KERWIN Clarke made a successful defence of the Supligen 2015 Mr Guyana title when the Guyana Amateur Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation (GBBFF) held its national championships at the Park Vue Hotel on Sunday evening.Clarke, who won the title for the first time in 2013, made a successful defence of the 168-pound division the following year (2014),
Flexing and posing before a vocal crowd, the 168-pounder who is a two-time bronze medallist at the Central American and Caribbean Bodybuilding Championships made an impressive showing on Sunday evening.
After disposing of his rival Alfred Jordan in the middleweight category, Clarke went on to the pose down for the Champions of Champions and used his sharp physique to successfully defend his title ahead of Sylvester Andrews (heavyweight), Marlon Bennett (lightweight), the vastly improved Rashleigh Bentick (bantamweight), Mahendra Singh (welterweight) and Zalim Bacchus (under 132 pounds).
The Buddy’s Gym standout was in shape and brought the striated quads, horseshoe triceps and barn-door back we have come to expect.
Andrews brought a bigger and fuller package to the stage but lacked the hardness and the striations he possessed last year as a welterweight.
On Sunday evening however, Clarke was peeled and brought arguably his best-ever conditioning to complement his superior shape and symmetry.
His structure, shape, and balance were enough to carry him through to victory.
Stabroek News’ sports journalist Emmerson Campbell (Body Maxx Gym) got the judges’ choice as the Men’s Physique Showdown winner ahead of Yannick Grimes of the same gym and Coel Marks of Buddy’s Gym.
Among a group of nine physique competitors, Campbell brought the shape and stage presence the judges most wanted to see.
Junica Pluck from Buddy’s Gym was the near perfect mix of muscularity, symmetry, beauty and style and took home the trophy for the Ms Bikini segment. Alisha Fortune placed second, while Olivia Bess was third. Fortune, however, turned the tables on Pluck in the Ms Body Fitness category, consigning the Buddy’s Gym beauty to second place. Bess, who just started working out a few weeks ago, was third.
Barbadian Hostin Worrel, the 16-time CAC welterweight champion guest-posed at the event. President of the federation, Keavon Bess felt that minus the glitches, “it was a good showing of bodies on stage.
“I was most impressed with the heavyweight class. It was the best category of the night and one of the best in years.”