Latest update February 6th, 2025 7:27 AM
GABBFF 2017 Novice Competition…Life Gym’s Nolan Smith captivates crowd to be crowned Mr. Novice; Tej Mahal’s Natasha Chung is Ms. Bikini
By Franklin Wilson
Life Gym’s Nolan Smith has made a commanding entry into competitive body building when he out muscled and out posed other category winners in the Bantamweight, Lightweight, Welterweight, Middleweight and Heavyweight categories to be crowned the Novice King of body building on Saturday night last at the Theatre Guild, Parade Street, Kingston.
The respective category winners of the GABBFF 2017 Novice Competition from right, Odel Crumewing, Arlington Layne, Oryan Joseph, Nolan Smith, Natasha Chung, Roscoe Blair, Greystone Lambert, Lance Gordon. (Franklin Wilson photo)
It was the annual Guyana Amateur Body Building and Fitness Federation (GABBFF) Novice Competition which saw representation from Gyms in the bodybuilding hot spots in Guyana, Berbice, Linden, West Demerara and Georgetown.
A packed Theatre Guild Playhouse witnessed some keen battles as well as some talented athletes bursting on to the muscle scene as they captivated the crowd but most importantly, the six Judges on that night who were responsible for deciding the respective winners and runners up.
When the show finally came to an end close to the midnight hour (started more than one hour late due to low voltage), it was Smith who brought the curtains down as he started. The Life Gym member flexed off the night with victory in the Under-21 Category and ended by being crowned the over winner.
But even during the night, the talented Smith had business to take care of as he was also unbeatable in the Middleweight Class (Under-176lb) when he clearly was cuts above the other two competitors.
Berbice, always producing athletes who hold their own in the muscle sports arena which includes powerlifting and weightlifting saw another up and coming athlete, the confident Ms Natasha Chung of Tel Mahal Gym who posed her way to the Ms Bikini Open top spot.
Being the smallest of the five competitors in this category which included three from the Perry’s Gym of Linden which made a welcome return to the sport, did not deter Chung whose display after being introduced by the MC for the night, GABBFF President Coel Marks, walked her way onto the stage in positive fashion before mastering the four quarter turns better than her opponents to nail the judges confidence to take the first place.
Twenty-eight athletes from 13 Gyms lit up the stage much to the appreciation of the fans who were intimately involved from start to finish.
The other category winners on the night were Greystone Lambert of Perry’s Gym who won the Bantamweight (Under 143lb) category from five other competitors but not before a comparison with two others; Lakeram Seeram of Musclemania Gym and Vickram Thillu of Fitness Paradise Gym.
Another Linden Gym, Universal Barbel Club produced the Lightweight winner in Arlington Layne who was better than Fitness 53’s Kacey Bailey who just did not have the cut to make a first place, copping four second places on the night (Under-21, Men’s Physique Short Class, Overall).
The Short Class Men’s Physique winner, Roscoe Blair of Space Gym also took the Overall Men’s Physique trophy and hamper after out posing the Tall Class winner, Lance Gordon who represented Fitness 53 Gym.
In a two way battles in the Welterweight and Heavyweight classes, Total Fitness’ Odel Crumewing and Space Gym’s Oryan Joseph easily disposed of their challenges. In the case of Joseph, he came up against 69 year-old Louis Dean who also celebrated his birthday on competition day.
The top three athletes were each presented with trophies while the first place winners each received hampers compliments of Fitness Express. Medals were presented to the fourth to sixth place athletes.
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