal's robotic style of presentation has captivated the world, and he has been crowned the World's Best Muscle Displayer for 2025. 

Nimal's path to success was not easy. He faced numerous challenges, including a ban from the sport that lasted for 17 long years. However, he persevered and continued to work towards his goal. His determination and hard work paid off when he won the Championship in Maldives in 2024, which went viral on social media, garnering over 200 million views. Nimal's achievement is a testament to his dedication and passion for bodybuilding. He has inspired many young athletes in Sri Lanka and has shown that with hard work and determination, anything is possible. 

He began his bodybuilding journey in 1986 and has since become a renowned figure in the sport. Nimal's story is one of overcoming adversity and achieving success through hard work and determination. He is an inspiration to many, and his achievement is a proud moment for Sri Lanka.

Below are the excerpts of the interview: 

Nimal, congratulations! You are 57, and crowned the World’s Best Muscle Displayer in the open category—beating competitors half your age. How does this moment feel?

Thank you. It feels like a dream, one I worked very hard to make reality. Winning the Masters category (55-60 age groups) was a victory, but returning to the stage the very next day for the Open Category was a different challenge. I was standing next to the youth, the future of the sport. I knew that my Robotic Style—my signature presentation—is something that transcends age. My body might be 57, but my mind and my performance are still young. To have the world declare me the Best Muscle Exhibitor in 2025 is an honour I cannot fully describe.

There was a very emotional moment when you received the championship trophy in Batam. Witnesses said your eyes were wet with tears. What was going through your mind at that specific moment?

I cried for a whole day. I didn't even realise my eyes were wet until I held that trophy. You see, that trophy wasn't just a piece of metal to me. It was the return of a gift that was stolen from me 27 years ago. In 1998, I competed at the Commonwealth Bodybuilding Championships in Malacca, Malaysia. I was placed sixth—my first international victory. I had taken a loan of Rs. 45,000 to get there, managed myself, and brought home a beautiful trophy weighing about 5 kilograms. It was shaped like a Malaysian bodybuilding legend. Shortly after I returned home, the President and Secretary of the association at that time came to me. They said, "Nimal, let us keep this trophy in the office so foreign dignitaries can see it." I trusted them. I handed it over. I never saw it again. That trophy disappeared, just like they eventually tried to make me disappear from the sport.

And the trophy you won in Indonesia...?

It was almost identical. Fate is strange, isn't it? Fate was kind enough to return the most valuable gift of my life to me. But this time, I got the trophy back with a name attached to it that shook the world. Those crooks took 17 years of my career, but they couldn't take this moment.

Your posing routine is unlike anything else in the sport. The "Robotic Style" has gone viral with over 200 million views after the Maldives 2024 Championship. Where did this idea come from? 

It started around 1995, at the Mr. Sri Lanka competition at the Maharagama Youth Services Council. By then, I had already been competing for a while, but I wanted to do something different. I had studied a dance style prior to bodybuilding, and I had this notion to merge the two. Usually, bodybuilders walk on stage with a standard swagger. But for the preliminary round, I walked out moving like a robot. The audience reaction was instant. The President of the Association at the time loved it and asked me to do it for the finals. Because the crowd responded so loudly, I didn't just walk like a robot; I incorporated the mechanical movements into the muscle display poses themselves. It became my identity.

It seems to have resonated with the modern social media generation as well, what are your thoughts on the innovative move you started decades ago? 

Yes. It is amazing to see. The world is seeing this performance on social media now, but it entered the Sri Lankan bodybuilding sphere three decades ago. It proves that creativity in sport is timeless.

You mentioned a group of people "took 17 years" of your career. Can you explain what happened back in 2003?

That was the beginning of the dark times. By 2003, I had been winning first or second place nationally for nine years straight. But in Sri Lanka, we have a terrible habit of slandering the talented. A former head of the Bodybuilding Association began going down the wrong path, and my hard-earned reputation was being destroyed.

I decided I couldn't stay silent. I raised my voice in a newspaper interview against corruption. They couldn't digest that. The association brought in a new law specifically prohibiting the criticism of the sporting body. They used that law to ban me for life.

A life ban for speaking to a newspaper? How did you cope with that?

It was devastating. This sport is my life. For three years, I tried everything to get the ban lifted, but my efforts failed against their power. I had to survive.

Twenty years ago, I left for Dubai. I worked as a security guard and a personal trainer. I didn't stop training, though. I entered the 'Dubai DP World' tournament and became the champion in the 'All-round' category in 2006 and 2007. But eventually, work took over, and I couldn't compete. I returned to Sri Lanka in 2016 and opened a gym in Kuliyapitiya, thinking my competitive days were over.

How did the return happen?

In 2018, Kithisiri Fernando, then-president of the Bodybuilding Association, intervened. He invited me back and lifted the ban. I returned to the stage in 2019 and won second place in the Mr. Sri Lanka Open. It was a long road, but I proved I was still there.

Let's go back to the very beginning. You started in 1986. What was bodybuilding like in Sri Lanka back then?

It was a different world. There were no fancy fitness centres. I was a wrestler originally. I started lifting at the Oruwala Steel Corporation playground. My first teacher was 'Yakadaya' (Man of Steel) Padmasiri Perera. He was more of a coach than a technical trainer.

Later, I joined the Colombo Fort YMCA in 1990 under T.A. Karunaratne. That’s where I really mastered the craft. By 1992, I opened my own gym, 'Lion Arm,' in Homagama.

You told us a story about training with a flashlight. Can you elaborate on that?

(Laughs) Yes. When I started, my idol was Arnold Schwarzenegger. I would get copies of Arnold’s photos and put them in a calendar to study his poses. I wanted to see if I had those muscles, but we were poor. I didn't have a large mirror at home.

So, at night, I would turn on a flashlight, stand in front of it, and cast my shadow onto the wall. I would pose and look at the shadow. I learned to judge my shape and balance by the silhouette on the wall. That’s how I learned the difference between shape and symmetry. The man who learned to pose by looking at a shadow on a wall is today the best muscle showman in the world.

People see the gold medals, but they don't see the bills. You mentioned the cost of the 2024 competition. Can you break that down for us?

It is quite an expensive sport. The 2024 competition cost me 1.5 million rupees. The entry fee alone was massive. I managed to raise about 800,000 from sponsors, but I had to find the rest myself. I had money saved up to build a roof for my house—about 400,000 rupees. I took that money and put it into the competition. I am still paying off the remaining debts today.

That is a huge sacrifice. Who has supported you?

I must thank my sponsors: Pharmacy, Lal Construction, and Ben's Brush. Without them, I couldn't have stepped on that stage. But I am still looking for financial strength. I have the physical strength; I have the mental strength. I just need the backing. If I get proper sponsorship, I am ready to bring victory to Sri Lanka again next year.

How do you manage your training and nutrition with these financial constraints?

I am my own manager, coach, and nutritionist. I work as a personal trainer to make a living. To prepare for a competition like the World Championship, I train for four months straight, working on my muscles twice a day. The cost of vitamins, supplements, and nutritious food is very high. It is a struggle, but I can't give up.

Nimal, you are 57. Most people are thinking of retirement, yet you are setting world records. What is your secret?

The miracle is determination. You need a goal first. Despite the obstacles—the ban, the money, the age—I had a goal that I would win and show the world.

I never underestimated myself. I lacked money, I lacked facilities, but I had confidence in my body. To the young athletes, I say this: Do not underestimate yourself. If you have a goal and you work hard, anything is possible.

What is next for Nimal Wanniarachchi?

I am a bodybuilder, a singer, a musician, and a mixed martial artist. I have more to give. I want to compete for several more years if I can secure the necessary funds.

Also, I see many trainers and centres springing up like mushrooms, running after money without real knowledge. I want to be a teacher. I want to show the right path to those who want to start bodybuilding or just improve their fitness. I want to share the experience I have gained over 30 years.

Nimal, you are a true inspiration to Sri Lanka. You have challenged the age limit and brought honour to the country. Thank you for sharing your story with us.

Thank you. I hope my story inspires someone to never give up on their trophy, even if it takes 27 years to get it back.

The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the interviewee, and do not necessarily reflect those of this publication

Nimal's Wanniarachchi’s Journey

• Resilience: Survived a 17-year ban and returned to become a World Champion.
• Innovation: Invented the "Robotic Style" pose in 1995, which is now a global viral hit.
• Sacrifice: Used his home renovation funds to pay for competition entry fees.
• Self-Reliance: Self-coached and self-managed, learning posing techniques using shadows and flashlights.
• The Goal: Aims to continue competing and teaching the next generation of Sri Lankan athletes.