The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation has set the stage to host its biggest show of the year as athletes vie for bragging rights and roster spots on upcoming national teams.

The 45th edition of the BBF Nationals and Novice Championships is scheduled for May 12 at the Melia Resort’s Grand Ballroom.

Prejudging will begin at 9am and the entrance fee is $10 at the door. The finals will be held at 7pm with tickets available in several categories - General - $20 in advance and $25 at the Door, VIP - $30 in advance and $35 at the door.

Women’s divisions include the Physique, Bikini, Wellness while men’s divisions include Physique, Bodybuilding and Masters.

BBFF President Joel Stubbs said over 50 athletes are expected to participate, highlighted by an extensive list of newcomers looking to challenge defending champions and veterans.

“We are most excited and most pleased to have the event return to the Melia like the audience has requested. We will feature a lot of newcomers, which is very exciting to hear. A lot of new persons in the many categories. It should be a nail-biting standoff showdown in many of these categories. I have been hearing the physiques are extreme, well balanced with shape and density and with all that being said I hope these individuals can bring their best on that night,” Stubbs said. “He will be faced with challenges from the likes of Paul Wilson, Chris McQueen a veteran bodybuilder who took a break but is back training and will display his talent as well. Giovani Farrington, an up and coming bodybuilder who came out for the first-time last year and really had the crowd wowed. He will be back this year bigger and better and I expect him to have an impact. In the men’s physique, Raynor Ferguson will be returning to the sport and is back on the scene to display his talent. He will be going up against the likes of Terran Knowles and Albert Armbrister. We also have another great talent, our champion Elderich Rahming who is now a pro, but the remainder of the field will be present to put on quite a show.”

Stubbs said the sport has expanded tremendously since his days on stage to now in his second term as president of the federation, most notably the inclusion of more divisions.

“Women’s Wellness is a new division in the arena and is based on a woman that is more fully built. She has the dynamics or genes of a curvy woman who will never be really small but can still get her body in great shape with curves and muscle mass. It is a new look that has taken shape so we expect to see quite a bit of competitors in that field,” Stubbs said. “Things have changed significantly over the years, one being the expansion of more divisions to make the sport more inclusive to more people. There were few categories but now it has expanded. Again, I’m most happy about the fact that we have so many newcomers to the sport that will be on the stage. There will be familiar faces but it’s always good to have newcomers to challenge and it shows the growth of our sport.”

Kenny Green, executive vice president of the BBFF, said the continued growth of the organisation and the national championships, now in its fourth decade, are a testament to the foundation laid by early practitioners of the sport.

“It speaks volumes to the foundation laid by our forefathers – individuals such as Hubert Wong, Richard Demeritte, Dr Norman Gay and others. We want to pay special recognition to them as pioneers and for the contribution they have made in the sport. They laid the foundation where we take the flag, carry it on and represent the country. We also want to thank the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture for the many years they have stood by and supported us. It is because of that support we are able to stand strong as our athletes travel throughout the world and represent the Bahamas in the world of bodybuilding and fitness,” he said.

“I would also like to thank our sponsors who have stood by us through trials and tribulations, sponsors such as BWA, Nassau Agencies, Fitness Connection, CDM Group and Thompson Trading. We cannot leave out the gyms such as Club One, Ironman, JLine Fitness, Jemi East so we have to say a heartfelt thanks to them for their assistance because it is an expensive sport and we appreciate all of the help we can get in these ventures. We need you, the loyal supporters to come out and cheer on your favourite athletes to enjoy a night filled with fun and health.”

Charles Sealy, the chief judge of the event, said the discerning scrutiny of a qualified panel of judges ensures that the best possible athletes will be selected as national champions.

“The athletes spend a lot of time and money perfecting their craft and it is the duty of the judges to look at the quality of muscular development on stage and the best bodies on stage,” he said. “We have an array of judges that range from national to international certification and while there is a level of subjectivity these persons have been trained in this skill and are probably looking at the athletes in a different way than the audience is looking at them. The judges continue to hone their craft to ensure that what we present is the best panel of judges to select the winners on that evening.”

Following the nationals, many of the athletes will be travelling to Montreal, Canada, to compete about a week later. Then, in July, they are scheduled to travel to the CAC Championships in Mexico. The final show on the BBFF schedule will be the Faye Rolle Classic on October 27.