LADIES FITNESS and men’s physique will play a critical role in Barbados’ title defence at next month’s Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Bodybuilding and Fitness Championships in St Maarten.
The popular Ramon Dodson joins Marlon Dottin and former track athlete Jamil Jones in a Men’s Physique trio on the 21-member Barbados side which will be seeking an unprecedented 31st overall crown at the October 2 to 4 championships at the Sonesta Maho Resort.
The tall, elegant and naturally beautiful Domini Alleyne, who won the overall title at the Nationals, and attractive crowd-pleaser Melissa Burrowes are among five women selected to compete in the ladies bikini fitness categories.
Also named in the side are first-timers Shakira Doughlin and the charismatic 27-year-old Lana Richards, who won the class for girls over 172 centimetres at Allmax Nutrition Nationals when she dethroned Natalie Webb-Howell, who is also on the team.
Three competitors in CAC champion Ramona Morgan, Janelle Butcher, who brought a powerful muscular physique to the stage at Nationals, and tall class winner Kathy-Anne Greenidge have been selected for ladies body fitness.
Dodson has been rewarded after winning his class at the Nationals when he showcased chiselled abdominals.
The pure bodybuilding competitors will be headlined by two-time Mr Barbados Hoskyn Worrell and heavyweight Stevenson Belle, who won the light heavyweight class at CAC last year.
Former Barbados and West Indies “B” team wicketkeeper Michael Worrell, who has made a successful transition to bodybuilding, will compete in the bantamweight division.
Worrell and Joseph “Runt” Bourne will carry Barbados’ flag in the light middleweight division with middleweight Laron Gibson and newcomer Dorrell Coulthrust flexing his muscles in the light heavyweight class.
Shaquille Lavine will contest both the welterweight division and the juniors and once he improves his posing, could be a factor in his second CAC outing with a complete package of symmetry, proportions and definition.
The tall Deidre Archer, who has improved her lower body conditioning and is looking very symmetrical, will be the lone competitor for Barbados in the newly branded women’s physique while the Jamaican-born Tanisha Cross will get to wear Barbados colours for the first time in the ladies fitness.
SQUAD:
MEN: Curtis Kirby (flyweight), Michael Worrell (bantamweight), Shaquille Lavine (welterweight/juniors), Hoskyn Worrell (light middleweight), Joseph “Runt” Bourne (light middleweight), Laron Gibson (middleweight), Dorrell Coulthrust (light heavyweight), Stevenson Belle (heavyweight), Marlon Dottin (Men’s Physique), Jamil Jones (Men’s Physique) and Ramon Dodson (Men’s Physique).
WOMEN: Deidre Archer (ladies physique), Tanisha Cross (ladies fitness), Ramona Morgan (ladies body fitness), Janelle Butcher (ladies body fitness), Kathy-Anne Greenidge (ladies body fitness), Domini Alleyne (ladies bikini fitness), Shakira Doughlin (ladies bikini fitness), Lana Richards (ladies bikini fitness), Natalie Webb (ladies bikini fitness), Melissa Burrowes (ladies bikini fitness).
Officials: Richardson Boyce (chief delegate), Dr Andrew Forde (manager), Carl Moore (coach – bodybuilding), Shirley Garnes (assistant manager), Matthew Pilgrim (coach/fitness, bikini, body fitness), Walter Sobers (judge).
