Anand Persaud, Morris and Pollard triumph in Berbice
Stabroek News
May 8, 2003
Anand Persaud of Heavy Duty Gym and Mike Morris and Alana Pollard of Fitness Paradise Gym were the victors in the hugely successful bodybuilding competitions held in Corriverton last weekend. Before a wildly cheering capacity audience at the Corriverton Primary School, a vastly improved Anand Persaud muscled past his friend and rival Anthony (Frankie) Baynes to take the title of Mr. Berbice 2003. Since Persaud made his debut at the FLEX NIGHT 2002 contest he was rated as a bodybuilder with immense potential, which he ably de-monstrated in the hotly contested Mr. Berbice showdown. In second spot was the bodybuilder to watch - George Downer, sporting enormous calves, with Anthony Baynes in third position.
Earlier, Persaud also won his Light (under 165 pounds) class, defeating Welworth Brown into second spot and Netram Beni into the third spot. Raymond Rabindranath placed fourth. In the Heavy (over 165 pounds) class Baynes survived a very close encounter with George Downer (the man who emerged virtually out of the shadows of bodybuilding) to earn the top spot. Third place in the Heavy class went to Steve Welcome.
The Mr. Body Beautiful contest was a national, open contest that attracted bodybuilders from Georgetown, Berbice and Linden. Mike Morris of Fitness Paradise Gym, displaying his usual rock-hard muscularity stormed to top position, but only after a closely scrutinized match-up with Persaud. That was the second title for the year to be won by Morris who took the 2003 Mr. Physique title in March. Second spot in the Mr. Body Beautiful went to Persaud with Baynes placing third. Fourth spot went to Terry Ambrose of Upper Demerara, with Welworth Brown in fifth and Jason (Tiger) Azaire in sixth place.
The Miss Body Beautiful contest saw just two females - Alana Pollard and Paulette Peters both of Fitness Paradise gym. Both gave routines that were pleasing and elegant, but Pollard, offering greater symmetry and thigh sweep, won the Miss Body Beautiful title.
The event was very well supported by the Corriverton community and was declared open by the Mayor of Corriverton Mr. Roy Baijnauth. The Welcome was given by Mr. Linden Murray, President of the Berbice Bodybuilding Branch Association.
