– Harris retains Ms. Guyana Fitness title
Linden’s Mark Perry proved to all and sundry that his win at the inaugural Hugh Ross Classics (HRC) earlier this year was no fluke when he easily won the Mr. Guyana title at the Guyana Amateur Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation (GABBFF) Cellink-sponsored senior nationals bodybuilding and fitness championships at the Banks DIH, Thirst Park ground Friday night.
Studio 2000’s Alicia Fortune and her gym mate Fiona Harris won the Ms. Guyana and Ms. Guyana Fitness titles respectively.
Fortune also won the best legs prize which was donated by former president of the GABBFF Donald Sinclair.
Competing in the Over-186lbs category, the 36-year-old Perry, whose only competitor was Interline Gym’s Oswin Jones, was a clear crowd favourite as chants of ‘Hulk’ were heard emanating from the crowd during the introduction of the athletes.
His definition was clean, while his cuts were visible even without the poses which were done in rhythm to his music, and at the end, it turned out to be another mismatch between himself and Jones, following their head-to-head clash in the HRC.
When it came to the Mr. Guyana overall pose down involving Perry and the other divisional winners in Marlon Burnette (154lbs), Clint Duke (154-165lbs) and the veteran Lindy Sharpe (166-176lbs), Perry was easily head and shoulders above his competitors.
Sharpe, who took the runner-up position to Perry in the overall pose down, chose to remain centre stage while Burnett, who was smaller in size, and Duke fought for the judges’ attention alongside their humongous competitor.
But at the end, Perry, the man with the mass, who was being called the ‘Local Hulk’, was the victor.
In an invited comment, Perry thanked God for the opportunity that presented itself after the HRC to prove that he is worthy enough to be the new Mr. Guyana.
“I want to thank God for this opportunity that presented itself after the HRC, to prove to some individuals who thought that I was not worthy to be crowned the Mr HRC, that I am. They thought that such an opportunity like this would not present itself again, but it did and I serve a mighty God who is capable of anything.”
The new Mr. Guyana who is a born-again Christian, took home two tickets compliments of Caribbean Airlines along with his trophies.
“I also want to thank my fiancée Rhonda Chester for being here for me and giving me the encouragement to go out there and do my best despite what persons are saying about me. I must say that it is not what they know about me that matters, but what God knows and I am thankful for his mercies in my life.”
Earlier, Burnette won the under 154-lbs category from Roneo Caesar and Melroy Grant, with the latter being the Intermediate Champion in this division, whilst Duke was declared the National Champion in the 154-165lbs category.
He defeated five other worthy competitors in first and second runners-up Selwyn Grogan and Dellon Harlequin respectively in a competition that could have gone either way. Leon Sancho, Cyrus Cypriani and Shawn Sooklall were the other competitors in this division, and even though Sooklall placed third in the Intermediate competition, stepping into the spotlight on the bigger stage was a learning process for him.
Sharpe rolled back the years by claiming the 166-176lbs division over Andel Cameron and Guyana’s fastest athlete on the track Rawle Greene in that order.
Harris, who is a mother of one, won the Ms. Body Fitness category from Fortune who was competing in her second competition in the sport, following her success in the HRC earlier this year.
But Fortune turned the tide in the Ms. Guyana and the best legs competition, to come out on top and, like Perry, won for herself two airline tickets compliments of Caribbean Airlines to any two Caribbean destinations along with her trophies.
Harris was the lone competitor in the Ms. Guyana Fitness category so she did not have to work up a sweat to retain it.
Speaking with Stabroek Sport after their routine, both Harris and Fortune, who is a mother of three (two boys and one girl), expressed their delight at being crowned champions.
“I feel good being crowned the champion here tonight as this is only my second competition in this sport. I was home doing nothing and was urged on by friends to enter up as they thought I had a good chance of winning. Fortunately for me, they were right and I am happy with the results, despite a few hiccups,” Fortune stated.
When asked about the reason for her return to competition, Harris stated, “Bodybuilding is my passion, and for the last two years I have been involved in the administrative side of it, but I am the reigning Ms. Body Fitness and I thought it was best to come out and defend my title which I did successfully even though it was difficult as I had to juggle between training for this competition and performing my administrative duties leading up to this competition.”
A notable absentee from Friday night’s proceedings was four-times Mr CAC Sylvan Gardner who opted not to compete in this year’s competition.
“I am preparing for Mr. Musclemania which will be held in October in the USA, and it would have been too fatiguing for me to lose weight for this competition, then gain it for Mr. Musclemania and then have to lose it again and having won the national title on several occasions, I thought it was best for me to opt out of this year’s competition,” said Gardner.
He was not missed that much as Perry ensured that the fans who waited for over 80 minutes for the competition to get underway, got their money’s worth.
Added attractions included guest appearance by the Ms Jamzone contestants while the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr. Frank Anthony, opened the night’s proceedings.
