Bodybuilding Articles : 2006 Monreal Men's Pro Classic

JOHNNIE ON THE SPOT
Jackson notches first pro win in Montreal


When it came down to the final two, Johnnie Jackson looked to the familiar face on his right and had to hold his breath.

Moments later Jackson was forced to catch it, as he was announced the winner at the 2006 IFBB Montreal Men’s Pro Classic on Sunday night in Montreal. The win was Jackson’s first ever as a pro, and it came by way of knocking off an old rival in Darrem Charles. Charles edged out Quincy Taylor to finish as the runner-up for the third time this year. Charles also finished second at the Colorado Pro and the New York Pro.

“It was like, ‘Oh no, not you again,’” Jackson said of seeing the contest come down to him and Charles. “Twice in Toronto he kicked my butt. It was me and Darrem standing there . . . he said, ‘This might be it for you.’ I was like ‘Man, it’s you though.’ I didn’t expect it. It’s awesome.”

Jackson might not have expected it, but on this night he deserved it. Jackson was crisper and fuller than he was a week ago, when he finished third – behind Tony Freeman and Quincy Taylor - at the Europa Supershow. At the Montreal, Taylor finished behind Jackson and Charles in third place.

“I was a little bit bigger than I was at the Europa,” Jackson said. “I thought I was in one of my best conditions last week at the Europa. You get what you get, it is what it is. I just kept training and stayed focused for this show.”

Charles, who showed up in Montreal on the morning of the show due to foul weather that delayed his flight, was not in his best condition for the show. But the judges saw enough to place him ahead of Taylor. Taylor, who was the largest of the 21 competitors at 304 pounds, didn’t share the judges view.

“It wasn’t close between Darrem and me at all. Darrem wasn’t even close. Darrem’s out of shape right now. Everybody knows it. He knows he’s out of shape. He wasn’t in shape last week and he wasn’t in shape this week. And I’m the one who’s paying the price for it. But hey, it’s bodybuilding.”

King Kamali, Dennis Wolf and Mike Asiedu rounded out the top six.

Kamali, rebounding impressively after a poor showing at the Europa last weekend, finished fourth and in the process qualified for the Mr. Olympia based upon the fact that the top three had qualified previously. Kamali gave the crowd a shot of adrenaline by turning out arguably the best posing routine in the show.

Germany's Wolf, competing in only his second show overseas, rounded out the top five. Asiedu, competing in his first professional show, brought a polished package and could have made an argument at cracking the top four.

Canada’s Paul Dillett finished tenth. The 40-year old Dillett, making his return to competition after taking nearly four years away from the stage, took the placing in stride.

“I feel a big sense of accomplishment,” said Dillett, who weighed in at 270 pounds for the show. “I made this transformation after one year of training after not training for three years. To go from absolutely nothing to what I look like right now, I feel like I’ve already won. Regardless of the outcome, I’m not going to let that discourage me. It’s a comeback. It’s a long road back.”

2006 IFBB Montreal Men’s Classic Results

1. Johnnie Jackson (16)
2. Darrem Charles (31)
3. Quincy Taylor (48)
4. King Kamali (56)
5. Dennis Wolf (74)
6. Mike Aseidu
7. Art Atwood
8. Brian Chamberlain
9. George Farah
10. Paul Dillett
11. Rodney St. Cloud
12. Joel Stubbs
13. Frank Roberson
14. Henderson Thorne
15. Valentin Jabes
16T. Reza Amin Torabi
16T. Jose Alves-Jorge
16T. Fedel Clarke
16T. Simon Voyer
DNF – Claude Groulx