FBBUK@ NABBA Worlds 2014

For the second time this week, FMS is at the recent NABBA Worlds, this time to praise the British women who were doing it in thongs in Belfast. No one was as successful as the Brazilians (see Sunday's post), but there were podium places for UK women.



Runner-up to Caroline Crozeta in the Toned Figure category was the stunning Kelsey "Tinkerkel" Yung, a mother of two from Barrow (in the north-east of England). She and her husband have run a dance/martial arts studio there since 2007, and Kelsey teaches dance, fitness and kickboxing (she's a black belt). NABBA is absolutely amazing, she says, [and] I absolutely love being a Toned Figure competitor.



Kelsey was also runner-up at last year's NABBA Universe, and she arrived in Belfast fresh from having won the NABBA Britain title the weekend before. This was her third appearance at the Worlds, and her best result after two 4th places in 2012 and 2013.

Also in the Toned Figure class was the very beautiful Rebecca Maughan from Hull, who finished 4th. Rebecca, NABBA Miss Britain in 2013, and runner-up at the same show to Kelsey Yung in May this year, became interested in fitness a couple of years ago before a holiday to Ibiza. I really wanted to get toned to look good for the holiday, she says, and the quick-fix fitness plan became a desire to compete.



This isn’t a chore for me but a lifestyle, says Rebecca, and aged just 25, with a position as a "guru" at a major supplements company, a dream to become a professional fitness model, and those looks, FMS doesn't imagine this will be the last we hear of her.



In the shorter of the two Trained Figure classes, best of the Brits was Kay Goodwin, previously on FMS after she had finished 2nd at last year's NABBA Worlds. There she competed in Toned Figure, but made the switch to the more muscular category this year, promptly winning the NABBA North-East and Miss Britain titles in May.



Personally if I was ever told I would fare better in the trained class after all my prep and diet I would be gutted, Kay said last year when still a competing in Toned, which suggests to me that her move "up" is a decision she has made for herself. However, as is so often the case, there's so little information about many of the UK's top NABBA women available that why Kay has changed classes is not a question I can answer. Anyway, she has, and her two titles and a 4th at the Worlds indicates it was the right move. And, as far as I'm concerned, more muscle is always a good thing!

And finally, another 2nd place for Britain in the taller Trained Figure class, courtesy of Pamela Higgins, who had finished 4th behind Kay Goodwin at the British finals, but was clearly peaking for this show and can, in my unqualified opinion, count herself more than a bit unlucky not to have walked off with the category title at least.



Pam has been lifting for about six years now I reckon, having originally been inspired by her partner, a former bodybuilder himself, to start competing. British champ 2011 and 2012, it's good to see Pamela, who, like Kelsey Yung (and Georgina McConnell, incidentally) hails from the north-west of England, back to her best.



Congratulations to Pamela, and to all the wonderful muscle women who represented Britain at the show. You might also like to check out UK NABBA veteran Cheryl Steele's routine, and (although Irish rather than British) FMS fave Sophia McNamara, who always delivers a routine that is an absolute treat to watch.

Enjoy!