Competitive bodybuilder Hugh Ross, a native of Guyana, has claimed the Mr. Universe title in the Masters Over-50 Division.
Ross won the 2010 title at the National Amateur Body Builders Association (NABBA) competition in Southport, United Kingdom on Saturday, Oct. 30. Ross won against 33 other world-class competitors to become the first Guyanese and Caribbean athlete to achieve this honor. He is also the first American winner since 1994.
Ross, who trains at the Brooklyn Sports Club, is no stranger to intense workouts and athletic competitions. He is a former captain in the Guyana Defence Force and also holds a Third Degree Black Belt in Shotokan and Second Degree Black Belt in Taekwando.
In describing his training regimen, Ross said, “My preparations commenced at the beginning of May and the first three months were dedicated to gaining as much additional muscle mass as possible. During that phase, my weight training was done with maximum poundage in the 6-8 repetition zone and I increased my daily caloric intake from 3500 to 4500, with a daily ratio of 40 percent protein, 50 percent carbohydrates and 10 percent fat.”
At the time of the competition, he was slightly over 200 pounds with less than five percent body fat.
This was not Ross’ first time competing for the Mr. Universe title. He finished in second in 2006 and 2009, and came in fifth in 2007. After this year’s historic first place finish, he said he wanted to thank “the Almighty God first, and my family, friends, supporters, and fans for their continued support.”
The Brooklyn Sports Club is a 100,000 square-foot full-service health and fitness facility serving Brooklyn, Queens, and beyond. Membership is open to the public, and includes access to weight training, swimming, basketball, group exercise classes, and cardiovascular equipment.
