THE edition of the Stage of Champions dubbed the One Guyana Stage of Champions is on today (Saturday) at the National Cultural Centre Stage.

And among those arriving to witness the historic event is Vice President of the Central America and Caribbean Bodybuilding Confederation Roger Boyce.

Boyce, who is leading a small team which also includes the body’s General Secretary Mario Jimenez landed in Guyana on Friday.

The CAC top official said, “Stage of Champions’ is testament to the growth of bodybuilding in the region. I would like that every Caribbean island could hold an event like this, events like this in the region could only make the sport better and then we have a big pro competition in Barbados offering at this point 100,000 us dollar in prize monies, so I think the more pro we have in the Caribbean it speaks better for us as a body building nations.”

He alluded to the fact that the show has produced top bodybuilders in the past and expected no different now as it is a pro-show.

“The criteria didn’t change much but I think that over the years, this competition would have produced some good quality athletes, hence that is why we pushed to get the pro-card so that the athletes that compete here and do well can be awarded,” he added.

Principal of Stage of Champions Videsh Sookram acknowledged the encouragement of the CAC executives in pushing him to do the show from the inception.

He says based on the athletes that registered and weigh-in its set to be another excellent show.

“Stage of champions usually produces nothing but the best. Previous years, all the champions, who won stage of champions went onto their next competition to become a pro, so I think it’s only right that we grant the that pro card right here and that was something we looked at from the beginning of stag of champions, the first winner from Suriname who went onto the Darcy Beckles and became a pro, then we had Demon Daniel from Grenada who did one stage of champions and then went onto Darcy Beckles and became a pro,  and it follows, the only champions that didn’t become pro as yet was our very own Darius Ramsammy and that is because of a tragic accident he had.”

The Gold Sponsors of the event are, Twins, New GPC, Fitness Express, Ele’s Trading and Hardware, Camille’s Academy, IPA, Royal International Hotel while the Silver and bronze Sponsors are Republic Bank Limited, Aspire + Hotel, Windjammer, Riaz Computers, Target Logistics, Home Value hardware and general store, Leading Technology, Team Stoby, Cactus Auto sale, Outdoor Pet Store, Unity Cabs, Unity Gym, VS fitness, Crown Mining, Outdoor sportsman, Zoon Logistics, Kalapnauth General Store, Vichy Massage Spa, Survival Supermarket, Next Level Sports and Nutrition Gears, Meditrons INC, Fantasy tours, Jai Signs, Innovative  Electronic, Health Club, J-TEC Electronics, Prem’s Eletrical, Swag cutz, Elite Fleet Guyana, AdNation design agency, Stark Express.