The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMIAN professional bodybuilder Jimmy Norius and his wife Serena, who is hoping to follow in his footsteps by earning her pro card, have moved to Florence, Italy, where they hope to continue their sporting careers.

The duo left town over the weekend and have now settled down into their new home and are now making the adjustment to their environment.

“We both agreed that this was the best move for us, in terms of the culture, the food and the cost of living, plus Italy is Europe, so it is so much easier for us to be able to train and compete,” Norius said in an interview from their apartment as they observed a national holiday yesterday.

“And the quality of life in Italy is something that everybody has. But in the Bahamas, the quality of life is something that you have to pay for. In Italy, it’s just so much easier to enjoy life. The level of equality versus inequality isn’t that much.”

Norius has learned that in Italy, education is free and so is healthcare, which makes it so much easier for both of them to make the smooth transition from the Bahamas. But he’s even more enthused about what he can achieve as an athlete in Italy.

“I know a lot of the IFBB pro shows are held in Spain, Malta, Portugal and Italy and so competing, it will be a lot cheaper,” he said. “From Italy to Spain, you can get an airline ticket for about $50. For me to get from the Bahamas to Spain to compete, I would have to spend over $3,000.

“And as far as the gym membership is concerned, you would have to pay about $220 per month to train, but in Italy, you are only spending about $10-20 per month.

“Everything in preparing me for a show is going to be much cheaper than it would be if I was doing it in the Bahamas.”

It’s not been a full week since they have settled in and taken in what he called the “breathtaking” environment with the vineyards and olive gardens on the horizon, but Norius said it has been “quiet and stress-free” so far.

“Even though it’s cold, it still feels good,” said Norius, who noted that the rooms in their apartment are heated. “It’s just so amazing to be here. I went into the store and bought a gallon of water for 30 cents and got a big bottle of olive oil for about three euros. And it’s quality stuff.

“Living in the Bahamas, you have to pay for a quality of life, but in Italy, a quality of life is given to everybody regardless of their socio-economic status.”

While his main focus is going to be on increasing his Italian language, thanks to the assistance from Serena, Norius said he has to adjust to the weather, which is extremely cold at this time of the year.

“After I get my residency permit, I will try to get some employment here because I want to be able to train young children with their athletic programme,” said Norius, who intends to set up a home-based gymnasium whenever he doesn’t engage in any of the facilities to train in.

“I’m going to spread the word around in the community that I will be offering my service to help develop athletes like I did when I worked on some of our pro athletes like Steven Gardiner in Moore’s Island, Abaco with Nick Dean, Leevan Sands with his therapy on his knee, Jamal Wilson his therapy on his knee as well and even boxer Tureano Johnson when he was rehabbing his shoulder.”

As a former track athlete, who now specialises in bodybuilding, Norius said he’s eager to share his expertise with the Italians as a physical fitness instructor.

Serena, an Italian native, said she’s glad to be home with her husband. She said like he did when he introduced her to the sport, she’s looking forward to him preparing her to continue her career, in her quest to become a pro bodybuilder as well.

“I am very excited for Jimmy because now he can see with his own eyes what I’ve been telling him about how cheap the organic food is here to help with our diet and nutrition,” Serena Norius said. “Now he will see how well he can enjoy going into the foodstore and buy high quality food for cheap.”

She said she will work with him to launch his physical fitness profession with the young people, but at the same time, he will be ensuring that she gets the necessary training for her to make her debut on stage in front of her family and friends in a bodybuilding show very soon.

“I won’t forget the Bahamas and Florida where I had some very good performances,” she said. “But by June, I want to be able to compete in my first meet in Italy. So we’re working on making sure that I am ready for that.”

By April and hopefully acclimatised to Italy, Norius said he hopes to get on stage in his first pro show in either Spain or Malta. Whenever he does, Norius said he will continue to represent the 242 to the best of his ability, despite the fact that he will do it as a resident of Italy.

“I will be a Bahamian regardless. I still consider the Bahamas to be the best in the world per capita, so I will continue to carry the Bahamian flag wherever I go,” he said. “I’m leaping out by faith to make it better for me in the future.

“I’m not religious, but I’m spiritual and I know that even when Jesus was on earth, he had to migrate from Nazareth to Egypt,” he said. “Joseph had to migrate at one point, Moses had to migrate, Lot and Abraham both had to migrate for a better way of life.”

Stating that “when God opens a door for you,” one should take it because “sometimes you only have one chance.” He said he could be a forerunner for others in the sport to step in fate to make a difference in their career.

“I would encourage any athlete who gets an opportunity to go to another part of the world to train and compete to do so,” Norius said. “God didn’t just bless us with the Bahamas, but the world as well.

“The earth is the Lord’s and the fullest therefore, so it’s best to travel the world and see what they have to offer as you embrace their culture and way of life. Allow destiny to take you where you have never been before and when you need to go.”

Three years ago, he said he never envisioned that he would make this move. But after meeting his wife, he said Serena showed him that there was more to life than just the Bahamas and he’s ready to embrace it as he continues his professional bodybuilding journey.