Fitness fans get ready, the Kares Caribbean Fitness Challenge returns to the National Park’s tarmac tomorrow.
This is the third year that Kares Engineering has signed on to be the title sponsor and, according to the promoters, 2020 will usher in the toughest challenge along with the most incentives for the competitors.
Fitness Challenge 2020 will see 31 turbo-charged gladiators looking to outrun, outlift, outjump and outlast each other for the prestigious titles of ‘Guyana’s Fittest Man and Woman.
Ten foreign athletes will compete at this year’s event which gets underway at 13:00hrs. Four-time champion, Dillon Mahadeo and Suriname’s Ava Zalman are the defending champs of the two events. Semonica Duke finished a close second last year.
Seven of the foreigners are Surinamese including their top athlete Mark Tawjoeram, who will head to the Reebok Cross Fit Games in July while there are one each from Barbados, Canada and Trinidad and Tobago.
Only three of the five events have been made public, the other two will be known on competition day.
It will not be easy as it will require maybe some blood, a lot of sweat and perhaps even tears.
Survival of the fittest will also require speed, coordination, aerobic and muscular endurance, experience with Olympic lifts, raw strength, skill, and a healthy serving of guts, determination and power.
During the launch, chief organiser, Jamie McDonald reiterated that the bar has risen.
“You will notice that every year the events get a bit more technical in nature, a bit more difficult. Some people may say a bit more dangerous, although we really try to keep that down to a minimum. I would not say it is more dangerous because the level of athletes has gone up.”
A whopping $500,000 goes to the first place while second to fifth will be rewarded with $400,000, $300,000, $200,000 and $100,000 respectively.
Every athlete will be given a participation award of $15,000 compliments of Kares Engineering and Lotus Hardware. More so, athletes over the age of 30 will be rewarded with $100,000 (first), $50,000 (second) and $30,000 (third).
Additionally, this year, 15 teens will battle in the Under-17 category. Teen athletes will receive $30,000 for first place, second place $25,000 and third place $20,000.
Tickets are on sale at Kares Cross Fit, Genesis Fitness Gym on Durban Street and Fitness Express on Sheriff Street.
Tickets costs $1000. See you there. (Emmerson Campbell)
