THE Guyana Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation (GBBFF) will flex off its 2020 season next month in Linden.

According to president of the federation, Keavon Bess: “This year we will add several competitions to our local roster and to start that off, we will be introducing the Mr Linden Classic, which would share the stage with the Novices Bodybuilding and Fitness Championship on February 15, 2020.”

Bess, who highlighted his federation’s plan via social media, added that the event is scheduled to be held at the Lichas Hall.

After the two competitions, executives have planned a similar event for Berbice, but this time it will be an Intermediate Championship and the Mr Berbice Classic.

Additionally, the highly anticipated Mr Guyana, Mr Physique and Ms Bikini (Senior Championships) are set for July this year.

Bess noted that bodybuilders would also aim to excel on the international stage. He said that Guyana would send two teams to Colombia at the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Bodybuilding and Fitness Championships. One team to participate on stage and the other to represent the federation at the CAC Congress, with the objective of presenting a bid to host the illustrious event in 2022.

“It’s gonna be a great year for the sport of bodybuilding in Guyana.”

Last year Mr Guyana was won by Marlon Bennett after former five-time champion Kerwin Clarke had opted to focus solely on international competitions.

Clarke himself had earned a gold medal in the light middleweight division at the 2019 CAC Championships, while former Mr Physique Yannick Grimes had won a bronze in his category.

As last year, the 2020 Mr Physique battle is also expected to be heated with the Grimes vs Emmerson Campbell clash, while competitors such as former Mr Physique Novices winners: Tariq Dakhil and Delroy Phillips and Renaldo Caldeira and Johnathan Jeffrey will also look to excel.

Bennett is no sure win this year; especially if former multi-CAC champion Sylvan Gardner, who won the U-154 pound battle at Stage of Champions IV, decides to compete.

Also turning back time last year was Lindon ‘Muscles’ Burnett, who was impressive at Stage of Champions in the U-176 division before winning the middleweight category at the Clinton Sammy Classic in T&T last November.

Some of the other big names expected to own the stage this year are Caerus Cipriani, Carlos Petterson Grifith, Derran Harris and Julio Sinclair.

Rosanna Fung was a dominant force in the Ms Bikini category last year, but a number of outstanding competitors have been dormant and if they return, it should make for an exciting female battle.