Critical mass: body builders flex their muscles

DUBLINER Thomas Staunton was crowned the new Mr Ireland last night at the Irish Body Builders championship in Limerick.

With his girlfriend Alison Dowling cheering him on, he said: “This is fantastic, I couldn’t believe it, such was the competition.”

The University Concert Hall in Limerick oozed muscle yesterday as competitors flexed into statuesque formations.

It was an awesome occasion for the youngest competitor, 17-year-old Priscilla Rutherford. She set out from her home in Derry at 2.45am yesterday with her parents, Yana and Paul.

Priscilla works out three days a week in a gym in Derry to get the proper muscle tone.

“This is my first ever competition and I am a bit nervous, and might feel a little embarrassed, particularly going out on stage with just a bikini,” she said yesterday morning.

Local muscleman Seamus ‘Blue’ Shinnors is a veteran and holder of the Mr Ireland title. His wife Paula, who used to compete, is now a judge.

“He puts in a huge amount of training and gym work preparing for competition,” she said.

Paula finds it almost a full-time job ensuring ‘Blue’ gets all those proper vitamins so that his muscles retain the necessary bulk at their home in Ardnacrusha.

His gargantuan daily diet consists of:

* Breakfast with 14 egg whites, porridge, a jar of baby food, and rice cakes with butter.

* Elevenses consist of a protein mix.

* For lunch ‘Blue’ has a fillet steak with baked potato followed by another protein mix in mid-afternoon.

* Dinner consists of breast of chicken with rice and the day finishes off with a further protein mix before bedtime.

Competitors in the five men’s categories and the two ladies’ sections were weighed in yesterday morning. Judging went on through the afternoon and the winners were announced late last night with nearly 1,000 people in the audience.

During the judging, each competitor did a three-minute presentation to music and had to do a one-minute stint on stage posing in different positions, emphasising muscle mass.

Irish Body Builders Federation president Mike Bullman was in charge of organising yesterday’s event.

“The judges are looking for physique and fitness. There must be balance, physique and proper symmetry,” he said.

“In the women’s category the judges want the woman to retain their femininity and not to overdo the development of muscle.”