Tongan bodybuilder Sepuloni Koloa is preparing to represent Tonga and Team South Pacific at next weekend’s Aotearoa South Pacific ProAm in Auckland, returning to the professional stage after an impressive rise from his first competition in Tonga just two years ago.
ICN South Pacific announced Koloa’s participation this week, describing him as the “Tongan Superman” as he prepares to compete against elite natural bodybuilding athletes at the Bruce Mason Centre in Takapuna on Saturday, September 26.
Koloa made his competitive debut in Tonga in 2024, where he won the Overall Men’s Physique and Men’s Fitness titles, according to ICN South Pacific.
He continued his rise at last year’s Oceania Championships in Christchurch, winning the Overall Men’s Physique title and earning his professional qualification card.
Koloa subsequently made his professional debut, finishing second in what ICN South Pacific described as a highly competitive line-up.
“We are excited to have Sepuloni Koloa representing Team South Pacific and Tonga,” ICN South Pacific said in announcing his return to competition.
The Aotearoa South Pacific ProAm will bring together amateur and professional natural bodybuilding competitors from New Zealand, Australia and across the Pacific.
Organisers say the professional competition is open to ICN Pro Card and Pro Qualification Card holders from around the world, with at least NZ$10,000 in prize money guaranteed across the professional competition.
The Auckland event also represents an expanded regional focus for ICN New Zealand, bringing South Pacific competitors into both its amateur and professional divisions.
Tonga has been incorporated into the qualification pathway, with the ICN South Pacific Championships held in Tonga on September 12 listed as one of the qualifying competitions for the Auckland amateur championship.
The September 26 ProAm is also a qualifier for the ICN World Natural Games, scheduled to be held in Dubai later this year.
For Koloa, the Auckland appearance marks another step in a rapid progression from making his bodybuilding debut on home soil in Tonga in 2024 to competing as a professional athlete on the regional stage.
