Northern Bahamas show set for July 2; nationals to be held July 16

Simba FrenchSend an emailMay 19, 2022 263 3 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

After not having any local competition since before the COVID-19 pandemic forced a stoppage of sports in March 2020, the Bahamas Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation (BBFF) is active again, and has two big competitions planned for July. The announcement came at a press conference held at Better Bodies Gym yesterday.

One of those competitions is the Northern Bahamas Bodybuilding and Fitness Championships to be inside the Grand Ballroom at the Grand Lucayan hotel in Freeport, Grand Bahama, on Saturday, July 2. The second competition is the BBFF Bodybuilding and Fitness Novice and National Championships set for July 16 in New Providence.

However, before those competitions, the federation will be hosting an event dubbed ‘Getting Fit Saves Lives’ Family Fun Run and Walk on Saturday, June 11, starting at Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium at 6 a.m.

President of the BBFF Joel Stubbs was at the press conference. He said he is happy that they have returned to competition.

“We’re so happy and excited that the government has given us the green light for the resumption of sports in The Bahamas. So many of our athletes are looking forward to this opportunity to showcase their talents to the local Bahamian people,” Stubbs said.

They are hoping to send a team to the Central American and Caribbean Bodybuilding and Fitness Championships, set for July 27 to August 1, at Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Center in Bridgetown, Barbados.

The last time the federation staged the Northern Bahamas Bodybuilding and Fitness Championships was back in 2017.

“Many of the athletes in Grand Bahama are so excited about showcasing their talents once again,” Stubbs said. “It has been a long time for the Grand Bahamians. As the government does its part to get Grand Bahama back on his feet, we want to be a part of it to bring bodybuilding and fitness in the mix to energize and revitalize the Bahamian people there in Grand Bahama.

“We’re looking forward to this year being the re-energizing year for us. Everybody knows that the COVID-19 pandemic staggered and pretty much crippled all of the sporting disciplines. So, we’re happy now to be back on our feet.”

Stubbs said the athletes’ spirits were dampened a little, but given the return of the shows, some have started training again.

“Athletes’ participation was a little down a bit,” Subbs said. “I think the fact of the matter is because there were no shows, people lost interest. Persons were still training to some extent, some degree, but they were not at their full potential because they were waiting and wondering as to whether we would have brought things back into perspective to give them these opportunities to compete and be in a position to make the national team to travel. Now that it has being announced, we’ve seen a lot of the athletes gearing up. I’m praying and hoping that a lot of them can put the pedal to the metal and of course get deeper in the trenches to get ready and to be in a position to represent this year.”

The federation is looking for corporate sponsorships to come on board to financially assist in staging both competitions.

“We want to encourage the public and corporate sponsorship in which we are in dire need of,” said Stubbs. “We are a non-profitable organization, so we’re doing our utmost best to pour into these athletes here in The Bahamas – give them that opportunity to showcase themselves and also represent this Bahamas on the international stage. Thanks to the government in the form of the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture while stepping up in a large way in providing us with some of the finance needed to further this sport. We want to encourage Corporate Bahamas to please come on board and be a part of this venture and, of course, to help support young Bahamian athletes.”

Tickets for the competition in Grand Bahama are available for $20 each for general admission and they are being sold for $25 each at the door. VIP tickets are $30 each in advance and $35 each at the door. Details about the novice and national championships will be released at a later date.