Sunday 22nd May saw the return of our long running Novice event which was in it’s normal season opening slot for the first time since 2019 after an unprecedented couple of years globally.
Just under 70 athletes took the stage in front of a full house who created an incredible atmosphere for them, many of whom were enjoying their first time onstage. The results were as follows:
Two stars of the future opened the show, presenting themselves well and looking balanced and strong. Michael took the win by virtue of slightly more muscle and condition overall.
1 – Michael Feenan (Stratford)
2 – Ben Croucher (Stratford)
A strong win for Kiaro who looked incredible in his debut contest. Perfect balance, shape and conditioning which will make him a strong contender in any Junior level event. Harry was well built and posed well, and was unlucky to come up against an athlete of Kiaros calibre but will also do well in future as he grows and fine tunes his condition. Sajan was well shaped and balanced but needs both more muscle and condition to challenge the first two.
1 – Kiaro Applegarth (New Malden)
2 – Harry Easton (Tunbridge Wells)
3 – Sajan Amrik (Birmingham)
Carl looked incredible, having dropped 50 kilos to get in shape for his stage debut. He is well muscled and balanced with great legs. A little more upper body and time to allow himself to tighten up at his new bodyweight will bode him well going forwards.
1 – Carl Leatherbarrow (Leamington Spa)
A solid win for Jonty who was harder, better presented and overall much improved from his previous showing. Just as much size overall as he can now gain while maintaining his condition is all he can do to improve. Mike was also hard and muscular but not quite as shapely and heavily muscled as the winner. Nigel was incredible at over 60 years of age with a symmetrical, well balanced and aesthetically pleasing physique that he presented impeccably. He rightly took the Ultra Masters (over 60) title and an invite to the finals where he will be hard to beat if he can harden up a touch.
1 – Jonty Williams (Hereford)
2 – Mike Harris (Bridgend)
3 – Nigel Barton (Congleton)
Nicola took the win here with a well developed and conditioned figure which will benefit from a little work on the back and perhaps a little less conditioning to match the class criteria more optimally. Tracey also had a well muscled and shaped figure but required more conditioning to challenge her opponent today.
1 – Nicola Jenner (Maidstone)
2 – Tracey Cooper (Birmingham)
It was a shame that Angela was unopposed in the class as she had a great overall package, was in good shape and presented herself well which would have made her hard to beat in any novice line up. As she grows a little more and hardens up a touch she will challenge hard in the open class.
1 – Angela McQuillan (Northern Ireland)
Dylan took the win with a well developed and well shaped physique which he presented very well in the “classic” style, just needing a little more condition for the finals. Runner up Rylan was nicely balanced but didn’t have the shape and condition to beat Dylan today. Hasan in third was lean and well shaped and posed like a pro, with possibly the best routine of the contest. He just needs a little more muscle in the upper body long term. Abhinav was the polar opposite with a full and well shaped upper body but in need of more leg development but was also lean and posed well. Junior runner up Harry held his own against the older guys but needed a little more condition today. Both Bassam and Sean were lean and athletic but generally need more time to reach the level of those in the top 5 on this occasion.
Jack Chamberlain (Watford) originally won the class but was later disqualified as it came to light that he was ineligible to compete as a novice.
1 – Dylan Marhsall (Sheffield)
2 – Rylan Orchard (Stamford)
3 – Hasan Khan (Bury)
4 – Abhinav Goel (Edinburgh)
5 – Harry Easton (Tunbridge Wells)
Also competed – Bassam Almulla (Preston), Sean Barrington (Bristol)
Barbara was the lone challenger for this title, but one of the standout athletes of the day with a beautifully developed, balanced and hard conditioned physique that she posed near perfectly and would be capable of challenging in any open class with.
1 – Barbara Isoni (Stalybridge)
Physique winner Barbara took a second class win by virtue of her superior conditioning, but would benefit from more size overall to challenge at the open level in this discipline. Lorna was an inspiration at over 60 years of age and a cancer survivor, looking strong and healthy and presenting herself well but most importantly enjoying every second of her well deserved time onstage.
1 – Barbara Isoni (Stalybridge)
2 – Lorna Skyers (Hereford)
Huge, balanced, full and well shaped. There was no beating Leon in this class today and he is a true “bodybuilder” in every sense of the word. If he can sharpen up a touch for the finals he will be hard to beat.
Jack Chamberlain (Watford) originally placed 2nd the class but was later disqualified as it came to light that he was ineligible to compete as a novice.
1 – Leon Campbell (Dudley)
Jake was the biggest and hardest in the class, and took the win accordingly. He has a great overall physique with perhaps his back being his only developmental point at this stage. George was similarly big, lean and balanced if a touch behind the winner in each aspect and also needing a little prioritisation of the back. Rylan took a solid third with his aforementioned well muscled and balanced physique and with more condition could have pipped George for second place. Fraser took fourth with a full and aesthetic physique which just needed more condition and James was fifth, with all the condition he needed but in need of more overall size.
1 – Jake Thompson (Scunthorpe)
2 – George Gresty (Sandbach)
3 – Rylan Orchard (Stamford)
4 – Fraser Crewe (Harrow)
5 – James Williams (Leamington Spa)
A clear and destructive win for Nerijus who had muscle to spare and was shredded. The former powerlifter was understandably a little bottom heavy and in need of bringing his upper up to match but regardless will be a force to be reckoned with at the finals. Liucian had a well muscled and shaped upper body in hard condition and now needs to focus on his legs which were a step behind in terms of both development and condition. Lewis in third was the best balanced of the class, with a nice shape and good condition but just needs more size overall long term. Fourth place was taken by Bassam, better suited to bodybuilding than classic but still in need of more time to get to the point where he can challenge the placings.
1 – Nerijus Simonavicius (London)
2 – Liucian Zilinskas (Lincoln)
3 – Lewis Mee (Liverpool)
4 – Bassam Almulla (Preston)
Kiaro, Jonty, Leon, Jake and Nerijus lined up to battle for the title and showed a seriously impressive overall standard. Although Jonty held his own, and as impressive as Nerijus and Leon were it came down to the two hardest and most balanced men onstage to fight it out. In the end, Kiaro took the title with a split decision from the judges and took the Overall trophy home, on his birthday no less!
Kiaro Applegarth (New Malden)
A close battle, taken by Lyla who was slightly more athletically developed than Bethan with a little more muscle. Both ladies have a bright future ahead of them should they choose to pursue one.
1 – Lyla Bryan (Southampton)
2 – Bethan Davies (Pontyclun)
Jovan was another standout athlete of the day with a big, full, hard and well shaped physique which gave him a clear win in this class. Very close to the borderline of how big a physique competitor should be, but impressive nonetheless Jovan will be hard to beat at this level this year. Matheus was well muscled and shaped and just needed a little more condition but would have been a worthy winner on any other day if he not come up against Jovan. Jack in third was balanced and lean and just needs more size long term. Markus was big and full, and could have pushed into the top three with more condition and Samuel Lancaster-Burton and George Harris taking fourth and fifth respectively and will both benefit from more overall muscle.
1 – Jovan Esson (Gloucester)
2 – Matheus Silva (Battersea)
3 – Jack Jacques (Swadlincote)
4 – Markus Collins (Newport)
5 – Samuel Lancaster-Burton (Northwich)
6 – George Harris (Llantrisant)
A clear win for Monika who was perfectly developed and conditioned and presented impeccably. If she can keep reproducing this form she will be hard to beat anywhere. Lisa was well shaped and lean but needs just a little more muscle and condition to get to the winners level today but shows great potential. Maddi was in great shape and well presented and very close to the runner up. Going forwards, a little more size will benefit her. Fourth and Fifth went to Katy who is well shaped but needs to be harder and Anita who being relatively tall and long limbed needs to focus on as much muscle fullness as she can and not worrying about condition, as she appeared very lean and defined here which did not benefit her.
1 – Monika Buzova (Glasgow)
2 – Lisa Chacko (Coalville)
3 – Madi Davies (Milton Keynes)
4 – Katy Cooke (Pontypool)
5 – Anita Struhar (Rushden)
Another pretty close battle as both men had their strengths and weaknesses. In the end, Mark took the decision by virtue of his slightly harder conditioning. Both men will benefit from further size and work on their presentation.
1 – Mark Harris (Skelmersdale)
2 – Richard Thompson (Wilmslow)
Becky and Csilla had a close battle for the top spot, with Csilla having the superior shape but possibly close to too much muscle and Becky being ideally developed but on the verge of too lean. In the end, Becky took the win which was well deserved although it could have gone either way. A similar battle for third and fourth took place between Kelly who was ideally conditioned but a little light on muscle and Kerry who too needs a little more fullness but was a little too conditioned for the criteria, which gave Kelly the nod. Lyndsey in fifth had one of the most impressive physiques of the day, being muscular, shapely and hard with great presentation. Had she entered Masters Figure she may well have gone home with a winners trophy today. Cheri looked great and lit up the stage with her smile as she clearly enjoyed every second onstage. With a little more time to further develop and harden her conditioning she will climb the placings.
1 – Becky Bailey (Plymouth)
2 – Csilla Bilinszki (Brighton)
3 – Kelly Johnson (Weston Super Mare)
4 – Kerry Meadwell (Nottingham)
5 – Lyndsey Brooks (Rugby)
6 – Cheri Wilson (Tamworth)
Caine took the class with a great shape and ideal condition, although bordering on too heavily muscled for the class. Robert and Jamie were very closely matched in the next 2 places which could have easily gone either way. A little more muscle fullness for both should be the goal long term. Richard took fourth, and looked superb with a great, symmetrical physique which would be worthy of a top three placing on most occasions. Nicu took fifth and was very heavily muscled powerful looking, and should definitely move up to novice bodybuilding in his next outing.
Also competed – Oliver Jones (Manchester), Michael Purdie (Darlington), Joel Skyers (Hereford). All three men were in good shape but need more muscle in general.
1 – Caine Wood (Nottingham)
2 – Robert Franczak (Peterborough)
3 – Jamie Harris (Cambridge)
4 – Richard Mabbott (Bangor)
5 – Nicu Anghelus (Hamilton)
Wayne Bowes (Birmingham) originally won the class but was later disqualified as it came to light that he was ineligible to compete as a novice. The rightful winner on this occasion was Jamie who was lean and muscular with a great taper and solid presentation and should be well in the mix if he contests the finals. Runner up Graham was hard and muscular but not quite as aesthetic as the winner with Evan in third lean and hard but probably a little too thickly muscled for the class. Fourth and Fifth placed Olly and Dan both had lovely shape and structure but needed more size, with Ollys superior condition getting him the nod.
Also competed – Liucian Zilinskas (Lincoln) who is better suited to bodybuilding, Daniel Cockayne (Nottingham), Harry Hall (Basingstoke), Caolan Deery (Derry City), Ching Yat Cheng (Reading) and Joe Wilkinson (Chester) all of whom generally need more size to break into the placings.
1 – Jamie Butwell (Portsmouth)
2 – Graham McCraig (Glasgow)
3 – Evan Miller (Shrewsbury)
4 – Olly Freeman (Marple)
5 – Dan Barford (Stamford)
As good as each of the contenders for the overall looked, there was only one winner from the moment they stepped onstage as for the second time in a day the junior winner took the title. Jovan really is a huge find and has a very bright future in the sport should he stay the course.
Jovan Esson (Gloucester)
All three ladies lined up for the title and looked great, but there was no beating Monika today who was just too close to the finished article to be beaten.
Monika Buzova (Glasgow)
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