“Cancer survivor Tracy, 54, wins BPA English Grand Prix.”
By John Plummer
Photography by Josh Barrett Media
Videography by Steve Lewis Barrett
To order your stage photos from this event, go to Josh Barrett Media.
To order your stage videos from this event, go to Steve Lewis Barrett.
Two years ago, Tracy Hall was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. She’d started lifting weights 18 months earlier and had competed in a few bikini shows.
“I did a show 15 days later because I thought I might never compete again,” she recalls.
The cancer was advanced, but the surgeons managed to remove it. However, childminder Tracy, 54, lost half her voice box and suffered a twisted windpipe which ruled out cardio.
Yet through sheer guts and determination she got back in the gym and won the overall female title at the BPA English Grand Prix on September 6, at a show held just a few miles from her hometown of Washington, Tyne and Wear.
The event, previously held for 12 years in London, moved to Gateshead after promoter and BPA president Helen O’Reilly relocated back to her native north-east.
Tracy won £500 cash, the champion’s sword and a host of other prizes, including a £500 voucher from Dream Bikini.
Speaking straight afterwards, she said:
“I’m just loving every minute, and I can’t believe what I did out there. It’s unbelievable —the best day ever.”
In the showdown for the men’s overall title, Matthew Kernohan overcame his coach, Neill Rennie, to land the champion’s sword and £500 cash prize.
Matthew, 36, from Carrickfergus in Northern Ireland, has been competing for five years, and this was his first outing of the 2026 season.
Here’s how the action at The Fed in Gateshead unfolded.
MEN’S CLASSES
BODYBUILDING
Matthew, who won the under-90kg bodybuilding category, was the pick of 10 competitors in the overall posedown at the end of the show.
He isn’t a mass monster but his terrific shape, balance and conditioning caught the judges’ eyes.
Two of his main rivals were fellow open bodybuilding champions Diogo Moraes and Neil Rennie.
Diogo, a successful men’s physique competitor, made a successful transition to bodybuilding by winning the up to 80kg class, showing terrific legs that were no longer covered by board shorts.
Neil Rennie’s quality physique overcame the outstanding Kevin Milne in the over-90 kg class.
Kevin had earlier won the over-50s category and was in incredible condition. He also showed good balance for such a tall guy of mature vintage.
Fellow masters competitor, over-60s champion Paul Norton, was another of the day’s standout stars. Paul was one of the best conditioned athletes of the day and was a serious threat for the overall.
Lee Cutler’s power-packed physique took the over-40s while at the other end of the age scale, Gareth Ferris won junior bodybuilding with some impressive wheels. Ibrahim Saadeh’s superior shape, topped by great pecs, claimed first place in a strong novice line-up.
CLASSIC AND MEN’S PHYSIQUE
Classic physique was the class of the day. Five guys duked it out, and in the end, it was another former men’s physique star, Dylan Cahill, who prevailed. Dylan displayed a fresh and well-balanced physique that just had that little bit extra quality that the classic class demands.
In men’s physique, Saad Farooq made a strong impression by winning the open class with an absolutely incredible midsection. The detail was astonishing.
The masters’ titles went to Murad Reesh, who overcame Rowan Logue in a close battle, and Stephen Hill. Adil Mohammed took the novice category.
Saad returned to the stage to land the Fit Model trophy on a day when he really made his mark.
WOMEN’S CLASSES
Tracy Hall’s effervescent stage presence, along with her wicked conditioning, proved unstoppable.
She won masters figure and open figure before going on to scoop the overall accolade.
Over 50s bikini champion Sibel Osman displayed a wonderfully tight and shapely physique. Sibel’s conditioning was exceptional and her presentation was polished.
Gemma Kennedy’s stunning looks and well sculpted frame took victory in both bikini open and Fit Model.
Shay Aminzadeh made a last-minute decision to compete and went home with the winner’s trophy in wellness. What a shape she has — a real talent.
RESULTS
NOVICE BODYBUILDING
1 IBRAHIM SAADEH
2 EBOW CRANKSON
3 DAVID SMITH
NOVICE MEN'S PHYSIQUE
1 ADIL MOHAMMED
JUNIOR BODYBUILDING
1 GARETH FERRIS
MASTER'S BODYBUILDING 40-49 YRS
1 LEE CUTLER
2 DAVID SMITH
MASTER'S BODYBUILDING 50-59 YRS
1 KEVIN MILNE
MASTER'S BODYBUILDING OVER 60 YRS
1 PAUL NORTON
BODYBUILDING UNDER 80KG
1 DIOGO MORAES
2 PAUL NORTON
3 IBRAHIM SAADEH
4 CALLUM COOK
5 ELTON MARTINS
6 MARK POWERS
BODYBUILDING UNDER 90KG
1 MATTHEW KERNOHAN
2 DANIEL McCULLOUGH
3 EBOW CRANKSON
BODYBUILDING OVER 90KG
1 NEIL RENNIE
2 KEVIN MILNE
3 LEE CUTLER
MASTER'S MEN'S PHYSIQUE 40-49 YRS
1 MURAD REESH
2 ROWAN LOGUE
MASTER'S MEN'S PHYSIQUE OVER 50 YRS
1 STEPHEN HILL
MASTER'S BIKINI OVER 50 YRS
1 SIBEL OSMAN
2 ANN FRASER
MASTER'S FIGURE OVER 35 YRS
1 TRACY HALL
MEN'S FIT MODEL
1 GEMMA KENNEDY
2 ANN FRASER
MEN'S FIT MODEL
1 SAAD FAROOQ
2 ROWAN LOGUE
CLASSIC PHYSIQUE
1 DYLAN CAHILL
2 CALLUM COOK
3 GARETH FERRIS
4 PAUL McREYNOLDS
5 MAX CRAWFORD
MEN'S PHYSIQUE OPEN
1 SAAD FAROOQ
2 MURAD REESH
3 DYLAN CAHILL
FIGURE OPEN
1 TRACY HALL
2 ELLENA CARNEY
BIKINI OPEN
1 GEMMA KENNEDY
2 SIBEL OSMAN
WELLNESS
1 SHAY AMINZADEH
FEMALE BEST PRESENTATION - GEMMA KENNEDY
MALE BEST PRESENTATION - GARETH FERRIS
OVERALL FEMALE - TRACY HALL
OVERALL MALE - MATTHEW KERNOHAN