In just his second bodybuilding competition, Caymanian Amadello Mena-Hebbert was one of several winners at the DFAC 2023 Muscle Mayhem, on 4 Nov.
The event, that attracts hundreds of spectators to the Arts and Recreation Centre in Camana Bay featured more than 15 athletes – both amateur and professional – competing across six categories under the natural bodybuilding Drug Free Athletes Coalition.
Mena-Hebbert, who was visibly more shredded than his opposition, claimed the title of Men’s Athletic – an accomplishment he said he couldn’t believe.
“I’m still trying to digest it to be honest,” he told the Compass three days after competing. “People were cheering but everything went silent,” he added, noting that his years of hard work, with the last 12 months being the most difficult, finally paid off.
“An entire year of coming from 207 pounds to 164 pounds – stage weight,” he said, noting “the methodology of losing weight was simple, but putting it in practice was difficult”.
Mena-Hebbert’s first bodybuilding show was last month at the prestigious Mr. America competition, where his Lift Studio business partner and friend Robert Thompson Jr. made history after becoming the first non-American to win that event.
When asked if he believed he would win his respective category at the DFAC event, he said that his main goal was to do his best and be critiqued.
“I try not to go into competition thinking that I got it,” he said. “I went with the perception of wanting to hear what the judge had to say. It’s not about what I did best, I wanted to know what I did worst, which will give me key points that I need to adjust.”
He noted that throughout his journey, people like Thompson Jr, Douglas King and Blayze Wood – all who took part in the weekend show – contributed to his victory.
Mena-Hebbert detailed what his day-to-day life looked like leading up to the competition.
“I changed my habits,” he said, “like parking further away from the main door of my office so that I can get more steps, and drink a lot more water… I want people to see that it is possible if you remain dedicated to yourself.”
Other winners whose dedication paid off included King, who took the Men’s Bodybuilding and Overall Male titles, which earned him his pro card. Thompson Jr. won the Men’s Professional Bodybuilding title.
For the women, Aquila Whittaker was the wellness winner and the overall female, earning a pro card for her performance. Felicia Bodden took home the Bikini division title.
Mena-Hebbert will now turn his attention to the WNBF and INBF World Championships, in Seattle, scheduled for 18-19 Nov. Joining him at that event to represent the Cayman Islands will be King and Thompson Jr.
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