Muscles’/Mars, Mr and Miss Flex Night champs
… Babb, first Miss Body Fitness Queen
By Leeron Brumell
Guyana Chronicle
November 4, 2003
LINDEN ‘Muscles’ Burnett covered his opponents with his size and cuts to take the 2003 Mr Flex Night title, while Kimberly Mars wooed the judges to claim the Ms Flex Night crown and Tamika Babb became the first-ever Ms Body Fitness queen on Sunday night at the National Cultural Centre.
Burnett, with his huge muscles and carefree tactics on the stage first claimed the Mr Flex title in the heavyweight division from a field of five builders, before going on to take the overall title in the pose down.
Second to Burnett in the heavy (over 165 pounds) was Adrian Amsterdam, with Charles Henry taking the third spot ahead of fourth place finisher Lear Goring of Studio 2000 and Lloyd George fifth.
The builders were subjected to the seven compulsory poses for comparisons and were given 60 seconds in which to do their free-posing routines.
Kimberly Mars of the Kingsrow Barbell gym, on her debut was an easy winner in the Ms Flex Night category gaining the support of the crowd and impressing the judges with her shapely body and definitive cuts.
Second to her was Fiona Harris with Tamika Babb placing third.
Babb had earlier become the first woman to take the Ms Body Fitness crown with her firm muscles and graceful movements on the stage.
Harris was second to her in that category, with Anastasia Ramcharran third and Diana Durant fourth. The crowd saw the judging differently, as the decision was greeted with mumbles from the audience.
Miss Body Fitness was introduced at the 2003 Central American and Caribbean Bodybuilding Championships in the Bahamas and is aimed at showcasing firmness and fitness in the muscles and not as much as cuts in the regular competition.
Earlier in the evening Bruce Whatley of Kingsrow Barbell gym came out a clear winner in the light division with his ‘rip’ body.
Whatley was well-covered, definitive in muscles, cuts and had excellent symmetry.
Whatley won from a field of nine athletes with Clint Duke placing second, Marlon Bennett third, Adrian Andries fourth, Brigmohan Surijbally, followed by Dennis Seenarine, Yogeshwar Kallicharran, Rawle Small and Wilworth Brown in that order.
Then came the crowning moment for the overall title.
The top two in the categories were placed on stage, Burnett and Amsterdam in the heavy and Whatley and Duke in the light.
They were put through the seven compulsory poses and had one minute to further impress the judges and audience with their free-posing routine.
Burnett came out the victor, with Whatley second, Amsterdam third and Duke fourth.
Sunday evening was not just bodybuilding and flexing, it was a night that the Guyana Amateur Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation (GABBFF) honoured outstanding persons in the sport arena.
The federation presented tokens and hampers to the CAC 2003 team, which included double gold medallist Sylvon Gardner, Mike Morris and Olwayn Lynch. Absent was bronze medallist Paul Nichols.
Reigning USA Masters champion Guyanese-born Hugh Ross was also honoured for his role in assisting the federation. Ross was presented with a medal and a hamper before giving a talk on the basics of getting an excellent body.
As an addition and much to the delight of the audience, Ross gave them a taste of what he had in store with a free-posing routine. All who saw were impressed.
He is scheduled to represent the USA at the Mr Universe championships in Birmingham and the World Championships in Australia. Ross is also considering his participation at the 2004 CAC championships that Guyana will be hosting in October.
He would no doubt be a boost to the Guyana team.
Treasurer of the GABBFF, Robyn Marshall, was presented with the president’s silver medal for service and vice-president and international judge Frank Tucker received the highest award of the president, the gold medal.
Pharmagen Enterprises, distributor of Weider Products apart from giving out samples of its newest product honoured outstanding retailers, while another major player in bodybuilding Banks DIH Limited presented Powerade tokens to the gyms that participated in the championships.
The bodybuilding season ends with the Mr West Demerara contest scheduled for later this month.