Three bodybuilders from Bermuda had top finishes at the 2016 Arnold Amateur Classic in Columbus, Ohio, on the weekend, with Hafid James winning the men’s physique category in Class D in a field of 42 competitors.

Sabrina Burgess, who like James trains at Positive Results gym in Pembroke, had two top-five finishes, placing third in the Figure/Fitness masters division and fifth in the Figure/Fitness open Class C.

Nicole Tovey, of Beast Gym, placed third in the bikini Class E and fourth in the masters competition. Sue Rebello, the other competitor from Bermuda, did not reach the final.

James, 30, who represented Grenada, his mother’s birthplace, is the first Caribbean competitor to win a men’s physique title at the event, which is named after Arnold Swarzeneggar, the Austrian-born former governor of California who rose to prominence as an actor in the Terminator series after a successful bodybuilding career.

“The Arnold Amateur is the biggest amateur competition in the world,” James said yesterday. “You have top athletes coming from all over the world: Brazil, South Africa, Mexico, the US, Europe.

“The D class is everyone up to 180cm in height, just under six feet. The first time I came fourth, so the two main goals my coach [Carmichael Bryan] and I had was to be one of the best-conditioned athletes and to try to beat my fourth-place finish. Even before this year, I was the highest-placing Bermudian at the Arnold.”

For James, the hard work has paid off — hours in the gym and maintaining a special diet. “I never really stopped training from my last competition, which was CAC in October [in Bahamas],” he said. “Usually I do two sessions of 30 minutes’ cardio every day and about 45 minutes of weights Monday to Friday.

“We took a break from cardio for a little bit, then around December, I upped the cardio. Everything else was the same: eating and training. I usually tell people the physical stuff is easy, but it’s the mental stuff because every day I walk in the gym, I have to give my all, whether it’s a good day, bad day or I’m tired. I have to eat eight times a day, special meals, so it’s a lot that goes into it.”

Burgess, who turns 47 today, gave herself an early birthday present with two strong finishes in Ohio. She also trains under Bryan at Positive Results.

“I’ve been training since last August, so I was heading into the competition with high expectations of at least placing in the top three in the masters and top five in the open class, which I accomplished,” Burgess said. “I’m elated.

“I pretty much train all year round, every day. Between 12 and 16 weeks outside competition, I start to add in a second lot of cardio per day and the diet becomes a bit more strict. I put in a lot of work as a mother and working full time. I’ve been training with Carmichael since I first started competing in 2011.

“The masters is over-35 and I believe in my category the youngest was 36, up to 49. This is the second time I’ve entered the Arnold Classic, in 2014 I placed tenth in the Open class. I won my first competition in 2011 in Bermuda, then I went to El Salvador to represent Bermuda and placed fourth.

“The end is in view, trust me. Probably one more show.”

James, born in Bermuda, opted to represent Grenada again after being given the cold shoulder ahead of the CAC last year. “I was given a letter and told I was not a quality athlete and they didn’t think I could place, so they didn’t put me on the Bermuda team,” said James, whose first competition was in 2012.

“Because I had confidence in myself and my coach had confidence in me, we sought other ways for me to compete. Because my mother is Grenadian-born, I was able to compete through the Grenada federation and ended up winning CAC last year.

“Grenada wants to bring me down there to do some seminars and help bring along bodybuilding. My mother is super-proud. It touches home because I’m representing her country and representing it well. I’m the first person from the Caribbean to win men’s physique, so it’s a big deal and I just want to enjoy it.

‘If I hadn’t gone through Grenada, I wouldn’t have competed ... and I won. As much as I’m from Bermuda and help Bermudian athletes, I do represent Grenada.”

James credits his coach for his success in the sport along with sponsor Kara’s Kitchen, which handles his meal preparations, brother Shae James, and Sergio White, the owner of Positive Results and his “Body on Fire” crew.