Biggest loser richer by $23,000

Source: By Abac Cordero (The Philippine Star)

HOLLYWOOD – Forty-nine pounds lighter and $23,000 richer.

That was how Tim Sladeck, who works on some of Manny Pacquiao’s endorsement deals in the United States, crawled out of the La Palazzo apartment Sunday after topping the “Weight Loss Challenge” put up by the boxer.

Under the rules, participants were given 20 days to shed off 15 percent of their body weight with no use of any weight-reducing drugs. Those who make it gets $3,000 each and the “biggest loser” comes home with an extra $20,000.

Eighty-seven persons, mostly based in the US, joined the contest but only 38 of them made it. And in Sunday’s official weigh-in, supervised by the boxer himself, some of them looked and walked like zombies.

It was the 41-year-old Sladek who topped them all.

In only 20 days, the regular visitor to the Philippines shed off 49 lb. From 214 he dropped to 165 and looked like he was ready to faint after being weighed, using the official Wild Card scales.

“It was tough. For 20 days burned 3,000 calories a day and took in only 300 calories. I did five hours of cardio exercises a day. But I made sure I was healthy,” he said, holding on to a gallon of energy drink afterwards.

Alex Ariza, a former winner, lost 33 lb as he headed to the elevator after getting his prize. Winchell Campos, the embedded writer for Team Pacquiao, also lost 33 lb but came nowhere close to Sladeck’s feat.

It was the third time in four fights that Pacquiao staged the contest. Ariza won the first one when he lost almost half of his body weight, and Michael Koncz, the Canadian adviser, won the next after nearly starving himself to death.

But it’s all for fun with Pacquiao ending up giving away $134,000 or P6.1 million.

“No problem for Manny because over the last few days he won nearly $200,000 betting online on NBA games,” a source said.

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