The men’s physique and the figure contests at the Darcy Beckles Invitational followed the usual script, with the dynamic Hadley Hoyte and the elegant Ramona Morgan having pride of place on Saturday night at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre.
Figure contests over the past year have been a duel between Morgan and the Thompson sisters, Lynette and Dionne, and this was no different.
There were eight entrants in this field, but these three, who got the judges nod, were fans’ favourites, along with Antiguan Sher Rhonda Brathwaite.
As expected, the first comparison involved these four, but it came down to Lynette Thompson’s curves and Morgan’s stellar condition, and in the end, the judges went for the latter.
The experienced Morgan told NATIONSPORT that she never focuses on the competition, but about making improvement.
“The whole aim is to improve all the time. My last show was the National Championships and I wanted to improve on that performance, and I think I did.
“I wasn’t thinking of competition, I was more thinking of Ramona, about being a better Ramona, that is my philosophy throughout, so it doesn’t matter who comes, once Ramona is better than she was last time, I am good,” she said.
The men’s physique competition attracted the biggest field, 21 entrants, nine in the short class and 12 in the tall class.
The big surprise was that Jamil Jones and Deono James, both of whom competed with some success at the Ben Weider Legacy Cup in Canada, did not crack the top six in their respective divisions. Jones, the defending champion, was in top shape and it is hard to understand why he was overlooked in the tall class.
Alex Ifill, 33, a first-year management student at the Cave Hill Campus of the University of the West Indies, took the top spot. Ifill, who has a small, muscular waist, was well prepared and looked a good choice for the first place once the judges ignored Jones.
Guyana’s Caerus Cipriani, who showcased one of the widest backs, was second for the second straight year, with Jason Layne of Barbados third and Brendon Francis of Trinidad and Tobago completing the top four.
Hoyte, dynamite in a small package, was a clear winner of the short class. Emmerson Campbell of Guyana was second, with 32-year-old Barbadian Jermaine Bradshaw, third. Yannick Grimes of Guyana was fourth, with rugged Barbadian Shone Springer fifth. New boy Nicholas Smith of Barbados completed the top six.
In the overall pose-off, Hoyte defeated the improving Ifill to repeat as champion.
Trinidadian Natasha Bonaparte easily defended her women’s physique title. Bonaparte brought shape, proportion and condition that pulled her clear of compatriot Fiona Branker and Barbadian Julia Davis.
Anke Griffith of Barbados, turned up in fine form and deservedly captured the women’s wellness fitness, a new event. Griffith brought shape, poise and a pleasing presentation to win from Militia Galimo of Suriname and Barbadian Janelle Butcher. (MK)
