Changing the Image of Bodybuilding
Tiger Wilson:this year's Mr. Cayman National Overall and Middleweight BodybuildingChampion and the Cayman Islands' first professional natural bodybuilder.See pages 12 and 13 for full article and photos. Photo by MiguelEscalante
It does not take long to realise that thebond between Tiger and Susan Wilson is strong. "We work asa team, our family," Mr. Wilson states. "Some peoplethink that sports is just for the individual, but for us it'sfor the family."
Tiger Wilson's story begins many years agowhen he was still a student at Saint Andrew's Technical High Schoolin Kingston, Jamaica. An avid athlete from an early age, he notonly studied karate, but also represented both his school andhis country in track and field.
It was an injury he sustained from trackand field that eventually led him to bodybuilding.
"I did not have the money to get treatmentat the hospital," he explains. "The weight lifting nationalcoach made me a deal - he would help me with my leg and in returnI would begin weightlifting."
Having nothing to lose, Mr. Wilson acceptedthe terms of the agreement and once his injury healed he beganweight training.
Tiger Wilsonposes with his trophy collection
"We trained at a backyard gym,"he says with a smile. "That's where all Jamaica's (weightlifting) champions came from, that back yard."
Within six months of training, Mr. Wilsonentered his first ever weight lifting competition and won.
Mr. Wilson continued with weight liftingfor the next two years, until one day when Mr. Billy Reid cameinto his life.
"He was Mr. Jamaica for the heavyweightdivision at the time. Every evening I would see him pass by, andhe looked very different. He had a different physique. So oneday I asked him how he got those muscles and he said by doingweight training. I told him that I did weightlifting, and he toldme that it was very different. That's how I was introduced tothe body-building world," Mr. Wilson said.
The WilsonFamily: (clockwise from left) Jermaine, Susan, Tiger and Jordan.
Mr. Reid invited Mr. Wilson to watch a bodybuildingchampionship. "It was the Mr. Jamaica competition in 1987,"he recalls, "and it was the first time ever I had seen bodybuilding."
He was so impressed with what he saw thatafter this competition he left weightlifting, which he admitshe never much liked because of all the injuries, and began weighttraining almost immediately.
Susan andTiger Wilson
In 1988, Mr. Wilson entered his first bodybuildingchampionship, which was also a national championship, and wonthe title of Mr. Jamaica Middleweight. He defended and won thattitle four more times until 1992, and for the years of 1991 and1992 he would also win the Mr. Jamaica overall title.
His accomplishments earned him another titleas well: that of a national representative for Jamaica. "Jamaicareally takes care of their athletes," Mrs. Wilson explains."If you excel in what you do, then they're behind you."
"(In Jamaica) where there is potential,"Mr. Wilson adds, "there is investment."
And Mr. Wilson took that role very seriously."You are representing your country, your people," heexplains. "(At that level) you become an ambassador for yourcountry."
In the spring of 1991 Mr. Wilson's lifetook another turn. Mr. Hugh Cotterell, then owner of CreativeBodies here in Cayman, went to Jamaica to look for someone whocould manage his gym.
With encouragement from Ms. Portia Simpson,Jamaica's Minister of Sports at the time, Mr. Wilson packed hisbags and moved to Grand Cayman.
"I believe they thought it would bea good opportunity for me, to get exposure. But I also think theyexpected me to come back," he adds with a laugh.
Still, fate had other plans. After workingat Creative Bodies for a period of time, Mr. Wilson went backto Jamaica to defend and win his final title as Mr. Jamaica in1992. His heart, at that point, already belonged to young Caymaniannamed Susan Rivers.
The couple got married when he returnedfrom Jamaica in 1992, and Mrs. Wilson admits, "Jamaica wasnot happy about losing their prize."
But that was not the only conflict: Mr.Wilson decided to make Cayman his permanent home, thus choosingto represent the Cayman Islands internationally and possibly competingagainst his native country. "The Jamaican Bodybuilding Federationwas not happy," he emphasises.
Mrs. Wilson, who knew nothing about bodybuildinguntil she met her husband, became a vital support to him in hispursuit of the sport.
However, without any official financialbacking for the sport in Grand Cayman, the Wilsons have certainlyhad financial difficulties.
"Bodybuilding is a very expensive sport,"Mrs. Wilson explained. "This is a way of life for Tiger.He is a bodybuilder at heart, 365 days of the year. He loves thesport, but he would probably quit if we were to just focus onthe costs."
Since nutrition is a key factor in the sport,junk food is not a part of Mr. Wilson's menu. "Everyone knowsthat it is much more expensive to eat healthy foods than junkfood," she continued.
Supplements like protein shakes and vitaminsare also a part of Mr. Wilson's daily diet. "I would saythat we spend about $1,500 to $2,000 a month easily when he ispreparing for competitions," Mrs. Wilson added.
In 1994 Mr. Wilson competed in Cayman forthe first time and become Mr. Cayman for the Open Class divisionfor that year. It was also in 1994 that he joined the Royal CaymanIslands Police.
In 1995 the couple's first son, Jermaine,was born. The financial strain on the family, especially now thatthey needed to ensure the well-being of their newborn, was suchthat it was one of the reasons why Mr. Wilson decided to takea hiatus from the sport. "I was busy with work and we couldn'tafford to compete," he explains.
The other reason was Mr. Wilson's growingdisillusionment with the sport. "Bodybuilding, more thanany sport out there, is associated with the use of steroids,"Mrs. Wilson declared.
Since the level of competition which Mr.Wilson was participating in was constantly rising, the expectationson him were tremendous. "I researched it," he admits."I researched all the pros and cons of using steroids. Iordered books, I read everything I could."
Coming to the conclusion that "stayingnatural was the right decision" Mr. Wilson was then leftwith two choices: either staying true to himself and staying naturalor walking away. "I chose to walk away," he stated.
Still, he had not lost hope yet. "Iremember him saying to me: 'Someday I'll find a place to do thisas a natural sport'," Mrs. Wilson recalls.
In 1997, Mr. Wilson made a short comebackand chose to attend the World Police and Fire Games in Calgaryas a representative of the Cayman Islands. "People don'trealise how big those games are," Mrs. Wilson explains. "Theyare second only to the Olympic Games!"
Though he had very little time to train,Mr. Wilson was able to win Cayman its first-ever gold medal atthese games.
And even though he was representing hisnew homeland, every penny of that trip came out of his pocket."We were paying for that trip for a long time," Mrs.Wilson adds.
Upon returning from Calgary the hiatus againwent into effect. Mr. Wilson continued working for the RCIP, andthe couple's second son, Jordan, was born in 1999.
Then in 2001 something interesting happened.Jermaine, who was now six years old, began instigating his fatherto retake the sport. "He aggravated him to death," Mrs.Wilson says laughing. "He would say: 'Dad you need to train'."
Though they are not sure why exactly Jermainefelt it was so important for his dad to continue his training,Mr. Wilson ventures a guess "I think he wanted to see moretrophies."
Encouraged by his son's enthusiasm, he attendedthe World Police and Fire Games in Indianapolis that year andbrought Cayman a silver medal that time.
When he returned, his friend Jamal Youngtold him about the INBF, the International Natural BodybuildingFederation.
Again Mr. Wilson meticulously researchedthe federation and decided to see things for himself by registeringfor a competition in North Carolina. Due to lack of time to trainhe placed sixth in the competition, but came home a changed man.
"I had never seen my husband so excited,"Mrs. Wilson recalls.
Mr. Wilson was impressed with how strictthe rules on drug testing were at the INBF competitions. "Firstyou had to pass a polygraph, then they made you take a drug testbefore the competition and then another one after," he explains.The INBF is so stringent on their drug free policy, in fact, thatan inconclusive result is as good as a positive and will earnthe competitor a seven-year ban from INBF competition.
That was exactly what Mr. Wilson was lookingfor. "He came home and said to me: 'I have finally founda level playing field'," Mrs. Wilson recalls.
With renewed enthusiasm Mr. Wilson has onceagain rejoined the bodybuilding circuit. He returned to NorthCarolina this past June and this time won both his age group titleas well as the Men's Overall title. He also holds the title ofMr. Cayman 2002 in both the overall and middleweight divisions.
Last month, not even Tropical Storm Isidorecould keep the Wilson's from the 2002 INBF Naturalmania Nationalsin New York City. There, Mr. Wilson won first place in the lightweightdivision and received his temporary pro card. "Receipt ofthe permanent card was pending the results of the drug test,"Mrs. Wilson begins. "Which I received this Saturday, so nowI am a professional," Mr. Wilson adds with a smile.
Upon returning home, Mr. Wilson got a specialsurprise.
As he stepped out of the plane he receiveda Guard-of-Honour style greeting from a group of colleagues fromthe RCIP.
"He was expecting to see my dad andthe children," says Mrs. Wilson. "He didn't expect thatat all!"
This coming November, Mr. Wilson will berepresenting Cayman at the World Natural Bodybuilding Federation'sProfessional Bodybuilding Competition. "This competitionis by invitation only," Mrs. Wilson explains. "Not onlymust you qualify, but you must also be invited."
However, because Mr. Wilson has only recentlyreceived his professional status in the sport, the financial strainon his family has not eased. "Someone came up to me and (commentedon) how I must be 'living the life'. People think I have it made,"he says.
Though Gold's Gym, where Mr. Wilson trains,was kind enough to sponsor his airline tickets and gear for theINBF championship in September, and CUC also came through witha donation, the family is still paying the bills for the expensesof that competition.
In order to get to the upcoming World NationalChampionships the family has turned to community for help, asnot going would mean starting over. "He's at the peak ofhis career," Mrs. Wilson explains. "He has to go."
Photos by: Miguel Escalante