Alexander Jackman Jr. took the overall men's title during the first International Natural Bodybuilding and Fitness, U.S. Armed Forces-Europe Natural Bodybuilding Championships held at the Performing Arts Center in Darmstadt, Germany. (Jessica Iñigo / S&S)
Alexander Jackman Jr. took the overall men's title during the first International Natural Bodybuilding and Fitness, U.S. Armed Forces-Europe Natural Bodybuilding Championships held at the Performing Arts Center in Darmstadt, Germany. (Jessica Iñigo / S&S)
Sylvia Guise, of the middleweight division, beat out two other contestants for the top woman's slot during the first International Natural Bodybuilding and Fitness, U.S. Armed Forces-Europe Natural Bodybuilding Championships held at the Performing Arts Center in Darmstadt, Germany, Saturday. (Jessica Iñigo / S&S)
DARMSTADT, Germany — Sylvia Guise of Kitzingen and Alexander Jackman Jr. of Heidelberg were named top competitors at the first International Natural Bodybuilding and Fitness, U.S. Armed Forces-Europe Natural Bodybuilding Championships.
The two beat out 12 other competitors during a daylong event at the Performing Arts Center in Darmstadt on Saturday.
Performances allowed each competitor to do a solo routine in front of a crowd and be judged on bodybuilding and fitness.
Prior to the show announcers said all contestants went through a polygraph test, backing up their claim that they have been drug free for at least seven years. Also, winners were given urinalysis tests after the competition.
“It’s the only way to be an athlete and claim you won any sport,” said Jackman, 39, originally from Lexington, Ky.
“Otherwise, drugs are the only reason why you could or would beat a competitor.”
Jackman, an Army retiree, has been bodybuilding for 20 years. This is the fourth show he has placed in.
For Guise, however, it was the first time she had competed at this level.
“This is a stepping-stone for me to move on. I really want to go somewhere with it,” said Guise, 29, originally from Dallas.
Top finishers in the event were given an opportunity to meet with professional World Natural Bodybuilding Federation professional Fred DiMenna for future work in bodybuilding.
DiMenna put on a show between competitor’s sets during the performance portion of the championships, and also delivered a message that bodybuilding should remain drug-free.
Brian Morgan, personal trainer and show host, said sanctioned bodybuilding competitions would continue to be held in Germany.
“This is the start to a beautiful friendship between the U.S. Armed Forces-Europe and International Natural Bodybuilding and Fitness,” Morgan said.
“I’m really excited to have soldiers coming back [from deployment] to get more people participating in next year’s event.”
Six INBF officials from New York served as judges at Saturday’s show.
Competitors in the order of their placement were:
Women’s Open
Lightweight — Melissa DuigouMiddleweight — GuiseHeavyweight — Amy Montgomery.
Men’s Open
Lightweight — Anthony DuigouMiddleweight — Jackman, Wendell Fields, Tony Edmond and Woody B. CarrerLight heavyweight — Andrew Johnson, Tim Costello and David NewsomeHeavyweight — Roy Rucker, Len Davis and Marcus Francis.
