IFBB / UKBFF SCOTTISH CHAMPIONS CROWNED IN DUNDEE
The UKBFF / IFBB Scottish Championships has seen some memorable battles, first in Paisley and more recently in Dundee. This year’s show once again threw up some fabulous physiques, with British Championships and international invites at stake. Promoter Harry Ogg once again organised a slick event at the Bonar Hall, which was hosted by Tay FM radio presenter Claire Kinnaird and sponsored by Muscle and Health magazine.
BODYBUILDING
Three contrasting physiques started the show in junior bodybuilding. James McDonald, who was third, had plenty of muscle but not quite lean enough to best display it. This guy has potential. So, too, has runner-up Nicholas Grannell, who displayed a really pleasing shape, great tan and eye-catching abs. Jake Woodward, the winner, wasn’t the biggest but his conditioning was spot-on. This was a tough class to judge. Chris Bayne’s granite condition marked him out as the clear winner of the under 90 kg class. Chris looked good from front of back, with a well sculpted physique that he displayed well. Up to 80 kg champion Phillip Wright had clearly dieted hard – he was dry. But there was far more to his physique than conditioning. He had lots of impressive detail and sculpted muscle from head to toe. Ahmed Al-Alwani’s extra width edged out promising youngster James McDonald in the over-90 kg division. In classic bodybuilding, hometown hero Mark Finnegan’s superior conditioning, especially from the rear, took the title. Mark’s shoulders and quads were among his strong points.
FEMALE CLASSES
Martyna Derlat is emerging as one of this season’s star athletes. Fresh from her victory three weeks earlier in Pudsey, she claimed another winner’s trophy with another polished, top notch performance. With her superb tight lines and proportions, Martyna is class and would look good on any stage. Promising youngster Natalia Hulkevych, who is sculpting a lovely shape that she presents neatly, finished runner-up in the class and had the consolation of taking the juniors. Madonna Douglas was the day’s other standout female athlete, winning both the masters class and the under 169 cm height division. Madonna brought an excellently conditioned and trained shape to the stage. The only criticism is that she should smile more and give it more sass because she certainly had every reason to be confident with the quality of physique she brought to the stage. Wellness winner Hannah Stanley showed a good base for progressing in her first show.
MEN’S PHYSIQUE
Five guys battled it out in the final class of the day, the under 179 cm height class. It was quite a line-up. Masters champ James Stark gave the young ones a run for their money, eventually finishing third. Runner-up Thomas Sykes was really good – excellent shape, presentation and posing, which didn’t overly tense or crunch down on shots – exactly what goes down well in the IFBB. He just needed to be a touch tighter. Winner Callum Sharples was more muscular and had superb abs.
Classic physique was probably the best class of the day – and certainly one of the most difficult to judge due to the diverse range of physiques. After a real battle, Mark Finnegan’s hard and balanced physique earned him his second winner’s trophy of the day. Nicholas Grannell, who arguably epitomised classical more than anyone, claimed his second runner-up trophy of the day. Marcin Piszczalka, in third, brought some serious shreds to the stage. His quads were particularly peeled and impressive.
Masters men’s physique winner James Stark was impressively tight and had a great attitude on stage.
By John Plummer
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RESULTS
Junior Bodybuilding
Jake Woodward
Nicholas Grannell
James McDonald
Junior Bikini Fitness
Natalia Hulkevych
Masters Bikini Fitness
Madonna Douglas
Wellness Bikini Fitness
Hannah Stanley
Masters Men’s Physique
James Stark
Classic Bodybuilding
Mark Finnegan
Ahmed Al-Alwani
Bodybuilding up to 80 kg
Phillip Wright
Bodybuilding up to 90 kg
Chris Bayne
William McDowell
Bodybuilding over 90 kg
Ahmed Al-Alwani
James McDonald
Classic Physique
Mark Finnegan
Nicholas Grannell
Marcin Piszczalka
Also competed: Jesus Dominguez Lorenzo and Piotr Strzala
Bikini Fitness under 164 cm
Martyna Derlat
Natalia Hulkevych
Bikini Fitness under 169 cm
Madonna Douglas
Men’s Physique under 179 cm
Callum Sharples
Thomas Sykes
James Stark
Also competed: Kartik Ruhela and Alex Manev