Ryan Hopkins far exceeded his expectations with a solid display during the Bermuda Bodybuilding & Fitness Federation’s April Extravaganza at City Hall over the weekend.

The 19-year-old raised eyebrows competing for the first time before the judges on the big stage, walking off with the classic physique title and finishing runner up in the men’s physique category for added measure.

“I didn’t really expect anything for this one,” Hopkins told The Royal Gazette. “I competed mostly for the exposure and experience but it’s pretty good that I placed.

“I was kind of nervous at first, but as soon as I stepped onto the stage I just did what I had to do and it was a lot of fun really. I guess I just got in the zone.”

The son of former top cyclist Greg Hopkins has worked out regularly at The Ultimate Fitness Gym in recent years to keep in shape.

However, he decided to make the step up to competition level with a gentle nudge from fitness trainer and former national bodybuilding champion Ross Caesar.

“I was persuaded by Ross who definitely pushed me to do it,” said Hopkins, whose brother Kaden is one of the island’s most promising cyclists.

“We haven’t really had a proper training session. But he definitely gives me a lot of helpful advice on posing, dieting and training.”

Hopkins’s triumph in the classic physique at last weekend’s show came as his biggest shock, given his eleventh-hour decision to compete in the category.

“We were practising posing for a couple of weeks and the classic physique where I did my routine was kind of off my head because it was a last minute decision to do that category, so I guess getting the posing down was the main thing,” Hopkins said.

The teenager is now set to make his international debut at next week’s National Physique Committee Florida Grand Prix in West Palm Beach, where he will be accompanied by some of his gym colleagues, including Caesar.

Hopkins is again competing in the classic physique and men’s physique categories at the event to be held on April 28 at Keiser University.

The previous NPC Florida Grand Prix featured more than 480 athletes and was attended by a crowd of 2,000 spectators.

“It’s obviously a lot bigger than the [BBFF April Extravaganza] and I am pretty excited,” Hopkins said.

“Getting on stage is little bit nerve racking. But if I go in and do what I practised it should be fine.

“I’m just planning to go there to have fun, meet people and hopefully place.”

Meanwhile, Laura Law, Joy Eve and George Moroianu were the remaining winners at last weekend’s BBFF April Extravaganza.

Law claimed the bikini title with Tiffanie Smith and Shannon Douglas rounding off the podium.

Eve was the only competitor in the body fitness category while Moroianu won the men’ physique title with Hopkins second and Terry Spencer, also competing in his first show, securing third.

This year marked the first time the BBFF April Extravaganza had been held since 2015.

The event featured ten competitors, most of whom were making their debut in a bodybuilding event, that competed among the four categories.

The BBFF’s next event will be the annual Night of Champions to be held on July 7 at Fairmont Southampton.