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Pacific Muscle Classic guest poser Robert Timms with women's figure tall division winner Elizabeth Mendez, left, and women's figure short division and overall winner Christine McGown at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Sunday, July 16, 2017.

Pacific Muscle Classic guest poser Robert Timms with women's figure tall division winner Elizabeth Mendez, left, and women's figure short division and overall winner Christine McGown at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Sunday, July 16, 2017. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)

Pacific Muscle Classic guest poser Robert Timms with women's figure tall division winner Elizabeth Mendez, left, and women's figure short division and overall winner Christine McGown at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Sunday, July 16, 2017.

Pacific Muscle Classic guest poser Robert Timms with women's figure tall division winner Elizabeth Mendez, left, and women's figure short division and overall winner Christine McGown at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Sunday, July 16, 2017. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)

Elizabeth Mendez captured the women's figure tall division during the Pacific Muscle Classic at Kadena Air Base, Japan, Sunday, July 16, 2017.

Elizabeth Mendez captured the women's figure tall division during the Pacific Muscle Classic at Kadena Air Base, Japan, Sunday, July 16, 2017. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)

Pacific Muscle Classic trophies stand ready to be awarded at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Sunday, July 16, 2017.

Pacific Muscle Classic trophies stand ready to be awarded at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Sunday, July 16, 2017. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)

Robert Timms, a staff sergeant based at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., poses during the Pacific Muscle Classic at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Sunday, July 16, 2017.

Robert Timms, a staff sergeant based at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., poses during the Pacific Muscle Classic at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Sunday, July 16, 2017. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)

Pacific Muscle Classic men's master champion Kenneth Walker, a former Marine, poses during the competition at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Sunday, July 16, 2017.

Pacific Muscle Classic men's master champion Kenneth Walker, a former Marine, poses during the competition at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Sunday, July 16, 2017. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)

At age 68, men's bantamweight champion Hidekazu Taba was the oldest competitor in the Pacific Muscle Classic at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Sunday, July 16, 2017.

At age 68, men's bantamweight champion Hidekazu Taba was the oldest competitor in the Pacific Muscle Classic at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Sunday, July 16, 2017. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)

Pacific Muscle Classic men's heavyweight champion Roger Francious poses during the competition at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Sunday, July 16, 2017.

Pacific Muscle Classic men's heavyweight champion Roger Francious poses during the competition at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Sunday, July 16, 2017. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)

Former Marine Kenneth Walker won the men's overall championship during the Pacific Muscle Classic at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Sunday, July 16, 2017.

Former Marine Kenneth Walker won the men's overall championship during the Pacific Muscle Classic at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Sunday, July 16, 2017. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)

KADENA AIR BASE, Okinawa — For Kenneth Walker, it was a long time coming.

The 41-year-old former Marine, who last won an on-base bodybuilding championship on Okinawa six years ago, captured the overall men’s title in the 11th Pacific Muscle Classic on Sunday at Kadena’s Keystone Theater.

“It’s been awhile,” said Walker, who took top prize at the Far East Bodybuilding Championship at nearby Camp Foster in 2011. “I’ve been waiting for this. It feels good to be back on top.”

About 350 spectators turned out for the 2-hour, 15-minute competition, which featured nine competitors in the women’s figures division and 14 in the six men’s bodybuilding categories. There was also a brief presentation by guest poser Robert Timms, a staff sergeant and pro bodybuilding competitor assigned to Luke Air Force Base near Phoenix.

Walker, a native of Paterson, N.J., who works for the Exchange at Camp Hansen, also won the men’s masters — 40 and older — category. The former Okinawa Marine got out in 2001 as a staff sergeant.

The women’s overall title went to Christine McGown, 36, of Rivervale, N.J., a civil servant on Okinawa who also served in the Marines; she got out as a sergeant in 2001. McGown also won the women’s figures short — under 5-foot-4 — category.

Winners in other categories were: men’s bantamweight (up to 143 pounds): Hidekazu Taba; men’s lightweight (up to 154): Ron Dadovo; men’s middleweight (up to 176): Marshall Boykin; men’s light-heavyweight (up to 198): Russell Morgan; men’s heavyweight (more than 198): Roger Francious; women’s tall figures (5-foot-4 and taller): Elizabeth Mendez.

ornauer.dave@stripes.com

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Dave Ornauer has been employed by or assigned to Stars and Stripes Pacific almost continuously since March 5, 1981. He covers interservice and high school sports at DODEA-Pacific schools and manages the Pacific Storm Tracker.

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