Article Image Alt Text

It was a tough decision for the judges with the top three in the Women’s Body Fitness Category looking so stunning and sharp, but it was Ramona Morgan (right) of ABC Fitness Studio, who quarter turned her way to the title. Dionne Thompson (left) placed third and Lynette Thompson was second for a clean sweep for ABC Fitness.

Douglin and Morgan rule their class

Shakira Douglin and Ramona Morgan showed that beauty and fitness go hand in hand as they strutted and posed their way to glory in their respective categories on Saturday night at the tenth annual Darcy Beckles Bodybuilding Invitational Classic, Bikini & Fitness Championships.

With her bikini sparkling under the lights, ABC Fitness Studio’s Ramona Morgan was in excellent form and quarter turned her way to the 2017 Body Fitness title. The result was one better than her second-place performance last year. The competition was tight with fellow gymmate and Bajan athlete, Lynette Thompson, looking in what could have possibly been her best form in her body fitness career. The crowd was split between the two in who would take home the gold, but Morgan was crowned champion. The two hugged tightly, knowing they had done their best and their camaraderie shone as they posed for their photo-op with another ABC Fitness Studio lady, third-place Dionne Thompson.

Morgan was blunt about her preparation for the Classic being a challenge as the recent CAC Championships were postponed. “I feel great about the win, but mentally it was tough because obviously we had no more CAC, so you came off your diet for a bit and then you had to go back on. The body was coming together, but mentally I was not there. Before I got on stage, the plan was to be better than my winning form at Nationals,” said the dazzling champion.

Shakira Douglin stepped onto the stage as the reigning Bikini Fitness Under 163cm Queen and also the overall Bikini Fitness Female Champion, but with that title all the ladies competing were gunning for her. It was all class however for Douglin in body and flair, as she flexed and posed for the judges and her fans in the crowd. She would face off against two other Barbadians and Rocheal Philip of St. Lucia. Though Philip represented her country well, her conditioning was not as up to par as the others and finished in fourth position. Akeila Prescod of ABC Fitness copped another medal for the gym as she stepped up one better than last year to place third. That left Douglin against the reigning 2017 St. Michael Novice champion Vanessa Jones of Flawless Performance Centre, who is a newcomer to the sport. Both ladies looked good with slender waists and abs of steel, but in the end the veteran of Surfside Wellness Centre was able to successfully defend her title and beat Jones into second spot. (AS)

Barbados Advocate

Mailing Address:
Advocate Publishers (2000) Inc
Fontabelle, St. Michael, Barbados

Phone: (246) 467-2000
Fax: (246) 434-2020 / (246) 434-1000