The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

At one point Jimmy Norius said he was thinking about dropping out of the Bahamas Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation’s National Championships. On the advice of newly elected president Joel Stubbs and coach Wellington ‘Cat’ Sears, Norius regained the national bodybuilding title.

Saturday night before a jam-packed audience in the ballroom of the Melia Nassau Beach Resort, Cable Beach, Norius breezed through the final posedown to claim the title over two-time defending champion Bernard Davis, Jamel Hamilton, Desmond Bain, Joey Rolle, Paul Wilson and Charles Reckley.

The posedown featured all of the divisional champions and afterwards, Norius said he was quite surprised.

“I actually pulled out after two weeks ago after competing in Freeport because of some personal things in my life,” Norius said. “I wanted to just give it a break, but Joel told me ‘Jimmy, you need to do the nationals to make the CAC team and Cat assured me that I could do it.

“They told me to just give it my best shot, so I took the last two weeks to prepare myself. Last week, I was eating out of the ordinary with some cracked conch from Bamboo Shack, but I’m glad I took their advice to pursue it.”

Now, Norius said he will take the next 2-3 weeks to continue to work out with Sears in his quest to get ready to represent the Bahamas at the CAC Bodybuilding and Fitness Championships September 24-27 at the Atlantis resort on Paradise Island.

And while it has been a major decision for Norius to deal with, Lakeisha Miller and Lorraine LaFleur both noted that they had some other motives to stay committed to the championships and they reached the half point mark.

Miller, a Nassau native now living and working in Grand Bahama, won the women’s body fitness title, while LaFleur retained her Ms Physique crown. The two used the nationals as their springboard to prepare for their quest to win their professional card at the CAC Championships.

“I am ecstatic because hard work really pays off. While everybody was sleeping, I was running,” said Miller, a 36-year-old medical assistant. “I really stepped up my training. I’m really tired now because I haven’t slept in two days. I really wanted to win this title.”

In the body fitness D category, Miller won the title over Lyndsay Jarnsagin and Celina Jones. She came back in the posedown and secured the title over C fitness champion Dekel Nesbitt, B champion Tammy Stubbs and A champion Claudia Seymour.

“You never know what the judges are looking for,” said Miller, who redeemed herself when she fell short of the national title last year by winning the title in Grand Bahama before she pulled off the nationals Saturday night. “You just have to come with your right package all the time and have it well put together at all times.”

After taking about two days off, Miller said she intends to get right back in training because her ultimate goal this year is to get her pro card.

Last year, LaFleur came that close to winning her pro card at the CAC Championships, but she finds herself having to climb back up the ladder and she was pleased with her progress this year.

“It was great. The turnout by the people and the amount of athletes who performed was different,” said LaFleur, whose performance was so impressive that she earned the Show Stopper Award. “I just hope to keep it going so that I can get my pro card.”

LaFleur also had some added incentive to compete as her daughter Alyssa Fox won the Bikini B and junior title.

“It’s all about her now. All that focus is off me and now the focus is on her now,” LaFleur said.

A more reserved Fox said she welcomes the challenge as she won the junior title over Jamia Wilson and was runner up in the B category to Tazma Thompson.

“This time, I wasn’t as scared as I was the first time, so I had more fun out there,” said Fox, who was back for her second appearance at the nationals. “My mom did good. She always does good, so I was proud of her. I’m glad that I won too.”

Amy Sands, the national bikini champion two years ago, left the stage this year with that familiar feeling of being a champion again.

“The athletes were all beautiful and they had great physiques and everybody was a winner, but I praise God that I was the overall winner,” she said. “I plan to get right back in training and hopefully get ready for the CAC Championships because I want to win that title too.”

Although she didn’t win the overall title, Dekel Nesbitt put on quite a show for the audience when she came out. She dethroned Charnice Bain to win the Body fitness C crown and picked up the novice title as well.

“I felt it was pretty strong. In the pre-judging, I don’t think I performed as I should, but I came back in tonight’s session and really put it together,” said Nesbitt, a 21-year-old Grand Bahamian. “I knew what the judges were looking for, so I had to put it all together.”

For another Grand Bahamian, Tazma Thompson, there was a lot at stake as she went on to win the women’s B bikini title, but had to settle for second place in the open division.

“I was confident, but I was a bit disappointed in the second place, but it is what it is,” said Thompson, a bartender who turns 27 today. “I am excited about it and I will be back for the CAC Championships and hope to put in an even better performance.”

Winning the men’s physique title was Edric Rahming in his debut.

“The competition was stiff. It was great. All of the guys did good,” Rahming said. “I’m excited about the CAC. I’m going to put in a lot more hard work to get ready for it. I just want to make a name for myself.”

Already a household name after winning the title for the past two years, Bernard Davis said it was a humbling experience for him when he fell short in the posedown for the men’s heavyweight title to Norius.

“Each time I hit the stage, my confidence just keeps growing,” said Davis of his performance. “This is my third time and I just keep getting better and better. I continue to learn. I know I have to bring my A game and that is what I intend to do for CAC. Come even better than I was tonight.”

And for Paul Wilson, there was no better feeling than to come back from a four-year hiatus to win the men’s lightweight title over Lynden Fowler and newcomer Rafael Sbrissa before he went up against the various champions in the posedown.

“I felt pretty good about what I accomplished here tonight,” he said. “I wasn’t looking to come as sharp as I did tonight, but thank God. The right things fell in place for me and all I have to do now is tighten up for the CAC Championships on my posing routine.”

While there was standing room only for the fierce competition on stage, the audience got some nostalgic moments as veteran bodybuilders Della Thomas and Aaron Greene were honoured for their contribution to the sport over the years.

Newly elected president Joel Stubbs, in his first nationals since his retirement as a professional bodybuilder, singled out his executive team, the sponsors and the fans for making this year’s nationals a memorable one.