THE region’s top bodybuilders will converge for the sixth edition of the ‘Stage of Champions’ penciled in for Saturday June 7th at National Cultural Centre.
The event which was recently certified by the International Bodybuilding Federation (IBF) will see winners earning coveted professional cards.
The top winner in the Stage of Champions bodybuilding, Men’s Physique, and Bikini categories will collect their golden ticket to the pro-leagues.
These pro-cards serve as a gateway to allow athletes to compete in the prestigious IFBB Pro League.
Founder and organiser of the now locally staged international competition, Videsh Sookram, said that having the Pro Cards is momentous and should be celebrated by the whole nation as it was years in the making.
“Stage of champions is a cash event and a pro card event, and I would like for that cash, hard earned cash that myself and Mr. [Faizal] Bacchus and Mr [Kevon] Bess have been getting to stay right here. The last winner of the overall bodybuilding was Mr. Darius Ramsammy. We made sure the big cash did not leave the country; we would like to have our pro card right here and cash here also.”
He said a new feature this year will be the children’s bodybuilding competition powered by Camille Institute which has been advocating youth fitness for years.
The GBBFF President said the body fully supports the competition which is taking bodybuilding in Guyana to the next level.
‘It’s a great honour to be here and the amazing team that has brought Stage of Champions to where it is at today, and now we have made history where stage of champions has become a pro qualifier show, so we are officially handing out pro card in Guyana which will bring tremendous amount of talent to Guyana.”
Meanwhile Executive Director of the GBBFF, Keavon Bess, said that the show now has a greater pulling power for some of the best in the region that are not yet pro athletes.
“By winning their pro card, the athletes have been elevated to the level of professional athletes, which simply mean they can then start earning big bucks in competition around the world, throughout Europe, Africa, middle east, throughout America and competing and earning; so it takes the athletes’ career into a different stratosphere and it augers well for the athlete and it’s well for us in Guyana that we can have such a competition for the first time in Guyana. It will bring a lot of athletes from throughout the world to participate and give local athletes an opportunity to compete at that level.”
The overall winner of the bodybuilding will collect $600,000 dollars, with $300,000 for the Men’s physique and Ms. Bikini winners.
The sponsors are Twins Manufacturing Chemist, Camille Institute, Royal International Hotel and Unity Gym
The event is also endorsed by the ministry of culture youth and sports and the Government of Guyana