The 2023 INBF/WNBF Hercules was a huge success from start to finish! We were ecstatic to make the trek from California to New York to be back in the birthplace of the WNBF in 1989. The host hotel- Hyatt Place Fort Lee was a great property with incredible staff and space that made for a smooth polygraph testing and check-in process.
The first athlete to check in Thursday was INBF Amateur Men’s Physique competitor Anthony Palella. He shared some great stories with us, including his relationship with former WNBF Vice President and Hercules promoter Charlie Carollo who the event is now dedicated to. Charlie was Anthony’s first trainer/coach, and when Anthony saw the advertisement; “INBF Hercules Charlie Carollo Legacy Classic” he decided to return to the stage after many years. The very next athlete to check in was George Statler and he also shared stories about Charlie, and how he impacted his weight training and bodybuilding career at 5th Avenue Gym in New York City. These gentlemen were an indicator that the entire weekend was going to be a positive and exciting one!
Great discussions were had with many local and international athletes checking in for their polygraph appointments. There was one failure resulting in a lifetime ban from INBF/WNBF privileges worldwide which is why we take this testing so seriously. A special shoutout to Tom White and Bobby Bell III for their help in setting up the Playhouse Theater at Bronx Community College on Friday, and an additional thanks to Nick Colvill of Better Aesthetics for helping with lighting to ensure the stage looked great for athletes and spectators. Stela McManus of Metro Beauty Lounge was on site to provide tanning services so everyone looked amazing. Her positive energy was as infectious as always! A virtual athlete meeting was also conducted on Friday evening to ensure athletes knew exactly what was expected of them for the competition. Friday evening concluded with Tina Smith and Katy Wayman White finalizing all of the administrative work of judges sheets and athlete information for the show to run smoothly on Saturday.
Competitors began showing up to the venue at 8:30 am. Promoter Robert Fulton and Tom White set up the backstage prep area and also lead the expediting to keep the show moving in a timely manner. Ian Mercer was responsible for getting athletes in line and on stage. The first groups up were WNBF Pro Masters athletes, and what incredible physiques were displayed for athletes in their 40’s and 50’s. Following the Pro’s were all age groups, then Novice and Open classes in a straight through format.
Below you will find photo’s of all class winners, yet we would be remissed if we didn’t give massive credit to the most incredibly dedicated, enthusiastic, and LOUD spectators that I have personally experienced in 34 years of attending bodybuilding shows. What was all the commotion about? Initially it was the competitiveness of the bodybuilders in the open classes and overall showdown. Brandon Benard, the heavyweight ended up winning the overall in a split decision and being crowned with the Hercules helmet and title of 2023 Overall Men’s Bodybuilding Champion and new WNBF Pro.
The excitement then transitioned to numbers 31 & 33 of Men’s Physique. Their friends and family just got louder on every quarter turn of this overall! Elias Ruiz was the champion of the Men’s Physique short class, and Heegan Saleh the champion of the Men’s Physique tall class. This was an epic overall comparison which took the judging panel quite some time to get their overall scores recorded. The families of both athletes were massively excited and it showed from the time they stepped on stage together until emcee Tina read the final results. In the end, the winner was Elias Ruiz in a 5 – 2 decision and the new Hercules Overall Men’s Physique Champion of 2023! Pending urinalysis results, he too will become a WNBF Pro.
Additional thank you’s go out to Tyra Bell for handling ticket sales and merchandise purchases, the Fulton’s Fitness staff who provided a great concession stand, and Nicole Trapp for her oversight with the urine testing which is one of the backbones of the WNBF. Trophy presenter Susan Abend also did a great job awarding athletes and providing Worlds Qualified certificates to those in top placings. The distinguished judges included: Gary Amlinger, Bob Bell, Gianluca Improta, Ashley Sullivan, Mack Sullivan, Katy Wayman-White, and Clement Yearwood who did an incredible job assessing athletes. We thank them all for their time and efforts in judging with integrity, and in helping Hercules be successful this year. Several athletes did make their way to the after-party location to gain valuable feedback from the judges, and thus the competition was a wrap.
We look forward to seeing you next summer!
Written By:
Bob Bell
WNBF Vice President
Hercules Promoter
