GABBFF looking towards another pumped up year: 2014 was good

Jan 06, 2015 Sports

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While it is regarded as one of the small sports in Guyana, it is a sport that every other sportsman and woman enjoy a little of since training of the muscles is vital to when it comes to keeping in shape and on top of your game.
The Guyana Amateur Body Building and Fitness Federation (GABBFF) signed off 2014 as another successful year having fulfilled its mandate locally, competition wise and were also able to have representatives at a number of competitions overseas. GABBFF President Keavon Bess summed up 2014 as successful for the federation.
The federation executive started 2014 by reaching out to its many gyms to bring them up to speed with its plans and programmes for the year and to also hear from gym members their views on the way forward for the sport.
Novices, which sees rookie competitors, was hosted on March 1st and Sylvester Andrews who has since been a fierce competitor among the senior athletes, outmuscled his rivals to emerge as the Overall Novices champion.
This was followed by the bi-annual Hugh Ross Classic competition on March 29, sanctioned by the GABBFF. Kerwyn Clarke staved off stiff competition to be crowned Mr. Hugh Ross Classic.
The federation and athletes next turned its attention to the body’s marquee event, the senior championships where the big boys and girls meet in an event sponsored by Fitness Express.
To a sold out audience at the Theatre Guild, Kingston, Kerwyn Clarke once again got the nod of the judges and was crowned Mr. Guyana to prove beyond the shadow of a doubt that he is the number one bodybuilder in Guyana.
Based on performances at this event, the GABBFF set out to select its team for the Central American and Caribbean championships in Saint Martin in October. While the federation selected a number of athletes, the high cost of travel and visa restrictions resulted in the team being cut to just three locally based athletes.
CAC is the marquee event for Caribbean athletes and Guyana has been holding its own at this level especially in the lighter categories.
Bess noted that CAC was of high quality and the athletes were of a super pedigree but Guyana was able, through the heroics of Devon Davis to capture the gold medal in the Flyweight category for the third consecutive year.
“Davis’ achievement at CAC no doubt has been our high point for the year 2014. He has etched his name in the history books as one of the best in Guyana achieving a similar feat to Sylvan Gardner, another of our greats.”
Next up for the GABBFF was the selection of its team for the annual Darcy Beckles championships in the Land of the Flying Fish, Barbados. Whilst the Guyanese athletes were competitive they were unable to capture any medals.
“This could be regarded as a low point for us but a stepping stone for many athletes who tasted the international stage for the first time,” Bess noted.
The year came to a glowing end with the staging of another private competition sanctioned by the GABBFF, Flex Night International.
This event saw overseas athletes from Suriname (male & female) gracing the Cultural Stage in what was the largest amount of competitors seen onstage in Guyana. Despite Mr. Guyana Kerwyn Clarke not being on stage, the competition was fierce.
Emerging as the Overall winner and taking the biggest title of his fledgling career was Godfrey Stoby crowned Mr. Flex Night 2014.
2015 and Beyond
President Bess shared that the GABBFF has commenced preparations of legal documents for the purposes of Incorporating the GABBFF. The National Sports Commission (NSC) according to Bess has indicated that before any athlete’s application can be accepted for consideration for Sports Awards the umbrella association or federation must be registered and its fiscal year audited.
“For this reason the GABBFF was unable to host its year-end awards ceremony as was initially planned because of more important expenditures. Most importantly, with three consecutive gold medals at an international competition, the GABBFF sees it better suited to put our house in place so as to afford Mr. Devon Davis an opportunity to win Sportsman of the Year Award.”
Bess also noted that the involvement of more women in the sport has always been a top priority for the federation and they are hopeful that with the Gym craze that is currently occurring that more females see fitness and fitness competitions as a benefit to their daily lives and personal accomplishments.
“Miss Shawnell Warner has proven to be a fine female athlete and with the correct management she can do well on the regional and international stages in bikini and women’s fitness competitions. The GABBFF will continue to seek out other female athletes for its local and overseas competitions.”
Bess offered gratitude to the many sponsors who have continued to show faith in them as well as the many athletes they have supported throughout the year.
“We would like to recognize them all, even the many individuals who have contributed in their own small way. The many gyms that have seen it fit to ensure their athletes compete, to all we say thank you. With all necessary in house works completed we can all expect an even better year for bodybuilding and fitness sports in Guyana in 2015.”

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