Campbell vows to return “bigger and better” in 2020

CAC Bodybuilding & Fitness Championships…

By Timothy Jaikarran

The CAC Bodybuilding and Fitness Championships held recently in the Dominican Republic have concluded with Guyana’s doyen Emmerson Campbell shockingly failing to place within the top six contenders in his category.

A ‘minor technicality’ has been identified as the reason, and Campbell has vowed to return “bigger and better”, come 2020.
Having secured bronze and silver at the last two championships, Emmerson Campbell surprisingly failed to place in the top six in the Under-174cm Physique Class, and will have to return to the drawing board to work on his strategy.
In an exclusive interview with Guyana Times Sport he was asked about his performance at the CAC, and Campbell responded, “To be quite honest, when I heard that I did not make the first call-out (placing in the top six), I was more surprised than disappointed. That was based on the fact that I lost the gold medal (medal) by one point last year; made improvements worthy of a champion, but fell way off the podium.
“There was absolutely nothing wrong with my training, mental or physical. I showed up with my best package to date, so that was a big head-scratcher. When I enquired about my placement, I received conflicting reports from the judges, but one stated that I had committed an infringement which caused me to be marked down and essentially disqualified from the first call-out, hence a seventh-place finish.”
Campbell explained that while he was disappointed with the results, the experience was one to remember, and he vows not to make the same mistake next year.
“Rules and regulations get changed and updated regularly; and I feel I was placed at a disadvantage, since none of those rules was disclosed at any time to me.” Campbell declared.
He disclosed that the experience gained has actually rekindled his fire, and he is now hungrier more than ever to succeed, and is confident that he actually will. He says he is constantly motivated by the saying, “You always learn more from a loss/lesson that a victory”, and he is confident that, come 2020, he would dismantle any competition placed before him.
Campbell also had this to say: “To my sponsors, (who) enabled me to once again represent Guyana, I want to say a heartfelt ‘thank you’ and I (predict I) will do Guyana proud once again. They include Jamie McDonald of Fitness Express, National Sports Commission, Guyana Olympic Association, Bounty Farm Ltd, Abdool and Abdool Insurance Company, and Space Gym.”