REIGNING?Mr Barbados Stevenson Belle and Hoskyn?Worrell have predictably been named in the national bodybuilding team for the forthcoming Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Championships in Santo Domingo, but there is no place for four-time Mr Barbados William Prescod.
The bodybuilding, fitness and bikini contingent will head to the Dominican Republic in two weeks’ time with Belle seeking to make his mark among the best light heavyweights in the region while Worrell, a multiple divisional winner at the CAC?Championships, flexes muscle in the welterweight class.
Belle, now in his third season, told NATIONSPORT that he was leaving no stone unturned in his bid to make improvements.
 “Since I have been working with coach Nicole Carter and trying different things, the improvements have been coming with time,”?he said. “It is just a matter of being patient.
“It doesn’t stop here for me. I know there is a lot I can do with my physique, I know
I have a lot of potential and I?just want to make the most of it.” Â
Prescod, 50, pays the price for coming out of shape at the Nationals where he was the lone entrant in the heavyweight class. With the defending team champions not being represented in this division, the selectors were able to choose two men, Worrell and the razor-sharp Laron Gibson, for the welterweight class.
Curtis Kirby will fly the national flag in the flyweight class which is for bodybuilders up to 132 and a quarter pounds while dynamic Sammy Eastmond carries the torch in the lightweight division.
Joseph Bourne, winner of his class at the Nationals, is the light middleweight contender while junior champ Shaquille Lavine lines up in that category.
Ms Barbados Rhonda Browne and six-footer Deidre Archer have been chosen to continue this country’s good record in women’s bodybuilding at the CAC front.
The selectors have left out crowd favourite Kerri Gibson, who was unlucky to have been beaten in the fitness segment. Asha Chase, the controversial winner at Nationals, will get the chance at CAC.
Kim Sealy lines up in the class for those up to 168 centimetres. Nationals champ Antoinette Downie has also been selected for this class, but there is speculation that she will compete in the fitness competition with Chase.
Graceful Ramona Morgan and the petite Rashida Belgrave are the ones Barbados will be looking to in the other body fitness divisions.
In the bikini competition, Saskia Griffith and 26-year-old Melissa Burrowes will display their physiques in the category for those up to 163 centimetres while the tall Natalie Webb competes in the taller class.
The men’s physique, the show-stopper at the Nationals, will have two representatives in champions Maurice Arthur and Marlon Dottin.
The team will be managed by former Ms Caribbean Shirley Garnes with president Dr Andrew Forde, performing the role of chief delegate.
The team leaves on September 18 with the semi-finals slated for the September 20 and finals, the following day.
