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JABBFA Senior Champs could see changing of the guard

Published:Friday | September 1, 2023 | 12:09 AMOrane Buchanan/Staff Reporter
President of the Jamaica Amateur Bodybuilding and Fitness Association (JABBFA) Audrey Allwood (second right) accepts the symbolic $1 million sponsorship cheque from Stephanie Harrison (centre), vice-president of marketing at Mayberry Investments Limited, a
Nicholas Nunes/Photographer
President of the Jamaica Amateur Bodybuilding and Fitness Association (JABBFA) Audrey Allwood (second right) accepts the symbolic $1 million sponsorship cheque from Stephanie Harrison (centre), vice-president of marketing at Mayberry Investments Limited, at yesterday’s launch of the 2023 JABBFA Senior Championships at the Jamaica Olympic Association head office in Kingston. Also in photograph (from left) are bodybuilder Ashane Gordon-Morrison, Kemmar Lewis, category manager of spirits and beers at Caribbean Producers Limited, and bodybuilder Duvaughn Dick.

AHEAD of the second staging of the Mayberry-sponsored Jamaica Amateur Bodybuilding and Fitness Association (JABBFA) Senior Championships set for tomorrow at the AC Hotel in New Kingston, Kirk Frankson, vice-president of the JABBFA, says the event could possibly see a changing of the guard, with the junior athletes looking to dethrone their senior competitors.

“Saturday’s proceedings are looking quite robust and exciting. We will get to see seasoned competitors like Marcus White, Andrew Chisholm going up against new persons like Kymani Kirby, so it will be an opportunity for a changing of the guard,” Frankson said. He added that they have just come out of the junior championships and several juniors would be trying to upstage some of the senior athletes.

Frankson said that despite not being where he had hoped, bodybuilding is growing in Jamaica.

“Generally, I think we’re very pleased with the growth of bodybuilding. Some categories have grown very well, and in some cases, exponentially. The men’s physique category has been a category of growth and we’ve seen a lot of males going into that category,” Frankson said.

Stephanie Harrison, vice-president – marketing at Mayberry Investments, which donated a cheque valued at $1 million towards the staging of the championships, said her company wants to be part of bodybuilding in Jamaica for the long haul.

“This means a lot to us,” Harrison said, adding that this was their second year of sponsorship of the championships in partnership with the Jamaica Olympic Association. “It’s a wonderful sport. Last year was a wonderful event, and we are very excited to be here again.”

One of the leading challengers for the title will be Kymani Kirby, who stated that despite the tough road leading up to the championships, he is hoping to put on his best performance in the categories of Classic Bodybuilding and Bodybuilding.

“Preparation has been rough, but I’m hungry, so I’m satisfied with what I’m seeing. I’m going after the junior title, Mr Junior Jamaica, so I definitely see myself finishing in the top three,” Kirby said.

orane.buchanan@gleanerjm.com