Dream come true for Shanequa

She came, she saw and she conquered.

In what was a surprise performance for even herself, Shanequa Allamby defied the odds to earn a pro card at the recently concluded Roger Boyce Classic.

Competing at the bodybuilding show, which attracted athletes from over 28 countries, Allamby, an accountant, captured not only the fit model division, but also the bikini fitness title.

What made her accomplishment all the more impressive, was the fact that it was just the 28-year-old’s second time competing in the latter division.

In her first appearance in bikini fitness at last year’s Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Championships in Aruba, Allamby placed just outside the top five.

Speaking to Barbados TODAY about her most recent accomplishments, Allamby said while she was not surprised to have won the fit model division, she admitted that winning the bikini fitness and earning the pro card had come as a complete shock to her.

“It was a definite surprise because I wasn’t looking for the pro card. I only entered bikini fitness because everyone kept encouraging me to do it, so I was in total shock when I ended up winning and getting my pro card,” she said during a telephone interview.

“It was just my second time doing bikini fitness. The first time doing it was 2023 at CAC in Aruba and I came sixth, so winning that division was definitely not on my mind.”

She credited her hard work and the guidance of a posing coach for her double success at the Roger Boyce Classic.

“I trained really hard for two months, maintained a strict diet and I invested time in a posing coach. The coach helped me to improve my posing in not only the bikini fitness but also in the fit model.

“I just needed a bit of guidance because I wasn’t familiar with putting all of my bodyweight on one leg, but I mastered it and got everything together quite nicely,” Allamby pointed out.

Now that she is a professional bodybuilder, Allamby said she was looking forward to competing with the “big guns”.

She said while it meant her training would have to intensify, she was ready for the challenge.

“I will try to raise funds to compete in at least one more show for the year and will see how that goes. If not, I will take the offseason and try to come back better next year. The season starts in September so most of the shows will start around September,” Allamby said.

“My training is going to be amped up to work on areas that need to be worked on, but it’s literally going to be the same routine, working out four days a week, so I’m not fazed at all.”

randybennett@barbadostoday.bb