English Grand Prix 2024

‘The prestigious event, organised for the 10 th time by BPA president Helen O’Reilly, was held at the Beck Theatre in West London on Sunday, September 1.’

By John Plummer

Photography by Thomas Mone

To order your stage photos from this event, go to Thomas Mone Photography.

Two of Britain’s most successful physique athletes this year were the stars of the 2024 English Grand Prix.

The prestigious event, organised for the 10 th time by BPA president Helen O’Reilly, was held at the Beck Theatre in West London on Sunday, September 1.

At the end of a day that saw more than 50 entries, Nader Zareinoor and Tanya Lennan were named overall champions.

Each received £500, swords and the coveted champions jackets that have become synonymous with the grand prix. There were also high quality trophies, as well as tiaras and flowers for the female class winners, not to mention a tickertape finale.

The BPA season is now heading towards its climax with the British Championships in Leicester on September 29 followed by the amazing double- header on October 25 and 26 at the Thistle Hotel at Heathrow — the Supershow and IFBB Pro League Night of Champions, which together have about £50,000 of prize money up for grabs.

There’s still time to enter — don’t miss out on the chance to be part of the richest event on the UK calendar this year.

Female classes

Tanya Lennan made a strong impression when she won the bikini class and narrowly missed out on the overall at this year’s Impact Classic. She was not to be denied this time, first of all winning a tough five-woman open bikini class and then going on to take the overall.

Tanya, who works as a gardener in Devon, started competing in 2022 and has been on a roll this year. Since starting her contest prep in November, she has won numerous trophies and this was her fourth overall title, thanks to her tight lines and wonderful shape. The BPA British Championships and then the Supershow are on her agenda.

She said: “I’m going to squeeze everything out of this year and then take some time off to build my physique more.”

The day’s other female stars included Iwona Michalska, whose beautiful proportions and healthy look claimed victory in the open and masters bodyfitness categories. Celeste Agrigno also had shape to die for to win the bikini masters division for women aged 35 to 39 while the tall and well trained Veronika Martin took the 40 to 49 class. Ann Fraser made the long trip from Scotland worthwhile by winning the over-50s. Wellness winner Kamisha McLarty made quite an impression — she definitely has the wellness look.

Mens Classes

Nader Zareinoor is also having a year to remember — he’s won 22 medals and about half a dozen overalls so far in 2024. He weighed 89kg at this event and once again had his drum-tight conditioning to thank for his success. How does hemanage to consistently turn up so sharp?

“I just spend all my time in the gym and eating chicken, turkey, fish and eggs,” he said, making it sound easy.

Nader, who lives in Derby, said he would have one cheat meal before getting back on his diet as he builds towards the end of a season that will end for him in November.

To qualify for the overall posedown here he had to defeat five excellent guys in the masters 40 to 49 category. Runner-up Barry Pitts had an eye- catching shape — his physique flows beautifully — but Nader’s posing and conditioning shone through in the rear poses.

Moving up the age categories, 59-year-old Dean Jones took the 50 to 59 masters bodybuilding class and Andrew Lawley claimed the over-60s. Masters bodybuilding is thriving in the BPA.

Tomas Jakab was Nader’s biggest rival for the overall. Tomas’ mesmeric posing and outstanding structure helped him win the up to 90kg bodybuilding class and classic physique. He really does epitomise the golden era look and presentation.

Dhambir Singh, cheered on by his family, had a fantastic day, winning the novice bodybuilding class as well as the under-100kg open category. Kevin Norris was the pick of two fine lightweight bodybuilders and the effervescent Ravi Chandla took the up to 80kg class.

Shiraz Mirza is another competitor who appears to have perfected the art of peaking. He always seems to come in shredded, which is a prerequisite for success in men’s physique. Shiraz’s sharpness helped him win open men’s physique over a very well shaped Rising Star Allan Bell. Shiraz also took 40 to 49 age category against a few good seasoned competitors who have also taken titles over the last couple of competitions.

We must mention Team Notorious who travelled from Holland, Jaco van de Velde competing in Masters BB 40-49 & U90kg, Martijn Janson in Classic & Under 80kg categories bagging themselves trophies and with Albert Badrisingh taking the Muscular Men’s Physique title and the Champions jacket their trip to the UK was successful.

BPA English Grand Prix 2024

RESULTS

NOVICE/BEGINNER

1 DHAMBIR SINGH

2 LUKE MOLONEY

 

MASTERS BODYBUILDING 40 – 49 YRS

1 NADER ZAREINOOR

2 BARRY PITTS

3 RAVI CHANDLA

4 DARIUSZ NAWARA

5 RICHARD FORD

6 JAKO VAN DER VELDE

 

MASTERS BODYBUIDLING 50 – 59 YRS

1 DEAN JONES

2 RYAN EVANS

3 SIMON MARSH

 

MASTERS BODYBUIDLING OVER 60 YRS

1 ANDREW LAWLEY

 

CLASSIC BODYBUILDING

1 PAUL NATION

2 MARTIJN JANSEN

3 RYAN EVANS

 

BODYBUILDING UNDER 70KG

1 KEVIN NORRIS

2 JAMIE STORMONT

 

BODYBUILDING UNDER 80KG

1 RAVI CHANDLA

2 MARTIJN JANSEN

 

BODYBUILDING UNDER 90KG

1 TOMAS JAKAB

2 PRANAV SHENAY

3 JAKO VAN DER VELDE

 

BODYBUILDING UNDER 100KG

1 DHAMBIR SINGH

2 LUKE MOLONEY

 

BODYBUILDING OVER 100KG

1 BARRY PITTS

2 DARIUSZ NAWARA

MASTERS MENS PHYSIQUE 40-49 YRS

1 SHIRAZ MIRZA

2 GRANT COLES

3 MARK WINDER

4 SAM BARNES

 

MASTERS MENS PHYSIQUE OVER 50 YRS

1 NEIL CORNWELL

 

MASTERS BIKINI 35-39 YRS

1 CELESTE AGRIGNO

 

MASTERS BIKINI 40-49 YRS

1 VERONIKA MARTIN

 

MASTERS BIKINI OVER 50 YRS

1 ANN FRASER

 

MASTERS BODYFITNESS

1 IWONA MICHALSKA

2 BRIAR PITTS

 

CLASSIC PHYSIQUE

1 TOMAS JAKAB

2 DHAEMBIR SINGH

3 IVO EGLITIS

 

OPEN MEN PHYSIQUE

1 SHIRAZ MIRZA

2 ALLAN BELL

3 GRANT COLES

4 MARK WINDER

5 GEORGE PATMORE

 

MUSCULAR MEN PHYSIQUE

1 ALBERT BADRI SINGH

2 JUN KHANBEKIAN

 

BODYFITNESS OPEN

1 IWONA MICHALSKA

 

BIKINI OPEN

1 TANYA LENNAN

2 CELESTE AGRIGNO

3 JOANNA JENKINS

4 VERONIKA MARTIN

5 ANN FRASER

 

WELLNESS

1 KAMISHA MCLARTY

 

OVERALL FEMALE WINNER - TANYA LENNAN

OVERALL MALE WINNER - NADER ZAREINOOR