Bodybuilding in Belize…Check Out the Winners
After spending months of training to perfect and tone their bodies, male and female bodybuilders competed on Friday night in different categories in the Belize Body Building and Fitness Competition. The annual physique competition has a steady following, and the event this year did not disappoint. While the competitors were judged on various points, muscularity made the difference for the new and familiar athletes. Duane Moody reports.
Duane Moody, Reporting
The 2014 Belize Body Building and Fitness Competition was staged this past Friday at the Bliss Center for the Performing Arts. Males and females competed in nine different categories strutting their well toned bodies and muscles that they have developed over months of training. So what were the judges really looking for?
Stanley Moody
Stanley Moody, President, Belize Body Building & Fitness Federation [October 8th, 2014]
“It’s gonna entail having two female categories which will be female bikini and female body figure. For the bikini, we are looking for females with a typical beach body—well-balanced body; upper body matches the lower body—not that much muscularity but just a beach body that you gentlemen like on the beach. Now for the body figure, the level has been upped a little. We expect to see not only the balance body, but also some muscularity—muscles that are well defined and usually the females work quite hard to obtain that type of figure. It takes a lot more dedication and not only working out but dedicated working out cause you could work out and not develop your body in the proper way. And for the men, we’ve got several different categories. You’ve got the masters which is forty years of age and older. We’ve got the novice for the first time bodybuilders. So any of the gentlemen who wish to enter for the first time, we suggest that they go into the novice, which is actually bodybuilding but for beginners. We got the men’s physique which is the men in cargo shorts—not your normal bodybuilding trunks—because the emphasis is placed on the upper body. There has to be a level of muscularity but again you are looking for a beach body; so not necessarily anything below the waist of the knee. So you don’t get to see the thigh muscles and the hamstring.”
Oyinkro Akpobodar
The sport is quite popular amongst fans of weightlifting and weight training. But it is no easy task for the athletes who competed this year. Rookie to the sport, Oyinkro Akpobodar, who is better known as “Powa,” took part in the novice category and came out on top. His muscularity and outstanding presentation was as a result of eight months of rigorous training.
Oyinkro Akpobodar, Novice Winner, Bodybuilding & Fitness Competition 2014
“I had to put in eight months of workout in gym…starting from like a hundred and sixty-five pounds February and come the competition, I gained about twenty-seven pounds of muscle. So a hundred and eighty-nine pounds for the competition on Friday. It is a lot of hard work, dedication, stick to your diet, taking the correct supplies so that your body can get bigger. And I really have to thank my father-in-law, Mister Guy Neal, who pushed me daily to make sure I become the best. For the first time, I never expected that I would go that far. Just for the first time competing, it was a surreal moment.”
Miss Bikini Fitness was captured once again by defending title holder, Annlyn Apolonio. Surprisingly to her, she also placed second in the overall competition of female body figure 2014.
Annlyn Apolonio
Annlyn Apolonio, Miss Bikini Fitness 2014
“A lot of preparation, a lot of dedication, a lot of time on my part. It is a huge investment not only in terms of monetary wise but also in terms of your personally commitment to the sport because it is a sport and you have to be really disciplined. Day in, day out, I’m in the gym and I do what I need to do. It is actually about creating the perfect balance in terms of your workout regime and I have a trainer—big up to my trainer—who really…she takes care of that part for me and I really just go and execute what she has in store for me for that day.”
So where does Akpobodar and Apolonio see themselves in the future of the sport?
Annlyn Apolonio
“My mind is set that as the years progresses, I want to compete in body figure; however, I was certain that my body had not reached that level yet hence why I settled to do bikini fitness. But to place among Gina and the other female who was working just as hard, I think that is really commendable and I am very proud of that achievement.”
Oyinkro Akpobodar
“I won’t toot my own horn but I think between the next two years or so, I will become Mister Belize. I am positive of that…hard work every day, put in my time in the gym, taking my diet seriously and just dedicated to the sport.”
Rigo Vellos won the Light-Heavy Weight title for the third time in a row and retained the overall Mister Belize title. Male welter weight category was won by Deon Ortiz, while middle weight was captured by Clayton Grinage. Gina Lovell won overall female body figure and Clinton Tucker for men’s physique. Duane Moody for News Five.
