AFTER four weeks, several bonus classes and the first “weigh-in”, two of the eight participants in the Jamaica Observer/Gymkhana Absolute Fitness Challenge are in the top slot, but the others are not far behind.

Despite the heated battle to claim the inaugural “I’m GymKFit” trophy, Francine White and Sandrine Waite have managed to maintain their lead after the weigh-in. Last Monday, the challengers were tested for the first time since the start of the competition, to see if they have achieved their first set of goals.

“We are at our first challenge point and we are going to now see who has been able to make their goal for the period,” said Gymkhana General Manager Peter Morris to the obviously anxious challengers who were waiting to do their weigh-in. “You will receive 10 points if you have met your goal; seven points if you have worked hard and reached within 50 per cent of your goal; you will get three points if you have worked hard, but you have not reached within 50 per cent of your goal; and, I don’t think any of you have displayed that you are not trying, but if you weren’t, then you get a minus two.”

Five of the eight challengers claimed full points while three competitors fell short. White, whose target was to get to 251 pounds from 269, weighed 250.8 pounds on Monday, while Trevor Dixon, whose goal was set at getting to 183.6 pounds from 190, was 179.6 pounds after weighing in. Eileen Wapp also went beyond her targeted 237.2 pounds from 243, dropping to 234 pounds in the time alotted. Jodi Jackson, who also shared the top spot with White and Waite, had a target of 21.6 per cent body fat from 25.6 per cent, but was only able to cut her body fat to 22.6 per cent.

Sandrine Waite’s goal was to complete 10 modified push-ups, but on Monday she pushed a little harder and completed 12 instead. Maureen Milbourn was to run a 5K in 30 minutes but at the 30-minute mark, she was 2.4 miles in, instead of the required 3.1 miles. This reporter was to complete 10 reps each of inclined dumb-bell chest press of 20-pound weights, squat with 85 pounds, and clean and press 25-pound weights, which she did, gaining the full 10 points. Loraine Moses was to reduce her body fat by four per cent to 25 per cent, however, she gained instead of lost.

On the day, irrespective of where on the spectrum the challengers fell, congratulations and encouragement were the order of the day with a renewed commitment to work harder at meeting their next set of targets, which are due in another four weeks.

So what is the next challenge? Jackson is to take two inches off her waist, White is to shed an additional 15 pounds, this reporter is to lose five pounds, Moses is to reduce her body fat by two per cent, Dixon is to lose an additional eight pounds, and Waite is to squat eight reps with 25 pounds on each side.

The challengers already have their game faces on and though Waite and White lead on 41 points each, the other challengers are not backing down.