Dillon Mahadeo has for years been a front runner on the Crossfit scene in Guyana. However, come Sunday, Mahadeo will have to test his skills against his Caribbean counterparts in the Kares Caribbean Fitness Challenge.
Dillon Mahadeo
With four wins already under his belt at the Kares Caribbean Fitness Challenge, Mahadeo is keen on recapturing his title this weekend when the 2020 edition of the event is contested.
However, unlike most incumbent champions, a humble Mahadeo is fully aware of the challenge that will be posed against him and according to the athlete, he is ready to rise to the occasion.
Speaking exclusively with <<<Guyana Times Sport>>>, Mahadeo shared a little about his preparation and training for the February 9 competition.
“Preparation has been going really well this year. I’ve been training, doing a lot of training, putting in a lot of work; I’ve been training the most I ever did, my nutrition is on point, my mental game, my recovery – everything has been good leading into this competition and I think I’m feeling really confident heading in this weekend.”
When probed about his level of confidence after winning the competition four times before, Mahadeo oozed humility as he explained how much he valued avid opposition.
“I don’t take any competition lightly, I go into every competition knowing that these guys are coming for my spot, the top spot and I don’t let off the gas pedal that easily. I’m going in to do the best that I can and get the best possible outcome on that day. That I can push myself and push my body to the limit and not just think about winning or beating the competition but maximising my potential,” Mahadeo explained.
The athlete – who has a list of sponsors in his corner namely Fitness Express, MVP Sports, Degree (DeSinco Trading), Premyum Canola Oil – told this publication that he was not looking forward to any one event but rather the entire day of gruelling action.
“No, there aren’t any particular ones that I would say I’m looking forward to. I’m looking forward to the entirety of the day and the accumulation of events. So far, the events that have been released, the first one and two other events, are really challenging and I’d like to see how my training had played out and helped me to endure five events in the sun and so far, this year is shaping up to be one of the most challenging,” the athlete noted.
The sixth Kares Caribbean Fitness Challenge on Sunday will see a larger pool of competitors from Barbados, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago. Speaking to this fact, Mahadeo shared that he was eager to come up against his fellow athletes and hopefully register a win on his home turf.
“Especially with external pressure coming from the Caribbean. We have my counterparts coming from Trinidad, Barbados and Suriname; I’ve competed with them in the past, I’ve competed with them in their home country and it’s good to have them here on home soil, in my backyard and throw down and compete against these guys,” Mahadeo eagerly stated.
Aside from participants, one other thing that has increased for the Fitness Challenge are the prize monies. Taking into consideration that the prizes are set at $500,000 apiece for the male and female champions, the defending champion explained that the increase augured well for the sport and athletes involved.
“The sport has been elevating the cash prizes, the level of the competition, and every year we see an influx of athletes, taking up the sport of Crossfit, which is something I really enjoy. Our novice competition pulls athletes in and you see them coming on to accept the challenge at the National Park. So, definitely the money is an incentive, it’s definitely encouraging.”
While the Kares Caribbean Fitness Challenge will be a notable event for Mahadeo, the true competition will come at the Reebok Fitness Games in the USA (July 29- August 2), which he has qualified for once again. The athlete detailed how the local competition will prepare him for the bigger stage in July.
“This competition is definitely a prep; I use it as an indicator for how I feel. As I said, I’m going into the competition not taking it lightly. I’m going to try to get the best outcome from my body. Hopefully, this weekend, I can hoist the Golden Arrowhead and I’ll be really proud of that.”
The sixth Kares Caribbean Fitness Challenge will begin at the crack of dawn on Sunday as athletes participate in a competitive run. The real muscle grinding action will begin at 13:00h in the National Par, when the other events are contested. While first place will walk away with $500,000, the runners-up will not miss out with prizes of $400,000, $300,000, $200,000 and $100,000 up for grabs.
