MY IML EXPERIENCE

I was pleased to have arrived a few days early into Chicago to get settled in and to get over the jetlag.  During these first few days I met up with some of the ‘early arrival’ contestants at the bar and everyone was all excited, anxious and a bit unsure what the next few days had install for us. 

Little did we know that they would be some of the best days of our lives, but we would be taken on an emotional rollercoaster that would last for 4 solid days and nights. We would meet such incredible and genuine guys from all over the world. We would bond together like brothers and share incredible love and unity between ourselves.

All the guys I met are absolutely wonderful and very genuine people, each on their own journey in life and each with personal aspirations of what they wanted to get out of and achieve over the next few days. 

We all shared the same aspirations of making it into the top 20. But we also knew 48 of us would not and that was absolutely fine too.  The organisers and our Den Daddy, Jeff made us all feel so welcome and comfortable, and were constantly assurIng us it’s not about winning the title, it’s about who we are and how we can make a difference in our communities. 

I was extremely fortunate as I entered this competition with no agenda, no backing and no promotors pushing me to get placed. I did not feel any of that pressure, and my objective was to have fun, enjoy myself, be visible and have an experience of a lifetime.  That’s exactly what I had, an experience of a lifetime!

The ceremony of handing out the medallions commenced. The whole class of IML 2019 and IMBB 2019 stood in a large circle, joined by former title holders all wearing their gold medallions. 

The ceremony proceeded where each title holder was handed a Medallion and rubbed it against their own enjoying a few private thoughts for each and every one. 

This was extremely intense and very emotional, and we lined up to move around within the circle to individually receive our medallion. This Medallion became our symbol of brotherhood and we would all wear it proudly for the next few days and beyond. 

Tears and emotions were shared by the group as we moved around to the IML title holders who continued to rub and pass along the medallion. Finally each medallion was passed to the Chairman of the Foundation and then he handed the medal to the brother as we stood in front of him, shared encouraging words, thanked him for the experience and we expressed our feelings.   

Remaining within the circle, all holding our medallions, heads and hearts all full of emotions, thoughts of who and why we are there, what we stand for and how we hope the next few days would progress. Finally after gatherIng our thoughts, and placing the medallions around our necks. 68 very proud IML and 4 IMBB men stood together, arms linked and entered an incredible journey that would be a life changing experience.  

You could feel that the room was full of incredible love, excitement and very anxious men.

The opening ceremony was the first of the official events that we as contestants were to attend, it started with rehearsals earlier in the day. We were all pumped from the Medallion ceremony. 

Rehearsals were conducted by separate delivery team to our coordinators and handlers. Once again everything ran like a well oiled machine, which was impressive.

We ran through the evenings line up of events.

First was the ‘Parade of Flags’ where  contestant from each country or state would carry in the flag and their fellow contestants would follow behind. A Visual feast for the audience and quite visually spectacular as the theatre was filled with flags.

Earlier in the rehearsals, I carried a Hong Kong Flag.

Pecs and Personality was the event where we could show the audience and the judges who we are, and how we handle crowds and work an audience.

Wearing nothing more than a leather jockstrap, boots, hat and harness, we paraded onto the stage to be introduced to the audience. Then brought back in groups of 10 and individually asked a pop question. Here you really had to think on your feet. It was all a bit of fun and banter.

Back stage before the final event was a hive of tension, excitement and emotions. Everyone was in their own head space, rehearsing their speech and hoping that they would be nominated to the top 20.

Of the 68 contestants, 48 were leaving the stage after the announcement and the competition was over. 

The final event was a culmination of the past few days and everything that 68 brothers plus the 4 Bootblack brothers had been through. This event was when we was contestants and the audience would find out who the judges have selected to go through as the top 20 and then after speeches and more onstage displays of personality, the judges would choose 3 contestants to become the final choices of IML 41, 2019.