By KELSIE JOHNSON, NG Sports Reporter

The 20-member team representing The Bahamas at the 36th Central American and Caribbean Bodybuilding and Fitness Championships (CAC) made sure that the title remained in The Bahamas on Saturday evening.

The top level performance by the team gave The Bahamas an edge over Barbados and Trinidad & Tobago teams, which finished second and third respectively.

The regional competition was won by The Bahamas last year when the championships were held in Hamilton, Bermuda. The bodies of Raymond Tucker, Leonardo Dean, Lorraine LeFleur, Trevor Benjamin, Jaye Darling and Aaron Green are just a few of the persons who assisted in the win.

In the women's body fitness division (up to and including 158cm) The Bahamas' Dominique Wilkinson finished fourth behind Tibis Araque of Venezuela, Betty Doling of Bermuda and Rosa Bermudez of Venezuela. In the second women's body fitness division (up to and including 163cm) Bahamian Jan Johnson was fourth, with the overall title in that division being claimed by Tamara Ribeiro. Bahamian Charnice Bain was fourth in the women's body fitness division (up to and including 168cm), Sandra Simons of Bermuda won that division followed by Wendy Ruiz of Venezuela and Monisa Aleong of Trinidad & Tobago.

Simons also won the overall figure title for women. The overall fitness title went to Elivan Campos of Venezuela who also captured the women's fitness (up to and including 163cm) title. Placing second in that division was Teshell Mackey of The Bahamas.

Barbados' Tamesha Lewis came out victorious in the women's body fitness division (over168cm) division. She was followed by Bahamian Lakeisha Miller and Ranae Flood of Bermuda.

Bahamian Joey Rolle out-posed Darrell Gumbs and Ivan Quijada for the junior division title, while Dean and Tucker had to settle for third and fifth respectively in the men's masters. In the women's bodybuilding lightweight division Bahamian LeFleur was fifth. The title was won by Aruba's Sharine Ignacio, Susan Rebello of Bermuda was second and Jeannique Silie of The Netherlands Antilles was third.

Tucker paired with Faye Rolle for the mixed pairs this year. The duo was second in the division behind Yusmary Villalobos and Guiver Scholten of Aruba. Placing third was Coretta Bruce and Dechon Durity of Trinidad & Tobago. In the men's welterweight division Tucker finished fourth. Winning was Therold Babb, Trinidad and Tobago's Damian George was second and Angelo Engelhart was third.

Representing The Bahamas in the bantamweight division was Benjamin, placing fifth overall. Paul Wilson walked away with the title in the lightweight division, Deigo Salinas of El Salvador was second and he was followed by Anderson Bispham of Barbados.

Dean had to settle for second place behind Hoskyn Worrle of Barbados in the light middleweight division. Placing third in that division was Winston Christian of Trinidad & Tobago.

Darling was successful in the middleweight division getting the better of Barbados' Ricardo Bascombe and Ronald Brooks of Trinidad & Tobago. Green had to settle for fourth in the heavyweight division. Chacon captured the title along with overall best body crown. In the super heavyweight division, Shawn McPhee was fourth. Winning the title was Jamaica's Douglas Rodgers followed by Sidney Bean of Bermuda and Brennan Missick of the Turks & Caicos Islands.