By BRENT STUBBS

Chief Sports Editor

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

ALTHOUGH he didn’t earn his professional card, Paul “Mighty Mouse” Wilson said he was glad to perform as well as he did as he made his return to the bodybuilding stage at the Arnold Classic in Columbus, Ohio.

At the Classic, held from February 29 to March 1, Wilson captured the gold in the Men’s Physique Class Am Classic Physique Class A and lightweight bodybuilding.

It was Wilson’s first appearance at the Classic and the first tine he entered in three different divisions in the same competition. Against that backdrop, it was also his first international competition since 2021 when he competed in Puerto Rico.

So even though the goal was to obtain his pro card, Wilson said not getting it won’t diminish his hat trick, carting off his first triple crown feat.

“Everybody loves the performance and I loved what I presented to that part of the stage,” Wilson said. “When I say that part of the stage, I’m talking about competing in the second largest international bodybuilding show in the world.”

Wilson, a personal fitness trainer at Empire Fitness Gym, admitted that he didn’t envision himself carting off the three titles.

“What I wanted from the show was for the judges to tell me in what direction can they see the body that I have, what I need to do going forward,” Wilson stated.

“Although they feel I can still do well in men’s physique, depending on what I do with my workouts from here on, they feel I have what it takes to compete in the bodybuilding segment.”

Since he last competed before the COVID-19 pandemic struck in 2019 at the Caribbean Grand Prix for his pro card, he was told by the judges that his body was in excellent condition, but he was just too small.

“So what I did was I took the time off to really put on some muscle tussle to really balance it off,” Wilson pointed out.

In making a return to the stage at the Arnold Classic, Wilson said the judges told him that he could have been a little tighter in the physique competition, but he was right there as a bodybuilder.

Now that he’s fully back as a competitor, Wilson said he will travel to Vancouver, Canada from July 13-14 for another show to go after his pro qualification.

“I’m really trying to get my pro card, but I also know that bodybuilding is a limetime sport,” Wilson pointed out. “It’s something where after a certain time you can’t compete in it anymore, it’s something that branches into your healthy lifestyle. So I just continue going.”

Wilson, by the way, was also named the latest ambassador for Empire Fitness, headed by Dr Kent Bazard. He’s also sponsored by Body Temple and he’s hoping other corporate sponsors will come on board and assist him in his quest to earn his pro card.

Bazard said they are delighted to add Wilson as one of their ambassadors.

As an ambassador, Wilson will get the opportunity to promote Empire Fitness and to help train and motivate the up and coming competitors training in the gym.

“This gym has a rich bodybuilding heritage since (former bodybuilder) Joel Stubbs used to train here when this gym first opened,” Bazard said.

“We have a lot of professional bodybuilding and aspiring bodybuilders here, male and female.

“So he’s one of our ambassadors. I know Paul personally for a long time. So we have that relationship.

“We just want to do our part and we continue to do our part with the bodybuilders because they don’t always get the recognition that they deserve.

“But a lot of work goes into bodybuilding and so for this gym, we hope to continue to support the bodybuilders. In this case, we are supporting Paul, who just came back from the Arnold Classic where he did excellent, three gold medals.”

Wilson said he’s back and he’s back to stay. But he’s confident that, before the year is out, he will become the latest Bahamian bodybuilder to earn his pro card.