The recent medal-winning performances of Guyanese athletes at this year’s Central American and Caribbean (CAC) games has been dubbed as the highlight performance for the Guyana Amateur Body Building and Fitness Federation for 2016.
During a press conference on Friday at Olympic House, GABBFF president,Kevon Bess,boasted of his team’s performance at the recently concluded tournament in the Dominican Republic.
According to Bess, “The federation is very much overjoyed and we see it as a step in the right place for the athletes. I hope the success that we would have been able to present to Guyana would have established the road map that we would have put in place.”
He noted that the athletes are continually raising the bar when it comes to competitions not only on the local front, but also on the regional and international stage.
Reigning Mr Guyana, Kerwin Clarke,who grasped that elusive gold medal,was also in high praise on the day, with Bess also reminding that athletes need to be recognized and appreciated.
Clarke copped gold in the light heavyweight category while compatriot Bruce Whatley earned gold in the master’s category and silver in the flyweight category.
Devon Davis, a former three times gold medallist and one time silver medallist,took bronze in the Bantamweight category with the other silver medal going to reigning Mr. Physique,Emmerson Campbell.
Bess also noted that 2016 was Guyana’s most successful year at the CAC,with them earning the most medals in its tournament history among other things.
“We are now in position of another certified judge(with) the likes of Mr Franklyn Brisport,who was the manager of the team. I am also proud that we have in Guyana now another CAC certified judge.This will add to the development of (the)sport of bodybuilding in Guyana.”
Meanwhile, it was not all smooth sailing for the medal-laden team,having their fair share of hiccups on the voyage home through their carrier of choice,Insel Air,who came under fire for poor service.
“As a result of the incompetence by the Insel Air service team, I was informed that Ms Alisha Fortune, Mr. Devon Davis and Mr Franklyn Brisport,were made to even sleep at the airport.”
“As an airline service operating out of Guyana,they should have done more to ensure(that) the athletes going to represent Guyana were better treated;and I think as an airline that want to operate out of Guyana, they need to upgrade their services after athletes would have competed and endured long hours of dehydration,” he added.