Jake Dworski never competed in a bodybuilding competition until this past weekend, figuring his body was imperfect with "a little scar on my stomach."

Dworski, 35, made an impressive debut, winning the overall title at the 28th anniversary Hawaiian Islands Bodybuilding Championships at the Blaisdell Center Concert Hall on Saturday night.

"I was really excited that I was able to win the whole thing," said Dworski, who lives on the Big Island, and runs a chain of personal training businesses. "You can't get any better than that."

The 5-foot-11, 217-pound Dworski won the heavyweight class, and then defeated three other weight-class winners — Nick Ah Nee (light), Clive Lobo (middle) and Jerry Calvin (light heavy) — in a posedown.

The Hawaiian Islands event is considered one of the state's premier competitions. All weight-class winners qualify for national contests.

Dworski, who has a scar around his belly because of an appendectomy, said he decided to enter the event after getting advice from professional bodybuilders George Farah and Franklin Roberson, both of whom overcame physical imperfections.

"I contacted these guys, and they said, 'Jake, nobody is looking at that. It's all about your conditioning. Just do it,' " Dworski said.

Dworski said his scar "always made me a bit whimsical about wanting to compete."

"In bodybuilding, you're judged on your body," said Dworski, who founded Jake Dworski Fitness in 1994 in Santa Barbara, Calif. "I always saw that (scar) as a fault. I was always a little nervous about that. It sounds stupid, but it's true."

Judge Ernie Santiago, who won the first Hawaiian Islands bodybuilding overall title in 1979, said Dworski "had the overall physique."

"He's very balanced all the way around," Santiago said. "He looked very comfortable out there."

Judge Rod Quiton said Dworski's "conditioning was really good," with solid abdominal and chest muscles. Quiton said Dworski just needs to "work on his legs a little more."

"He was the total package, better than the other guys," Quiton said. "He's been working out more than 15 years, so he wasn't a surprise (winning in his first contest). He was the biggest of them all, and he was the hardest. He deserved the win."

Dworski dedicated his victory to his 20-month-old daughter, Roxy, and his fiancee, Kelley Roudebush, who provided support, took care of his daughter, and helped him prepare his special diet.

"She went the extra mile for me," Dworski said of Roudebush. "She was never a shoulder to cry on ... she was always the shoulder to pick me up and get me going."

In the masters (over 35) division, Eddie Damaso won the lightweight class and William DK Holt took the heavyweight class and overall title.

Erin Jenny won the tall class in the Hawaiian Islands Figure Contest, and Sarah Nakajima won the short class and overall title.

Travis Toda won the Jr. Hawaiian Islands title, beating two other competitors.

The championships — produced by California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Mits Kawashima — also featured guest posers Jay Cutler, four-time runner-up in the Mr. Olympia contest; Mr. USA Phil Heath; and 2005 nationals overall winner Bill Wilmore.

Reach Brandon Masuoka at bmasuoka@honoluluadvertiser.com.