Intermediate competition to make return this year; Linden to host Novice

Jan 04, 2020 Sports

Guyana bidding to host CAC 2022 – GABBFF’s Bess

By Franklin Wilson

With the likes of Godfrey Stoby, Roger Calendar and USA based former national sprinter Rawle Green among others, habrouring thoughts of making a grand return to the competitive stage, 2020 is expected to be an exciting year for body building, so says President of the Guyana Amateur Body Building & Fitness Federation (GABBFF), Keavon Bess.

Bruce Whatley on stage in St. Marten

Marlon ‘Bolo’ Bennett – Mr. Guyana 2019

Yannick Grimes

“This year, we are trusting for it to be a successful year; we are already off to a good start as we are looking to do novices on the 15th of February at Lisha’s Hall in Linden. We are also starting our national outreaches early this month, we are going to different gyms nationwide as we seek to develop the interest of the newbie’s and hopefully we can have a large turnout of athletes and patrons in Linden.”
Taking a peak back into 2019, Bess noted the year was not one of the busiest ever for the Federation but they persevered. The novice competition was held in May while Senior’s took place in August. The other competition, which was private but sanctioned by GABBFF, was Stage of Champions.
On the international stage, a number of athletes made the trip to the 46th edition of the prestigious CAC championships held in the Dominican Republic. Kerwyn Clarke captured gold in the 80kg class.
Yannick Grimes on debut captured bronze in the Men’s Physique up to and including 170cm class while fellow debutant Darius Ramsammy, finished 5th in the 154lb and Under Bodybuilding category.

Keavon Bess – GABBFF President

Also holding his own was the USA based Bruce Sevlon Whatley who, after winning his Pro Card at the 45th edition of the CAC Body Building & Fitness Championships in Mexico (2018), competing for the first time thereafter was able to win a bronze medal at the inaugural IFBB Diamond Cup held in Saint Marteen.
While Bess noted with satisfaction with the continued presence of Guyanese at the highest possible level in the region, he also pointed that a few new athletes came to the fore on the local stage last year including novice winner Devon Harris who went on to the senior championships where he won the Under 143lb class. Marlon ‘Bolo’ Bennett captured the Mr. Guyana crown, the first time in his career at age 42.

Owner of Fitness Express, Jamie Mc Donald poses with Mr. Novice 2019 Devon Harris (right), Miss Bikini Rosanna Fung and Men’s Physique winner, Delroy Phillips.

“I believe that the junior athletes are being pushed by the more senior athletes to do their best and I believe that with the level of competition being brought to the stage by Kerwyn Clarke in particular, other athletes are being forced to come with their A-game.”
Bess proffered the view that the sport during 2019 would have grown, not necessarily to the levels that the Federation would have loved to see: “We would like to see more participation from athletes outside of Georgetown and we would like to see the competition restored to its former glory, nationally.”
The Federation in its push to realise a shift in expanding the sport has taken a decision to host their novice competition this year in the Bauxite Mining Town of Linden at Lisha’s Hall.
“We’ve already met with the athletes and stakeholders in Linden, so it’s basically now to cover the logistics over the marketing aspect of things and securing sponsorship. We will also be hosting the Mr. Linden competition on the night of the novice’s competition.”
The intermediate competition which has not happened in a few years would be making a grand return and according to Bess, this level of competition which is the intermediary between novice and seniors, would be merged with the Mr. Berbice competition.
The President is of the view that merging the Novice and Intermediate with the Mr. Linden and Mr. Berbice competitions is a strategic move to get fans to come out and support the long standing athletes in the respective outlying areas.
He mentioned the likes of the legendary Lindie Sharpe, Clint Duke and Mark ‘Uno’ Perry among others who would have all wowed fans at the national and international levels who are likely to be on stage vying the Mr. Linden title.
“This is all in an effort to get the interest of body building in Linden revived and to grow the interest in the sport.”
Bess noted that persons must no longer hold the view that body building is City based: “We want everyone to have a stake in the sport.”
Plans to attract more females to the sport
Acknowledging that this continues to be a real challenge for the Federation, Bess posited that with the right push and sensitization from the female athletes themselves to their peers, this situation can turn around for the better.
“I am almost certain that once we get CAC to come to Guyana and our female athletes and women in general can come to a CAC event and see that about two thirds of the event is based on the female body; body fitness, physique and bikini, when they see how biog of a presence females have at the CAC event I am certain that that would cause a lot of females to come out and participate on stage.”
Bidding to host CAC 2022
Guyana hosted the Central American and Caribbean championships, successfully so, back in 2004 under the Presidency of Yale Holder. The current leadership of the Federation is of the view that the time is right for the nation to host this competition again, thus their bid which is being put together for 2022.
Bess reported that it was Guyana’s intent to host next year (2021) but due to the lack of funds to have the team travel to the Dominican Republic to make the bid, they had to refocus and will now be making every effort to host in 2022.
The relevant agencies that would have to play a major role in hosting a successful championship, Bess indicated, would have already been notified and bid documents submitted including the Guyana Olympic Association.
“I am certain that once we are there in Colombia for CAC 2020 we will be able to secure that bid. We have good standings with the CAC and the IFBB as well and with my involvement with CAC being the Legal Advisor and a member of the Anti Doping Committee, I believe I can use my influence to garner sufficient support for our bid to host CAC 2022.”
Corporate support has always been a challenge for the sport but Bess says they are working assiduously towards countering this challenge this year. Bess also informed that they have been up to date with the criteria as mandated by the GOA with regards to seeking assistance from them and would be meeting the deadline for submission, which is around the second week of this month.