Bodybuilding, Fitness Team Off To JA For CAC Championships

Date: 29-09-2006 Posted by: Anabolic Info TeamBahamas

The Bahamas 12-member National Bodybuilding and Fitness team will begin competition today at the 34TH edition Central American and Caribbean Bodybuilding and Fitness Championships in Kingston, Jamaica.

After a third place finish in Florida in 2005 the team will be looking to regain the title that they last won in 2004 at the championships held in Guyana.

Up to two weeks ago there were reports in the local sports community suggesting that national female heavyweight bodybuilding champion Gina Mackey was in jeopardy of not being able to compete because there was a fear that her doping test results would not be back on time.

In order to compete at the CAC Championships all athletes must present the organizers with a doping pass indicating that their system is free of banned performance-enhancing substances.

At the time BBF President Danny Sumner said the matter was being "blown out of proportion." On Wednesday he confirmed that the entire team would make the trip to Jamaica for the championships.

"The workout sessions have been going very well, all of the athletes are very disciplined and they know what they need to do to look their best this weekend. They are all in high gear and ready to meet the challenge," he said.

According to Sumner the only area The Bahamas will not be represented is the men’s heavyweight division. That it is the only "disappointing" aspect.

"Normally," he explained, "we would have two people competing in that division every year but since Joel Stubbs turned professional that area for The Bahamas has been vacant. We are really disappointed we do not have heavyweights to compete against other heavyweights from Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica but we will work on that for next year."

Despite the efforts of some of the team members, Sumner said they were not able to attract any of the local corporate sponsors to assist the team and that most of the funds that will make the trip happen will come from the government through the Ministry of Youth Sports and Housing.

He said, "The team is both grateful and thankful for the much-needed assistance we have gotten from the government."

Approximately 20 countries and over 100 athletes from around the region will participate in the championships.

In 2005 in Miami, Florida a small 10-member team from The Bahamas captured seven medals and finished third.

In addition to trying to recapture the gold Sumner said the federation expects to see a "marked improvement" from the fitness team that includes Lizette McKinney, Samantha Sweeting and Dominique Wilkinson.

This year’s team will be led by The Bahamas male and female national champions Jay Darling and Gina Mackey, along with veterans like Nardo Dean, Raymond Tucker, Paul Wilson, Charmain McNabb and Faye Rolle.

Derek Bullard owner of Mystical Fitness Gym will be the team Manager, with Quintin Gray and Clifford Seymour traveling as assistant coaches.

Reports out of Jamaica last week said following inspections of the hotel, which will be used for the championships, the president of the Central American and Caribbean Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation, Jamaican Lt. Col. Bruce Barclay has expressed satisfaction with the organization and planning and the location, the Pegasus Hotel.

However, with the Jamaica Bodybuilding and Fitness Association (JABAFA) being able to only garner $1.5 million of the $6 million cost which will be needed to host a successful event, the CAC president is disappointed with the involvement of the Government and the Sports Development Foundation.

Additionally, Dr. Herb Elliott will be in charge of drug testing which will be held in conjunction with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

The mandatory drug test will see 60 samples being taken and sent overseas to be analyzed. The test will be random and all winners will be tested.

So far 200 bodybuilders and fitness athletes from 21 of the 38 member countries have confirmed their participations including Aruba, The Bahamas, Cayman Island, Curacao, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela, the US Virgin Islands and Mexico.

Jamaica will be represented by a team of 24 including 2004 silver medallist, heavyweight Henry Graham and middleweight Judy Allen.