Audrie Allwood, chief executive officer of Fit Farm Fitness Club and president of the Jamaica Amateur Bodybuilding and Fitness Association (JABBFA), made a spectacular return to the international competitive stage after a 25-year retirement, securing 11 medals, including seven gold, at the 2025 Caribbean Grand Prix Bahamas Pro Qualifier. These medals, Allwood shared, \u201csymbolise resilience, sacrifice, and the unshakeable belief that it\u2019s never too late to rise again\u201d.<\/p>\n
Allwood started training in April of this year, and the decision to participate arose from a casual conversation at the front of the Fit Farm gym, with Tuff Fitness Owner Jeremy Owen and a Fit Farm trainer, Carol McPherson. <\/p>\n
\u201cIn the middle of our casual reasoning, Jeremy looked at me and said, \u2018Why don\u2019t you go back on stage and show them how it\u2019s really done?\u2019 Then he joked that he needed a new competition photo of me to put beside the one from 25 years ago that hangs in the gym.\u201d <\/p>\n
The unexpected comment made Allwood decide then and there to bet on herself. \u201cWe laughed, but something shifted inside me. It reminded me of the woman I was\u2026 and the woman I still am today. I felt both the excitement of a new challenge and the restlessness of wanting something more than my everyday routine. Once I publicly announced my return to competition, there was no turning back.\u201d<\/p>\n
The transition to competitor mode was immediate and intentional. Reflecting on her motivation versus her earlier career, Allwood says this time around feels \u201cdeeper and more intentional\u201d as she was previously driven by youthful ambition.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis time, I stepped out with maturity, wisdom, and an understanding of my body, my mind, and my mission. I wasn\u2019t competing to prove anything. I was competing to honour the woman I\u2019ve become. I felt stronger, more grounded, and more connected to the sport than ever before. Every pose, every breath, every bead of sweat meant something,\u201d Allwood said.<\/p>\n
She explained that her intense preparation was founded on treating discipline as her lifestyle. Her physical training included intense weight sessions, functional conditioning, posing practice, and structured mobility work. On the nutrition aspect, Allwood recalls, \u201cI gave up all my favourite foods, especially sweets, which everyone knows I love. My diet became clean, strategic, and purpose-driven. Every meal was measured. Every calorie accounted for,\u201d she shared.<\/p>\n
Her months of preparation paid off immensely. Reflecting on the results, Allwood said, \u201cIt was surreal. I still get emotional when I reflect on it. To walk away with 11 medals, seven of them gold, after more than two decades away\u2026 it felt like destiny meeting preparation. It wasn\u2019t just winning. It was reclaiming a part of myself that I had put on pause while building Fit Farm gym, raising the next generation of athletes, and pouring into others.\u201d<\/p>\n
Allwood credits her support system for her successful comeback, including her family, Fit Farm community and friends. Her coaches, Loleta Riley (training), Deana Wheatle and Jojo Riley (posing), played a crucial role in shaping the athlete. But the heart of her support system was her daughters, Ashley Grant and Allyanah Black.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey were my bedrock. My biggest cheerleaders. They supported me through every early morning, every strict meal, every moment of doubt. They even chose my competition swimsuit,\u201d she shared. \u201c[The] noise they made sounded like an entire village cheering just for me. Their pride gave me strength. Their joy became my fuel,\u201d Allwood said.<\/p>\n
One of the main reasons she wanted to participate in the competition as well is for her daughters to see her living boldly, and in turn, do the same. \u201cI did this for them, to show them firsthand that you can rise, reinvent yourself, and conquer anything you set your mind to. I wanted them to see their mother living boldly, so they would know they could do the same,\u201d she shared.<\/p>\n
Encouraging others who may doubt their own return to competing, Allwood shared her words of advice to men and women who\u2019ve counted themselves out. \u201cYou\u2019re never out unless you choose to stay out. Whether it\u2019s been five years or 25, your body can be retrained, your spirit can be reignited, and your dreams can be resurrected. Start where you are, move with purpose, and trust the process. Greatness doesn\u2019t expire,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Looking towards the future, Allwood doesn\u2019t see herself going anywhere anytime soon. \u201cAs long as my body, mind, and spirit stay aligned, you will definitely see me competing again. My journey is far from over. In fact, I feel like I\u2019m just getting started,\u201d Allwood shared.<\/p>\n
The 2025 Caribbean Grand Prix Bahamas Pro Qualifier was held on Saturday, November 8, in Nassau, Bahamas.<\/p>\n