In only her first international appearance a week ago at the Barbados Amateur Body Building and Fitness Classic, T&T’s La Toya Hamilton left a memorable impression in the hearts of all who witnessed the show, whether it was supporters, family members, judges, coaches or participants.
Competing in the Miss Fitness category, the 30-year old under-study to former national body-building ace Lawrence ‘The Beast’ Marshall, received resounding applause from the appreciative audience, many of whom expressed surprise with the eventual result of her fourth place finish.
On Friday, Hamilton, with her mother Charmaine Des Vignes at her side, explained that the judges placed her fourth because she looked like a professional.
In only her fourth stint in competitive body-building, Hamilton was said to be much more endowed with a physique that was deserving of being in a professional category. “I was expecting to win the category. I thought from the responses I received that it was clear that I had been favoured to win the show,” Hamilton said.
To become a professional body builder, according to Hamilton, an athlete has to win in her category first, before also claiming the top spot among all the various categories.
She did not want to reveal if she would take the advice given to her but said she wanted to revolutionise the sport and do things to help people.
Hamilton has had to make a number of major decisions in her life before and after she entered body-building. Her dream of becoming a professional model had to be dashed and her life-long goal of studying psychology had to take another direction.
She explained that she hated the sport in spite of persistent attempts by her mother to get involved.
It was rather at the gym during another toning session for modelling that she was challenged by a trainer to get involved in competition because it was not all about building mass. He told her that the Miss Fitness category entailed more symmetry of the body in relation to physical fitness.
She accepted the offer and later performed on a show that was put on by Marshall. The rest was history, as they say as Hamilton later asked Marshall to be her trainer. “I had to lie about getting an appointment with Marshall to get him to train me but he did not hesitate to work with me because of his passion for the sport.
“He also did not take any money from me but rather encouraged me to use my money towards buying supplements because of the huge costs involved in the sport,” Hamilton said.
Hamilton placed third in her debut event at the Centre of Excellence, in the Miss Fitness division and under Marshall she quickly racked up top positions—first at the Junior Championship in June, and third at the Senior Championship not too long after.
Hamilton now faces a long break before she can resume preparation for competition next year and said she will be using it to focus on the growth of her business, Body Sculp Solutions.
Now a nutritionist, Hamilton intends to find a fit between nutrition and body-building. “I am always searching for ways to better myself and I have found encouragement from two women, Nicole Wilkinson and Erin Stern, who have shown how to reach at the top of your game and help others,” Hamilton said.
Her mom Charmaine said: “I am so pleased with what my daughter has been able to do. I think she will be going to another level in the sport and even surpassing goals that she herself has set.”
WALTER ALIBEY