“Unleash Your Power: Where Mental Strength Meets Physical Excellence,” is the theme of the third staging of the Mayberry, JOA Jamaica Bodybuilding and Fitness Association (JABBFA) National Bodybuilding Championships.

This year’s event is set for Saturday, September 28 at the AC Hotel in Kingston.

“We are excited at JABBFA to showcase Jamaica’s premier bodybuilding event where the country’s top athletes will compete for the prestigious titles of Mr. and Ms. Jamaica,” said Vice President of JABBFA, Kirk Frankson at the launch of the event held at the Jamaica Olympic Association on Tuesday morning.

“This competition marks a pivotal moment in our season of bodybuilding as we continue to celebrate not only physical excellence but also the discipline, commitment and mental strength that our sport cultivates. It is a platform where our athletes don’t just showcase their physical prowess, but also their mental resilience and dedication to drive them to become the best version of themselves,” he added.

Mayberry Investments Limited will serve as main sponsors for the championships for the third year in a row.

“Today marks a significant moment for bodybuilding and fitness Jamaica as we kick off another year of showcasing the incredible talent, dedication and discipline of our athletes,” said Stephanie Harrison, VP-Marketing at Mayberry Investments Limited.

“We are very happy and elated to have accommodated this third staging and we believe in the potential of our athletes and it’s a testament to the growing importance of fitness and wellness in Jamaica,” she added.

The competition will feature 56 athletes competing in a diverse range of categories: Men’s Physique, Bodybuilding, Bikini Fitness, Body Fitness and Women’s Physique.

The Men’s Physique category will be broken down into three smaller categories: Short, Tall and Muscular while the Bodybuilding category will be broken down into two: Open and Classic.

Bikini Fitness, similar to Men’s Physique, will see three sub-categories: Short, Tall and Wellness.

There are 23 competitors registered for the Men’s Physique category with Bodybuilding, Bikini Fitness, Body Fitness and Women’s Physique following with 15, 10, 4 and 4, respectively.

“Without the athletes, none of this would’ve been possible. With their hard work and dedication, going through the diet, it’s amazing,” said JABBFA President Audrey Allwood.

A large number of Gyms around the island will be represented on Saturday including the likes of Fit Farm Fitness, Island Body Fitness, Myers Fitness Center, Work That body Gym and recent additions to the fitness landscape like Shaddai Fitness Factory among many others.

“We could not have done this without the gym because, of course, the gyms make the bodies,” Allwood said.

Allwood also expressed gratitude to Mayberry for their contributions over the last three years, referring to that period as the association’s “best ever.”

As far as prizes go, for all competitive categories with more than three participants, the top three athletes will be awarded trophies and Mayberry tokens and sponsored gift baskets.

Category winners will also receive a cash prize of JA$20,000, while the overall champions will be rewarded with JA$50,000.

Other sponsors for this year’s edition include Caribbean Producers Jamaica, Lasco Financial Services, Lasco Distributors, Ayrtons Distributors, Gustazos Jamaica, VitaMalt, Nature Valley, Powerade, Vigorton 2 Iron and Vitamin Tonic, Cheffin’z with Jolly, Fitness Junkies, Express Fitness Jamaica and PUSH.