MUSCLE FLEX

Barbados is flexing its muscles on the bodybuilding stage.

After just three years, the Roger Boyce Classic has attracted one of the biggest bodybuilding shows in the world with the IFBB World Cup set to be held on the island in the next two months.

Dubbed the Roger Boyce IFBB World Cup, the international show is rated among the top five in the world and will see some of the best athletes from over 28 countries grace the stage at the Wildey Gymnasium between May 9 to 12.

The event will feature an amateur and professional section, with combined prize monies of US $100 000. Seven categories will be contested; bodybuilding, men’s physique, classic physique, bikini, bikini wellness, women’s physique and body fitness.

In an interview with Barbados TODAY, Roger Boyce, the man after who the show is named and vice-president of the Barbados Amateur Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation (BABBFF), said he was elated to have such a high level bodybuilding show in Barbados.

“For me it is big. I think that for us in Barbados to have a World Cup brand with our event, I think that something like this is needed in the region and I’m thankful they chose to have it here,” he said.

“It is the biggest competition in the region and is in the top five in the world.”

Some of the country’s best bodybuilders are set to compete at the event including reigning men’s classic physique champion Lamar Coward and reigning body fitness champion Dionne Thompson along with the likes of Ramon Broomes, Kirk Alleyne, Hoskin ‘Biscuits’ Worrell, Andrea Thompson and Ramona Morgan.

While in the amateur division Danielle Gill and Shaniqua Allamby are among those expected to take the stage.

Boyce, who is also the vice-president of the CAC Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation, said he expected the local athletes to be among the top performers.

“I think that our athletes will do well. I just think that we are on our way back up and that’s why this will benefit us, because we will get to see the best of the world at no big expense to us at athletes. But I think the guys are going to do well,” he said.

During the official launch at the office of the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc (BTMI) this afternoon, Sports Manager Kamal Springer described hosting the event as of “immense significance”.

He said Barbados was proving that it had the capacity to hold world class sporting events across different disciplines.

Springer lauded Boyce for his outstanding work in helping to bring the World Cup to Barbados.

“Yet another international governing body has chosen Barbados to have a massive world event. It shows that the attractiveness of this country to put on world class events is quite visible for the world to see and long may it continue,” he said.

“In 2022 we saw 193 athletes come in from the Caribbean and parts of Central America and South America to participate in this event. Now we’ve been granted the World Cup, we’re going to be seeing something like 300 and the economic impact of that will be roughly around $200 000.

“What sports can do for the country and the tourism element is limitless. It is an absolutely target rich environment…we can bring people to this country at all points in time throughout the year if we use sports the right way,” Springer added.

Director of the National Sports Council (NSC), Neil Murrell maintained that Barbados had a “storied history” with regards to bodybuilding.

He said the NSC was pleased to lend its support to the event, and he was satisfied with the resurgence of bodybuilding on the island.

“The Roger Boyce Classic has a tremendous value added component for Barbados, but it also has a value added component for the NSC because the NSC has not only supported the Roger Boyce Classic over the years, but we have worked with the BABBFF to enhance the human resource bodybuilding capital, both at the level of the association and of course in the community,” Murrell pointed out.

“…The NSC is pleased with the efforts of the Roger Boyce Classic, pleased with the efforts of bodybuilding in general and therefore the support we would give them is richly and justly rewarded.”

randybennett@barbadostoday.bb