Bridges Classic

By John Plummer

Photography by Kevin Horton

You can view and buy images of this event here https://www.ukbffphotos.com/2022/BRIDGES-CLASSIC

If you’d like to order all your images as a package, email ukbffphotos@gmail.com

The 2022 IFBB amateur season is reaching its climax as athletes prepare for the British Championships as well as international events like the Arnold Classic Europe and Diamond Cups.

The Bridges Classic, a qualifier for the British, started with a minute’s silence for Bill and Sarah Bridges, who successfully promoted this event for many years.

The couple, who both died in the years since the show was last held pre-covid, did a lot not just for the UKBFF but for bodybuilding and are sorely missed. The event, formerly the Kent Classic, was renamed in their memory.

New promoter Martin Kelly has taken over the baton and he can be proud of the results.

Invitations for the British Championships on October 29 were up for grabs. There are still two opportunities to qualify for the British at the English Grand Prix at Beaconsfield on September 10 and the Midlands Championships at Bilston on October 9.

BODYBUILDING

Kameron Mechen-Smith started the day as an unknown beginner but ended it as a major prospect. Kameron, 25, who is from Gravesend showed impressive development, especially in the quads, but it was his classic lines, accentuated by his posing, that really caught the eye in winning the beginners class. Leon Jackson’s good legs and back earned him the first of two second place trophies.

Kameron later used his shape to overcome the shreds of John Stenning in the wonderfully raucous under-90kg bodybuilding class. The crowd really got into it and the athletes responded, having fun while giving it there all.

Ryan Bremner also displayed one of the best physiques of the day… but things didn’t quite go according to plan. He entered classic physique but was unable to perform a vacuum pose so, according to the rules, he was moved into bodybuilding up to 80 kg. He showed a razor-sharp midriff before transitioning into poses that revealed a good taper and a really muscular back. Throw in excellent conditioning and good posing and it was a winning mix.

Runner-up Leon Jackson had thicker legs but lacked the same upper body detail.

Superior conditioning helped John ‘Woody’ Stenning win the masters over-40s. John really dialled it in to defeat Lucas Queiroz, whose well muscled shape was not lean enough to be shown in its best light.

Three evenly matched but contrasting physiques lined up in the masters over-50s with the judges going for the extra width and size of John Dauven ahead of Manuel Maldonado and Wanyah Reid.

MEN’S PHYSIQUE

Muscular men’s physique winner Valentin Tomescu almost missed his class but he quickly made an impact when he rushed on stage, showing a power packed and ripped physique and some confident moves.

Jack Bird’s tattooed and shredded upper body won the competitive up to 182 cm men’s physique class ahead of

Giusepppe D’Amato, who has the shape to go far. He was slightly out-conditioned on the day.

Lewis Davis showed more muscularity in his upper body to defeat Bobby Okodagbe in the over 182 cm class.

Bobby Okodagbe, a tall young man with a wide taper and a tight waist won junior men’s physique.

FEMALE CLASSES

Masters bikini fitness was the class of the day, featuring five outstanding women aged over 35. There was some serious pedigree in the top three, who all brought different looks to the stage. Zydrune Misiunaite’s shaped and polished look helped her take yet another UKBFF title ahead of the taller Alex Brooks, who drove 11 hours from Scotland to give another great demonstration of the trained female form. Third place Beatriz Leon Lopez had outstanding glutes and lower body but was slightly too hard for the class. She could be dynamite in bodyfitness.

Wellness queen Angelika Prejna is on a roll this year, winning everything in sight. It’s easy to see why – her shape is breath-taking. Alex Brooks returned to beat the dazzling Danielle Lloyd in a high quality tall open bikini fitness class and Jessica Gibbons made a promising debut to win the shorter class.

RESULTS

Beginners Bodybuilding

1 Kameron Mechen-Smith

2 Leon Jackson

3 Christopher Chamberlain

Junior Men’s Physique

1 Bobby Okodagbe

Masters Bodybuilding over-40s

1 John Stenning

2 Lucas Queiroz

Masters Bodybuilding over-50s

1 John Dauven

2 Manuel Maldonado

3 Wanyah Reid

Masters Bikini Fitness

1 Zydrune Misiunaite

2 Alex Brooks

3 Beatriz Leon Lopez

Also competed: Emily Sunderland and Holly Stratford

Classic Physique

1 Steve Slepcik

Bodybuilding under 80kg

1 Ryan Bremner

2 Leon Jackson

Bodybuilding under 90kg

1 Kameron Mechen-Smith

2 John Stenning

Wellness

1 Angelika Prejna

Bikini Fitness under 163cm

1 Jessica Gibbons

Bikini Fitness over 163cm

1 Alex Brooks

2 Danielle Lloyd

3 Livvy Fowler

Muscular Men’s Physique

1 Valentin Tomescu

Men’s Physique under 182cm

1 Jack Bird

2 Giusepppe D’Amato

3 Lucian Dorel Croitoru

Men’s Physique over 182cm

1 Lewis Davis

2 Bobby Okodagbe

You can view and buy images of this event here https://www.ukbffphotos.com/2022/BRIDGES-CLASSIC

If you’d like to order all your images as a package, email ukbffphotos@gmail.com

BRIDGES CLASSIC