06122026 NEWS

NCAA National Outdoor Championships

Javonya Valcourt advances to 400 final

JAVONYA Valcourt was the only one of four Bahamian women to advance to the fnal of the women's 400 metres at the National Collegiate Athletic Association's National Outdoor Championships. Yesterday at the iconic Hayward Field at the University of Oregon in Eugene, Oregon, Valcourt, competing in her senior year for the University of Tennessee, fnished second in the second of three heats in 50.75 seconds for the sixth fastest qualifying time for Saturday’s fnal. Quincy Penn, a junior at Florida, fnished fourth in the same heat in 51.33 for 10th overall, just shy of the ninth and fnal qualifying spot. Braelyn Baker,

National record holder Keyshawn Strachan runnerup in javelin

a sophomore at Duke, clinched that spot when she ran 51.15 in heat two for the last of three slowest qualifying times overall. The frst two fnishers in each of the three heats automatically qualifed for the fnal. Also in heat one, fellow Bahamian Collinique Farrington came in ninth in 51.96 for 20th overall. The other Bahamian, Lacarthea Cooper, a senior at Texas A&M, was sixth in heat three in 51.65 for 17th overall.

Mighty Bees go undefeated

THE Mighty Bees inked their names in the Freedom Farm Baseball League's history books when they completed an "unbelievable perfect season" in the Coach Pitch division.

The pennant winning Mighty Bees, managed by Dereck Munroe, capped of a perfect 20-0 win-loss record by sweeping the Hornets in three straight games in the best-of-fve championship series that ended last Wednesday at the park in Yamacraw.

The players making up the team were Jeremiah Johnson, Ethan Davis, Andrew Wong, Peyton Smith, Mizhai Roberts, Trevor Davis, Dakyri Pugh, Kailin Laing, Amir Knowles, Lavari Coleby, Kade Poitier, Azai Cargill and Zane Colebrooke.

"We played hard all season," said Munroe, who

was assisted by D'Angelo Brown and Devaughn Wong and supported by Dr. Jansen Johnson, Dwight Pugh and Paul Smith Jr. "We had the best hitters and the best pitchers. Nobody came close to us. We stopped a lot of teams throughout the season. So we expected to come out as champions."

The Mighty Bees was the frst team since 2018 that went undefeated. A youth baseball anomaly - a completely undefeated record. This feat was possible, because the boys showed up every single game ready to swing hard, run fast, and back each other up on defence.

With the championship trophy and rings in hand, the Bees have raised the bar for what a youth baseball team can accomplish.

Dejanae Oakley, a senior at Georgia, took the top qualifying spot in winning heat one in 49.93. Madison Whyte, a junior at the University of South Carolina, took heat two in 50.73 ahead of Valcourt.

Valcourt's performance followed the impressive

showing from national record holder Keyshawn Strachan, as one of two Bahamians entered in the men's javelin fnal on day one of the championships on Wednesday.  Strachan, representing Nebraska, fnished as the runner-up with his best toss of 264-feet, 7-inches or 80.65 metres on his frst attempt. As a matter of fact,

the junior only had one other legal mark of 244-7 (74.56m) on his ffth attempt. He scratched the second, third, fourth and sixth attempts. Also representing The Bahamas in the event was Kaden Cartwright, a freshman at Mississippi, who was 18th overall. His best throw was 223-2 (68.02m) on his frst attempt as well. He also

only had one other legal mark of 220-5 ((68.02m) on his second try. He scratched his third.

Winning the event was Chinecherem Prosper Nnamci, a senior at Texas Tech, with his best of 269-10 (82.26m) on his frst try. Today, the only other Bahamian competing in an individual event, Antone Smith, will be competing in the fnal of the men's triple jump. Smith, a freshman at Arizona, will be the ninth of 12 competitors in the last of two fights. He has a seeded mark of 55-7 (16.94m). And on Saturday, Calea Jackson will be the fnal Bahamian in an individual event in the fnal of the women's discus. The Miami (Florida) junior will be the 11th of 12th competitors in the last of two fights. She has a seeded mark of 191-2 (58.26m).

COLLEGE PARK, Ga. (AP) — Breanna Stewart had 19 points, 11 rebounds and fve assists, Satou Sabally also scored 19 points and made fve 3-pointers, and the New York Liberty beat the Atlanta Dream 104-90 last night for their sixth straight victory. Sabally made fve of her six 3-point attempts and Jonquel Jones added four to help New York go 16 of 31 from long distance. Sabally’s ffth 3-pointer gave the Liberty a 91-73 lead midway through the fourth quarter. New York shot 54% overall and fnished with fve players scoring at least 16 points in a game for the frst time in franchise history. Jones fnished with 16 points, 10 rebounds, fve assists and three blocks for New York (9-4). Marine Johannes added 17 points and passed Cappie Pondexter (236) for the sixth-most made 3-pointers in franchise history. Pauline Astier scored 16. Angel Reese led Atlanta (8-4) with 25 points and nine rebounds. Rhyne Howard scored 24 points and made fve of 13

3-pointers, becoming the youngest player in WNBA history to make 400 career 3s, reaching the mark in just 147 games. Allisha Gray added 18 points. Astier banked in a halfcourt shot just before the halftime buzzer to give New York a 51-44 lead. The Dream fnished

When your sport becomes part of who you are

EVERY year, athletes across The Bahamas experience some version of the same story. A senior competes in their fnal high school championship. A national team hopeful narrowly misses selection. A promising young athlete sufers an injury that sidelines them for months. To parents and coaches, the disappointment may seem understandable but temporary.

Yet for some athletes, the emotional response appears far greater than the situation itself. Motivation disappears, confdence plummets, academic performance may sufer, and the athlete begins to withdraw from teammates, friends, and even family. What many people fail to recognise is that the athlete is often dealing with something much deeper than the immediate setback. They are struggling with a challenge to their identity.

Sports psychologists refer to this concept as athletic identity, which describes the extent to which an individual defnes themselves through participation in

sport. A strong athletic identity is not inherently problematic. In fact, many of the qualities we admire in successful athletes are rooted in it.

The willingness to wake before sunrise for training, sacrifce social activities, tolerate discomfort, and remain committed through years of practice often stems from a deep personal connection to the sport. For many athletes, sport becomes more than an activity. It becomes part of how they see themselves and how they interact with the world around them.

This connection can be a tremendous source of motivation. Athletes who strongly identify with their sport often display higher levels of commitment, discipline, and resilience. They are more likely to adhere to training programs, maintain healthy habits, and pursue ambitious goals.

In many ways, this sense of identity helps drive athletic excellence. Problems arise, however, when the athlete's entire sense of self becomes dependent upon performance and participation. When sport transitions from being an important part of life to becoming the only meaningful part

of life, vulnerability begins to develop beneath the surface.

The reality is that every athletic career eventually encounters adversity. Injuries occur. Teams are selected without you. Scholarships disappear. Performance plateaus emerge. Younger athletes develop and challenge established positions. These experiences are normal components of sport, yet athletes with an overly narrow sense of identity often experience them as personal failures rather than competitive setbacks. When an athlete's self-worth is completely tied to athletic performance, a poor result no longer feels like something that happened; it feels like a refection of who they are.

This dynamic becomes particularly evident during injury rehabilitation. As a sports medicine physician, I frequently observe athletes who initially present with a physical injury but are struggling equally with the psychological consequences of being removed from competition.

They miss the structure of training, the camaraderie of teammates, and the sense of purpose that sport

provides. What they often describe as frustration is frequently a deeper feeling of uncertainty about who they are without their sport. Research in sports psychology consistentlydemonstrates that athletes with a highly exclusive athletic identity are more likely to experience anxiety, depression, and emotional distress during periods of injury and transition.

The solution is not to encourage athletes to care less about their sport. Rather, it is to help them develop a broader and more resilient sense of self. Sports psychologists often advocate for what is known as a multidimensional identity. This means allowing sport to remain important while simultaneously developing other meaningful roles and interests. Athletes can be students, leaders, musicians, artists, entrepreneurs, mentors, and community members while still pursuing excellence in competition. In fact, athletes who possess multiple sources of confdence and fulfllment often cope more efectively with setbacks because their entire selfworth is not dependent

upon a scoreboard or selection list.

Ironically, developing a broader identity may actually enhance performance. Athletes who do not view every competition as a judgment of their personal value often compete with greater freedom and confdence. They are more willing to take risks, recover from mistakes, and embrace challenges because failure no longer threatens their entire sense of self. This psychological fexibility is one of the characteristics frequently observed in elite performers across a variety of sports.

Parents and coaches play a signifcant role in shaping this process. While it is natural to discuss results and performance, it is equally important to recognize and reinforce qualities such as discipline, leadership, perseverance, sportsmanship, and personal growth. Young athletes should understand that while performance matters, their value as individuals extends beyond athletic achievement. The most successful athlete development environments challenge athletes to pursue excellence while simultaneously recognizing that they are more than competitors.

At Empire Sports Medicine & Performance, we often remind athletes that one of the greatest gifts sport provides is not a medal, a scholarship, or a championship title. It is the opportunity to develop qualities that remain valuable long after competition has ended. Discipline, resilience, accountability, confdence, and perseverance are lessons that transfer into every aspect of life.

When athletes allow sport to shape their character without allowing it to completely defne their identity, they place themselves in a position to beneft from the very best that athletics has to ofer.

One day, every athlete will compete for the fnal time. The uniforms will eventually be packed away, the records will be surpassed, and the cheers will fade. What remains is not the athlete alone, but the person the sport helped create. Ultimately, that person will matter far more than any result that ever appeared on a scoreboard.

Champions emerge at Cycling Nationals in Exuma

THE Bahamas Cycling Federation completed its successful staging of its National Cycling Championships over the weekend in Mount Thompson, Exuma. The championships, held in Exuma for the second consecutive time and the third time overall, featured a contingent of competitors from New Providence, Grand Bahama and a number of Family Islands.

Rawshan Jones emerged as the overall champion, fnishing the gruelling 70-mile road race in three hours, 48 minutes and 43.5 seconds on Saturday. He dethroned Kevin Daley, who was second in 3:49.50.3. Barron Musgrove Jr was third in 3:51:41.5 and Kenton Roker was fourth in 3:52.50.1.

Kami Roach repeated as the female champion, covering a shorter distance of 50 miles in 2:48:56.9. She was followed by Ilaria Gervasini in 3:03:46.3 and Sienna Culmer-Mackey in 3:28:17.2. There were a number of winners in the various age group categories. They included: Junior boys U-18 20 miles - Aaron Horton, 56:19.2; Kendrick Cargill Jr, 1:06:43.0; Anthony Knowles II, 1:06:46.3; Natron Knowles, 1:06:49.0; Devonte McKenzie, 1:13:23.9; Blue Gray, 1:14:54.2; Brennan Wilson, 1:36:36.0;  Junior girls U-18, 20mAnaya Walker, 1:29:36.0.

Elite Junior boys, 50 miles - Ayden Bain, 2:44:49.8; Arcady Thompson, 2:44:51.6; Levi Capron, 2:50:31.4; Davian Johnson, 2:50:44.4; Ta'Naj PRatt, 2:51:44.0; Urie Musgrove, 3:07:44.4; Jaquan Strachan, 3:07:45.5. Open males, 50 milesRichard Horton, 2:48:53.8; Wayne Price, 3:01:55.8; Brtian Strachan, 3:11:19.7; Levi Pinder, 3:25:34.3 Elite U-23 female - Kami Roach, 2:48:56.9; Sienna Culmer-Mackey, 3:28:17.2. Masters female, 50 miles - Ilaria Gervasini, 3:03:46.3. Junior boys U-12, 10 miles - Gebriael McPhee, 49:53.7.

Junior girls U-12, 10 miles - Trenae Smith, 49:52.4. Elime Males, 72 miles - Rashan Jones, 3:48:43.5; Ke=vin Daley, 3:49:50.3. Elite U-23 males, 72 miles - Barron Musgrove Jr, 3:51:41.5. Masters Males, 72 miles - Kenton Roker, 3:52:50.1.

Junior girls, 20 milesBlue Gray, 1:14:54.2; Anaya Walker, 1:29:42.4. Junior boys U-18, 20 miles - Aaron Horton, 56:19.2; Kendrick Cqrgill Jr, 1:06:43.0; Anthony Knowles III, 1:06:49.0; Natron Knowles, 1:06:49.0; Devonte McKenzie, 1:13:23.9; Brennan Wilson, 1:26:36.0.

The Spurs are still believers,

but it’s the Knicks who are one game

SAN ANTONIO (AP)

— Victor Wembanyama surely knew he was overstating the obvious, when he pointed out that there are two possible outcomes for Game 5 of the NBA Finals tomorrow night.

— San Antonio wins and extends the series.

— New York wins and becomes NBA champions. That's it. It's one or the other. After 1,321 games — 1,230 in the regular season, 84 in the playofs, six more in the play-in tournament and one between the Spurs

from winning the NBA title

and Knicks that decided the NBA Cup — it really is that simple. If Wembanyama and the Spurs win in San Antonio, the season lives for at least one more game. If the Knicks win, all that'll be left in this season will be a parade. The Spurs trail the series 3-1 and Wembanyama understands the reality. Of the previous 38 teams that trailed 3-1 in the NBA Finals, 37 wound up watching the other team celebrate

the title. And if that bit of history didn't look daunting enough, the Spurs will try to climb out of this 3-1 hole after the biggest collapse in NBA Finals history — wasting a 29-point lead in a Game 4 loss at New York. “I think it’s going to go one of two ways,” Wembanyama said shortly after Wednesday's 107-106 loss in Game 4, a game where the Spurs were outscored 55-25 in the fnal 21 1/2 minutes.

“One of two ways. A bad one and a good one. The bad one would be giving up. The good one would be getting stronger through this, getting more together.

I know this is what we’re going to do.” Yesterday was an of day for the teams, at least in terms of formal practices. Both sides are scheduled to practice in San Antonio today, and then Game 5 is there on Saturday night — with the Knicks one win away from what would be their frst championship in 53 years.

New York won Games 1 and 2 of the fnals in San Antonio — rallying from double-digit defcits in both games — to take command of the series. The Knicks, with a win Saturday, would become the frst team since

Houston in 1995 to go 3-0 on the Spurs' foor in a single postseason series.

“Our mentality has to be 0-0, the way it’s been,” Knicks guard Jalen Brunson said, repeating the mantra he's cited time and time again in this postseason run.

“It has to be that way, and I feel like us moving forward with that mindset can really beneft us. There's nothing to celebrate. It’s not over yet, not even close.”

It's common sense for the team with a 3-1 lead to hold of on celebrating. But in this case, there's also some truth to what Brunson is saying.

Yes, the 3-1 defcit has been proven to be virtually insurmountable in NBA history; the only team that successfully escaped its grip in the fnals was LeBron James' Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016, when they rallied to beat the Golden State Warriors for that title.

This series, however, isn't exactly a statistical runaway.

The Knicks have outscored the Spurs by a total of eight points over the four games.

Shooting is basically even; the Knicks are at 44%, the Spurs at 43%. The Knicks have made 52 3-pointers, the Spurs 49. Free-throw percentage, Knicks 79%, Spurs 78%.

The Knicks have three more rebounds and both

teams have exactly 90 assists through four games.

“Just take this one game at a time,” said Spurs guard De'Aaron Fox, who took heavy criticism for electing to try a layup — which was blocked — in the fnal seconds of Game 4 instead of taking time of the clock with a one-point lead. “It obviously looks like a steep hill, but this is something that’s happened before. Take this thing one game at a time. We’ve been in a position to win all these games. We’ve been up double digits. We have to fgure out what we need to do to be able to put some of these games away.” It has been a bafing problem for the Spurs.

They led Game 1 by one with 1:51 left, then lost after the Knicks fnished on an 11-0 run. They had the ball in a tie game with 11 seconds left in Game 2, then lost after Wembanyama threw a pass that Stephon Castle never saw and became a turnover that led to Brunson's game-winning free throw. And now, this — a 29-point lead wasted in Game 4, and they still led by one until Anunoby's tip-in with 2.1 seconds left.

"We have to try to put this behind us," Fox said. If they don't, the Knicks' 53-year wait for a title could end Saturday night.

World Cup: Mexico starts with big win

while US, Canada prepare for openers

MEXICO opened the World Cup in style yesterday with a dominant 2-0 win over South Africa in front of a boisterous home crowd at Azteca Stadium.

Today, the United States and Canada both get their opportunity for a fast start in front of their respective home countries.

Julián Quiñones scored the frst goal of the World Cup in the ninth minute, booting a cross through the legs of South Africa goalkeeper Ronwen Williams.

El Tri made it 2-0 midway through the second half when veteran Raúl Jiménez delivered a header that found the back of the net.

It was an emotional moment for Jiménez, who had tears in his eyes as Mexico's crowd roared in approval. Jiménez sufered a fractured skull after a scary collision in 2020, but has rebuilt his career and now has his frst World Cup goal.

What to watch June 12

Fox is the exclusive U.S. broadcaster of the World Cup with all 104 matches in English on Fox or FS1. All matches are also available on the Fox One app. Telemundo and Universo will broadcast all of the matches in Spanish. Peacock is the streaming home for Spanish language broadcasts while Telemundo also has an app that includes all the matches.

1. Canada vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina, 3 p.m. ET in Toronto (FOX/Telemundo/ Peacock)

2. United States vs. Paraguay, 9 p.m. ET in Inglewood, California (FOX/Telemundo/Peacock)

Canada seeks frst World Cup win in Toronto

The Canadians are searching for their frst World Cup win today after going 0-3 in both 1986 and 2022. Canada has been a country on the rise over the past decade in the soccer world, moving to No. 30 in FIFA's world rankings

after being ranked below 100 as recently as 2017. Forward Jonathan David — who plays for Italian club Juventus — is the country's all-time leading scorer with 39 goals in 77 matches.

Bosnia and Herzegovina is playing in its second World Cup and frst since 2014, when the country was eliminated in the group stage.

US hopes games on home soil lead to World Cup breakthrough

The Americans — who enter the tournament ranked No. 17 in the world — hope that matches on their home soil can lead to a World Cup breakthrough.

The United States has advanced to the knockout round in four of the last six World Cups its played, but hasn't been able to advance past the quarterfnals.

Coach Mauricio Pochettino was hired in 2024 after successful stints at several European clubs.

It's a big tournament for forward Christian Pulisic, who enters this World Cup

in his prime and with high expectations. Paraguay is the lowest-ranked team in Group D at No. 47 and back in the World Cup for the frst time in 16 years. Ramon Sosa and the Julio Enciso are among the team's best players.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino defends World Cup ticket prices

FIFA President Gianni Infantino defended World Cup ticket prices on Wednesday, saying “if we do something wrong, then probably everyone selling tickets in North America is doing something wrong.”

He also said FIFA was powerless to get the U.S. government to admit a Somali referee, and praised his ability to get Iran’s national soccer team into the United States.

FIFA priced tickets starting at $140 for group-stage games, but regular seats for the July 19 fnal outside New York were listed at up to $8,680 and hospitality seats at up to $73,200. It

raised prices for the fnal to $10,990 and then $32,970.

After much criticism, FIFA ofered $60 tickets to national federations for their regular supporters. Infantino said 130,000 tickets were ofered in that category.

Three red cards in the opener, two of them for South Africa

South Africa’s Sphephelo Sithole and Themba Zwane — along with Mexico's César Montes — were ejected from the World Cup opener after getting red cards.

Sithole interfered with Brian Gutiérrez as he raced

THE WEATHER REPORT

in on goal early in the second half, drawing the frst red card. Zwane was ejected late in the game after hitting Mexico's Roberto Alvarado in the face with his left hand. The ejections meant that the South Africa had to play short-handed for much of the game. Both players are also suspended for the team's next group game against the Czech Republic next Thursday.

Mexico didn't escape without an ejection — Montes was shown a red card in stoppage time after a hard foul on Khuliso Mudau.

Female bodybuilders encouraging others to join the sport

WHILE there are some women who are afraid to enter the sport because they might lose their femininity, three top local competitors are encouraging more women to participate in the sport of bodybuilding.

Dekel “Bowfex Barbie”

Quant, Cara Saunders and Dawn Charlton said there's nothing wrong with gaining muscle and competing. The trio indicated that they have been able to maintain their fgure despite their success in competition.

Quant, who made history last year as the frst Bahamian female to qualify to compete in the Ms Olympia in October, said bodybuilding is not one thing. It is not one look, one standard, or one kind of woman.

"Every division has its own requirements, its own artistry, and its own demand for precision," she said. "What unites them all is something far deeper than aesthetics: discipline, sacrifce, and the quiet, unshakeable belief that you are capable of more than you ever gave yourself credit for."

Quant, who began competing in 2015 in the fgure division, is now a personal ftness trainer. She has competed in numerous international competitions and still maintains her feminine fgure.

"I already had a solid foundation of muscle when I made the decision to compete, and the way I love to train aligned perfectly with what Figure rewards: symmetry, balance, and a fow that feels both powerful

and undeniably feminine," Quant said.

"For me, it is the sweet spot between strength, athleticism and grace, and honestly, I fall in love with it all over again every season."

With the newly formed Bahamas Athletic Physique Alliance (BAPA) getting ready to host the Bahamas Elite Physique Championships, Quant is encouraging more women to get out of the gym and onto the stage on August 15 at the University of the Bahamas and compete.

"My entire competitive journey has been within the NPC, and when opportunities came to compete elsewhere in other federations, I chose to stay," she said.

"The competition is ferce, the standards are high, and the felds are deep. That is part of what made earning my IFBB Pro card, and now qualifying for the 2026 Olympia, feel so signifcant. Hard-won is worth winning."

As she prepares for her biggest international competition at The Olympia, Quant is encouraging every Bahamian woman to make their presence felt in bodybuilding. "What this sport has given me beyond any title is a life rooted in discipline, in proving to myself over and over that I can do hard things," she said.

"In watching my body transform in ways I never imagined, and in a community who genuinely pushes me and celebrates with me. If you are even a little curious, follow it. Bodybuilding will give you so much more than a stage moment. It will show you exactly who you are."

For Saunders, as a professional bodybuilder and wellness athlete, she believes her story ofers an opportunity to educate, inspire, and encourage more women to see that there is a place for them in bodybuilding.

"For many women, the idea of competing can feel intimidating because there is still a misconception that bodybuilding strips women of their softness, sensuality, or femininity," she said.

"When I frst began competing, I was often cautioned not to get “too big.” I was told not to lift too heavy, not to build too much muscle, and not to push my physique too far because I might begin to “look like a man.”

Saunders noted that this remains one of the most common misconceptions surrounding women and weight training: the belief that strength somehow compromises femininity.

"It is a narrative that has discouraged many women from fully embracing their athletic potential, especially those who naturally carry muscle, curves, or have a more powerful lower-body structure," she said.

Saunders said her own journey is a testament that this belief is not only limiting, but inaccurate.

"Lifting weights did not take away my femininity. It refned my confdence, strengthened my presence, and allowed me to discover a deeper relationship with my body. It taught me discipline, resilience, poise, and self-ownership.

"More importantly, it showed me that a woman does not have to shrink herself physically or metaphorically in order to

be seen as beautiful, graceful, or feminine."

Having made the switch from competing in track and feld to strutting her muscles on stage in bodybuilding, Saunders said she appreciates this platform and the opportunity to share not only her achievements, but also the deeper meaning behind her journey - the discipline, sacrifce, confdence, self-discovery, and personal empowerment that comes with building one’s body intentionally.

"I want women to understand that bodybuilding is not simply about appearance," she stated. "It is about ownership. It is about learning to honour the body you have, refne it with purpose, and present it with confdence."

Charlton has come into her own and has become one of the top international competitors for The Bahamas. She too admitted that she had some misconceptions about women’s bodybuilding, but that has since changed when she started lifting weights.

"The reality is that the sport has evolved tremendously and now ofers several divisions that cater to diferent physiques, goals, and personal preferences, including bikini, wellness, fgure, women’s physique, and the newly introduced ft model division," she said.

"Modern women’s bodybuilding is not a onesize-fts-all sport. Each division has its own criteria and rewards diferent levels of muscularity, conditioning, and presentation. This allows women to choose a category that aligns with their individual goals and desired physique."

Charlton said there several federations within the sport providing athletes with diferent opportunities to compete. "I chose to compete through the NPC and IFBB Professional League system because it is widely regarded as the highest level of amateur and professional bodybuilding competition," she pointed out.

"Another advantage is the number of events ofered throughout the year, with many competitions taking place in Florida and other nearby locations, making the sport more accessible to Bahamian athletes."

As an IFBB Pro bikini competitor, Charlton revealed that she trains just as hard as athletes in other bodybuilding divisions.

"However, the bikini division places a strong emphasis on balance, symmetry, conditioning, and overall presentation while maintaining a feminine physique," she said.

"Femininity remains a defning characteristic of the division and is

showcased through stage presence and individual posing routines."

Beyond the physical aspect, Charlton said bodybuilding teaches discipline, consistency, confdence, and resilience.

"The benefts extend far beyond the stage and often positively impact careers, relationships, health, and personal development," she stressed. "I encourage any woman interested in the sport not to be discouraged by outdated myths.

"Strength training does not make women masculine; it empowers women by helping them build strength, confdence, and a healthier lifestyle. With several divisions now available, there is truly a place for women of diferent body types and ftness goals within the sport."

For those interested in learning more about bodybuilding, Charlton said the BAPA show in August will be a good way for more women to come out and see frsthand how diverse and inspiring modern bodybuilding has become.

In the meantime, Charlton is preparing for her frst competition of the season, at the Atlantic Coast Pro November 21-22.

After placing second in the Masters Bikini division at this event last year, she is hoping to earn some points for the 2027 Olympia while pursuing qualifcation for the 2027 Masters Olympia.