Quartet shape up for British bid (From Dorset Echo)

Quartet shape up for British bid

9:00am Saturday 20th October 2012 in Local Sport By Ky Capel

FOUR local bodybuilders will be flexing their muscles in Manchester this weekend for the British finals.

Physiques & Shapes owner Sean Ferguson will be joined by health club employees Simon Burdett, Humphrey Ellis and Jason Harding in the North West for this year’s showpiece.

Ferguson, who will be competing in the Masters’ class, has been in the fitness industry for over 20 years and already has four British titles to his name.

Looking ahead to the event, he said: “It’s the biggest bodybuilding show in Britain and features all the top amateurs. Afterwards they are also running a pro show where all the top pros from around the world come to compete.

“I have already won one event so I had the right to go straight to the final without needing to qualify. The others did have to qualify but they did it at one of my shows here in Dorchester.

“Normally it’s just me going to this type of event but this time we have got three others from the gym, which is really good. In fact, we would have had another but he is not going anymore.”

Asked how he rates his chances of success, Ferguson replied: “It’s all a matter of opinion.

“It’s not like a 100m race where you know you are the fastest runner, you just don’t know who is going to be competing and what shape they will be in – there are so many factors.

“All you can do is get yourself in the best possible shape. From there it’s all down to the judges and what they think.”

Burdett goes in the Classic class, Ellis is in the under-100kg event and Harding lines up in the Athletic section.