A sad turn events for one of Bahamas bodybuilding pioneers.
Paul Melbourne, a 70 year old former competitive bodybuilder who was held in high regard in the Bahamas was killed this past Saturday after arguing with a woman.
According to Tribune 242, Melbourne was found by police with a number of stab wounds, still barely clinging to life. The former bodybuilder was rushed to a nearby hospital, but unfortunately succumbed to his wounds. Police investigators believe that Melbourne was embroiled in an argument with a woman before eventually being stabbed.
Raymond Tucker, Melbourne’s long time friend and fellow bodybuilder, was absolutely devastated by the news. Tucker and Melbourne both competed on an international level during their bodybuilding days and were both staples in Bahamian bodybuilding scene.
“Paul Melbourne was among the list of Kermit Forbes, Jeremy Knowles and Della Thomas, who were among the first competitors to win medals for the Bahamas at the CAC (Central American and Caribbean) Championships,” Mr Tucker said. “Paul then went on to become the first Bahamian to win the gold for men when he won the masters and the bantamweight divisions at the same time. I started competing before Paul, but he came after me and with the knowledge he gained from Dr Norman Gay, he went on to excel further than me. But what I liked about him was the fact that he passed a lot of that on to others. I remember a lot of times we were in front of the mirror posing and working on our routine. We ate a lot out of the same pot as we did our dieting together.
“It’s a big loss because he was one time the pioneering supervisors at the Gold’s Gym and he trained many people,” Mr Tucker said.
Former IFBB bodybuilder and current BBPF president Joel Stubbs also remembered Paul Melbourne fondly.
“He really dedicated himself to his training and he went on to excel. The results speaks for itself as he was a force to reckon with in the bantamweight and eventually in the masters category,” Mr Stubbs said. “But he also spent a lot of time in the gym helping to train a lot of people, not just as a personal trainer, but one who wanted to help other bodybuilders to excel.
“He was a real motivator and encourager. He always tried to let you know that the sky was the limit. He always told you that if you want to excel as a bodybuilder, you have to train hard and you have to find that mirror and go in the front of it and pose. These are the things that will get you to the top.”
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