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By Neto Baptiste
Veteran bodybuilder Dale Gardner has revealed that he will cross the competitive stage for the last time when he contests both the Masters and Open categories at this year’s National Bodybuilding Championships slated for August 30.
Speaking on the Good Morning Jojo Sports Show, the 53-year-old resident of Parham revealed he has been competing since the early to mid ‘90s and has decided that the time has come to pass the torch to the younger competitors.
“Titus showed me a picture that was [from] 1995, so that’s 30 years of longevity and you know that’s a gift; that’s a blessing, so I give God all the glory for how he has kept me through all this time. I just want to see bodybuilding maintained because it’s kind of fading out but this is my last year. I have some younger blood in my community; I have some nephews and they’re looking strong and ready, so I want to pass on the baton to them and keep real bodybuilding alive,” he said.
The often energetic and competitive bodybuilder, said he was hoping to see a number of the more seasoned competitors make a return to the stage this year in an effort to boost hardcore bodybuilding.
“It’s only two Masters [competing] this year, so I would love to see more Masters on stage like Flashie and Alfred and Dave Peters. You know, we want to get them back and motivated, and Frankie too, because we all competed together. After the Masters, I’m going to do the Open and that’s going to be an interesting category for the Open class. I think the average age in the Open class would be like about 25, 30, so that’s like a 20-year difference. You just enjoy yourself, go on stage and have fun and that’s what this sport is all about,” he said.
Gardner said that although he welcomes the addition of other categories which helps to grow the sport, hardcore bodybuilding should remain the cornerstone and he pledged to assist in any way possible to keep that aspect of the competition alive.
“I see bodybuilding, real bodybuilding fading out and I want that to be a staple. I want to keep that alive. Diversion is good and you have all these other categories and I think it’s always good to innovate, but you have to keep the real bodybuilding, natural bodybuilding. How to build your body from the leg to the head and portion and quality and we want to keep that alive. That’s why it’s a motivation for me,” the athlete said.
The national championships is slated for a return to the St Anthony’s Secondary School and will see at lest 15 new competitors cross the stage this year. In addition to the regular categories, the Antigua and Barbuda Amateur Bodybuilding & Weightlifting Federation has announced the introduction of a Juniors category at this year’s event.
General admission fee for the National Championships is $80 while children under 12 will pay $40; action muscles off at 7 pm.
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