For the second straight year, due to the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Bahamas Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation (BBFF) has named a relatively small team for the International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness’ (IFBB) Central American and Caribbean Bodybuilding and Fitness Championships, which is set for this weekend in Sal Salvador, El Salvador.
The 48th annual championships will be held August 12-16 and an eight-member team will represent The Bahamas.
Named to the squad are Jaye Darling, Terrion Kemp, Kaif Young, Fania Joseph, Wellington Wallace, Jason Johnson, Gemo Smith and Ashley Sturrup.
Evaluating the team this past Saturday at J-Line Fitness Bahamas on Shirley Street, BBFF Vice President and internationally
certified judge Kenny Greene said he likes what he saw and is looking forward to great performances.
Last year, an eight-member team won a silver and three bronze medals in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and this year, officials are hoping for an even better result from the same number of competitors.
“We have a very small team but a very compact one,” said Greene. “The athletes are in superb condition and we are looking for them to do very well and
represent the country to the highest level. We are hopeful that they could all bring back gold medals, but we know that whatever the situation is, they would have done their best. We want to wish them all the best.”
Chevy Roker, another internationally certified Bahamian judge, said the level of improvement in the athletes’ bodies over the last few weeks has been astounding.
“We’ve been assessing them for a few weeks now and I have seen a vast improvement in their conditioning. The team is ready to go. Despite all of the challenges with COVID-19 and the restrictions in place, they have really been putting in the effort,” he said.
National coach Raymond Tucker said the work is ongoing for the athletes.
“The grueling work that the athletes have put in has proved to be rewarding. They have shown tremendous improvement,” he said. “They have stepped up to the plate and are ready to represent Team
Bahamas well. They have all worked hard and are ready to take on the world. They have a competitive look on their faces and it matches their bodies. We are going to bring back some gold medals.”
Young, who competes in men’s physique (over 179 centimeters), will be representing The Bahamas at the CAC Championships for a fourth time. He won a bronze medal last year.
“I’m looking to bring back the gold this time and hopefully a pro card as well,” he said. “So far, the training has been going pretty good and you can expect some good news when I get back.”
Jaye Darling has competed in a number of BBFF National Championships but is yet to represent the country internationally. He is one of the first-timers on Team Bahamas for the CAC Championships this year.
“It’s an honor and a pleasure to have this opportunity to represent The Bahamas. I’m looking forward to having a great performance. Those who are interested in bodybuilding and fitness and want to get their bodies correct should give the sport a try, but it’s a tedious and expensive journey. Support is always needed,” he said.
Darling will be competing in men’s physique and men’s muscular physique.
“What Nardo Dean (BBFF project manager) and Joel Stubbs (BBFF president) are doing is great – trying to get more eyes on the sport. It’s very strategic and there are lots of things you have to prep for. I’m honored to be going to CACs.”
Also making his first appearance at the CAC Championships will be Terrion Kemp who is just 20 years old. He’s been active in the sport for a little under a year.
“I’m super excited to represent my country in bodybuilding and fitness and hopefully I’ll come back with some good news,” he said. “This sport requires a lot of sacrifices, diet-wise and gym-wise. My coach helped me a lot this year. I expect to bring back some good news. I’m a little nervous but I’m confident in my ability.”
Wellington Wallace is one of the veterans of the team, making his fifth appearance at the CAC Championships. He competes in men’s physique (up to and including 176 centimeters), and has won three medals over the years at the championships.
“I’m looking to win a gold medal this time,” he said. “It took an extreme sacrifice to be in this position to represent the country again. I’m optimistic. I’ll try to do my best and hopefully come back with a gold medal.”
Jason Johnson, who also competes in men’s physique, said he has a passion for the sport and that drives him.
“My preparation has been going great despite some financial restraints,” he said. “We’re looking for more people to come on board and sponsor us to keep the sport alive. With more financial support, the sport could go a long way. It’s expensive for an athlete to maintain his or her physique. There is a lot of potential here in The Bahamas and with more funding, that potential could produce good results at international meets.”
Fania Joseph is making her third appearance at the CAC Championships.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity,” she said. “My preparation has been a bit challenging but I continue to press on. I’m hoping that this is the best package that I am bringing as a competitor at the CAC level. People would come to me and tell me how incredible I look and I would use that as a tool to keep pushing and I also use that as an opportunity to encourage people to get into the sport.
“A lot of women are skeptical about lifting weights, not wanting to look too manly, but I tell them to take a look at me. I have a nice physique and I’m not manly. There is a place for every woman in the sport of bodybuilding. There are a lot of categories to choose from that complement different body types.
“I would encourage women to give it a try. It helps with so much more than just physical appearance, particularly in keeping one healthy. I hope that we continue to uplift the sport of bodybuilding and fitness and continue to build it here in The Bahamas. It’s a beautiful sport and an internationally recognized sport. We should not let it die and do the best that we can to ensure its viability and sustainability.”
First-time competitor at the CACs Ashley Sturrup agreed with Joseph, saying she, too, would encourage more women to get involved.
“There is a softer side to bodybuilding with the bikini category really taking off, so I would definitely encourage more women to get involved. With the bikini aspect, they don’t have to worry about getting too muscular.”
Sturrup, who has been involved in the sport for about three years, said she works out about four to five times per week and is on a strict diet. She said she’s looking forward to representing The Bahamas at the CACs.
“I am excited about representing my country. I’m looking forward to showing off my physique,” she said. “I’ve been working hard to improve and I’m confident I will go out there and have a good showing. This sport requires a lot of water, rest and supplementing. It requires a lot of discipline and it’s been rigorous but so far, I’ve been doing pretty well.”
Veteran Gemo Smith missed last year’s show, but is back for a fourth time at the CAC Championships this year.
“Preparation this year has been pretty intense,” he said. “I’ve trained exceptionally hard to represent The Bahamas this year. The goal is to make top six at CACs and then go from there. Once you make finals, you are a medal contender. This is my best body that I have brought to the stage in any of the CACs that I have competed in, so I’m looking to do pretty well.”
With the BBFF National and Novice Championships cancelled this year, as well as the Grand Bahama Bodybuilding and Fitness Championships, athletes have had little to no outlet to showcase their bodies in competition.
Be that as it may, BBFF Project Manager Nardo Dean, who is also the team manager of the team headed to the CAC Championships, said good things come in small packages. He is expecting wonders from the eight-member team in El Salvador.
“This is a small team but they are all in the right state of mind to represent The Bahamas well,” he said. “We’re looking forward to being on that platform and bringing some medals home. We are considered among the leaders in this region and we will surely do a good job in representing The Bahamas.
“I just want to say thanks to the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture for assisting us greatly in getting this team off. We always encourage corporate and private sponsors to come on board and assist us financially. This is an expensive sport when one considers preparation, gym fees, supplementing and diet and these athletes go beyond the call of duty, not only for their bodies but for our country as well. Thanks to all of the gyms and everyone who supported us over the years. Hopefully, we’ll make you proud.”
The sport of bodybuilding in fitness is one of those sports in The Bahamas that suffered immensely with the advent of the novel coronavirus COVID-19 last year. Gymnasiums around the country were closed for an extended period of time and a number of athletes were left without a venue to train. The training schedules and regimens of athletes were disrupted. Also, the BBFF was unable to host any local shows.
The post BBFF names eight-member team for CACs appeared first on The Nassau Guardian.
source https://thenassauguardian.com/bbff-names-eight-member-team-for-cacs/
No comments:
Post a Comment