The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

WITH a new executive board in place, more competitors are making their way back on stage to compete in the Bahamas Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation’s National Bodybuilding Championships.

One of them who will be returning after a four-year hiatus is Paul ‘Mighty Mouse’ Wilson.

“I had some bad history and I had to take some time out to cleanse my soul and get right with God and allow him to re-direct my path,” Wilson said. “I did a competition last year in Los Angeles and continued training. So when I heard that they had a new administration in the federation, I was more excited to compete again this year.”

Former professional bodybuilder Joel Stubbs has been voted in as the new president and since taking over, there has been an influx of competitors eager to compete under his leadership.

Undecided on exactly which category he will compete in, Wilson, who is having a “wait and see” attitude as it pertains to his weight, which is currently between 160-165, said he could either be in the welterweight or the lightweight division. Wherever he ends up, Wilson said he intends to create some havoc as he did prior to his departure.

“I’m very confident since the last time I competed in 2010,” he said. “My muscles have now matured and I have really made some personal improvements, especially in my conditioning. Every now and then I couldn’t get the conditioning down-packed, but I’ve found a routine that I can use to keep everything intact, so I’m looking forward to it.”

Like every competitor, 32-year-old Wilson is looking past the nationals. He has his sights set on representing the Bahamas at the CAC Championships September 24-27 at the Atlantis resort on Paradie Island. At his last CAC Championships in Aruba in 2010, Wilson earned a silver medal. The Bahamas last hosted the championships in 2008.

“I heard a lot of competitors from the other countries who haven’t seen me compete in a long time have been asking about me,” Wilson said. “So I am looking forward to competing at CAC again. I know the competition is going to be stiff, but I’m ready to compete.”

While he has been out for four years, Jimmy Norius has been making a name for himself.

Norius, last year’s welterweight champion and winner of the Joel Stubbs’ most muscular award and the best presentation award, said he’s looking forward to another impressive performance at the nationals before he prepares to improve on his bronze medal from last year’s CAC Championships.

“For nationals, I’m just going to try to make the team and impress my fans,” he said. “They can expect at least 80 per cent conditioning from me. I would say that I’m not going to go out 100 perfect because CAC is only going to be about six weeks after nationals. So I just want to stay hard and dry.”

With the CAC Championships back in the Bahamas, Norius said he’s even more excited about competing.

“Your family and friends can come and really support you,” he said. “Plus, for some reason, it kind of influences the judges subconsciously. So I’m really looking forward to competing at home. This will be the first time that I compete at home at CAC, so it should be a lot of fun.”

And with a new administration in place, Norius said he’s even more inspired to compete.

“We basically needed Saul to retire so King David can come in to run Israel,” Norius said. “Some times old fish don’t want to go like that. But I’m looking forward to what Joey Stubbs is going to bring to the table. He was a former athlete who knows the stress, the struggles, the pain and the sufferings that athletes have to go through.

“I was actually going to consider retiring from the sport of bodybuilding, but after he came in as the new president, I really want to recommit to the sport, in terms of not just bodybuilding, but men’s physique as well.”

Earlier this year, Norius had his feet wet in the physique competition when he placed eighth at the 2015 Arnold Sports Festival in Columbus, Ohio in March. The 40-year-old, however, will be crossing over to compete again in bodybuilding at the nationals this weekend in his prelude to the CAC Championships.