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Haughton ready to muscle away Arnold Classic title
August 16, 2024
WESTERN BUREAU:
With an impressive ranking of third in the world for the category of men's physique, national bodybuilder Daniel Haughton is eyeing the top title at the upcoming Arnold Classic Europe IFBB Elite Pro World Championships in Spain.
"Being top three, I am one of the favourites to win. The guy who won for the last seven years is no longer there, so there will definitely be a new champion this year," Haughton told STAR Sports.
The bodybuilding championship will be hosted on October 11-13 in Madrid, and according to Haughton, he is well on his way to hoisting the Jamaican flag high in the Spanish country.
"I believe that I am the only Jamaican to have ever reached this level. I have a class A invitation, which means that I am already in the finals. Most people get class B [invitations], but there are a few selected top athletes who receive class A," he explained.
Haughton's love and dedication to the sport started at the age of 13, he told STAR Sports. However, he began his journey to becoming a professional athlete in 2019 at the age of 24.
"I actually started five years ago as an amateur. My first international show was done in the Dominican Republic in 2019 as an amateur. I then went on to represent Jamaica in El Salvador at the Central American and Caribbean Bodybuilding Championships," said Haughton.
After earning his "pro card" at the Giovanni Classic in Aruba three years ago, Haughton has not slowed down. He has since been named the top bodybuilder at the Barbados-based Roger Boyce Classic for a second consecutive year.
The impressive victories also gave him a chance to compete in the Arnold Classic Europe IFBB Elite Pro World Championships in Spain for the last two years, he proudly shared. Though he ranked fourth in the previous competitions, Haughton said that this year's championship is "his year".
Haughton also received the RJRGLEANER Sportsman of the Year Award for bodybuilding in 2021. He was also nominated for the Prime Minister Youth Award, the highest national award for Jamaicans under 30, in the category of Sports in 2022.
While proud of the work he has been doing on behalf of his country, Haughton shared that there are major financial constraints associated with the sport. He explained that while the Jamaica Amateur Bodybuilding and Fitness Association (JABBFA) is integral in the moulding of Jamaica's bodybuilders, the association lacks resources. The athlete further stated that JABBFA has sponsored him twice.
"Over the last three years, I have only gotten money twice from the national organisation due to financial constraints. My dream of doing bodybuilding for Jamaica is coming out of my pockets," Haughton told STAR Sports.
At the same time, Haughton shared that he may be forced to turn down an offer to compete in another international championship due to a shortage of resources. He is, however, hoping that more sponsors will jump on board to invest in the country's bodybuilding association.
"I went to a show in Dubai last year also, and they invited me to come this year again, but due to the financial challenges that the organisation is having, I may not be going to that show."
In the meantime, the professional bodybuilder is working tirelessly to take home the top medal to Jamaica.
"I go to the gym twice a day. We have one rest day per week. We do training and cardio, with a lot of hard dieting.
"It mostly comes down to the amount of food and stress you can bear, also. You can't eat a lot of food, so you're going to be hungry 90 per cent of the time. When I do well, I know my body fat is somewhere around two or three per cent, which is very hard to do," Haughton shared.
Kirk Frankson, vice-president at JABBFA, confirmed that the sporting association has been experiencing financial challenges. He, too, is hoping that more corporate entities will recognise their vision and establish meaningful partnerships with the athletes.
"Like any other sporting association, we are more than amenable to having discussions with sponsors to make this a reality for the sport. The sport is about a healthy lifestyle and persons getting an opportunity to participate in [events].
"We know that there are strong connections between mental health and physical health. We would want more persons doing exactly what Daniel is doing, so it's an open call for other sponsors to come on board."
