“Not everyone understands how hard it is to compete as women. They don’t have much respect for us, they just see ladies in their ‘bikinis’.”
Shannon Lehmann, a gold medal and trophy winner from Port Shepstone, made this statement at the International Federation of Bodybuilding Fitness (IFBB) KwaZulu-Natal Provincials 2022 held in Durban over the weekend.
“I am so overwhelmed about my winning as I have worked very hard for this. I’ve been training since I was 16, at times doubting myself,” said Lehmann, 26, who has self-funded her training and participation in competitions.
“I am from a very small town where being a fitness athlete is not taken seriously. All women should be well trained to make them stronger, fit and healthier. They shouldn’t be afraid of weight training. Women of my age can achieve anything as long as they set their minds to it. Those who want to pursue this career ought to seek a good coach to guide and support them to reach their goals,” said Lehmann.
She is anticipated to compete at the upcoming national championships in Johannesburg, which are scheduled to take place later this year, after winning the KwaZulu-Natal championships for women under 166cm. Another participant, Tasha du Toit, 22, expressed her gratitude for her family’s support.
“I hope to do more to make my family proud. There are a lot of sacrifices that people do not realize when you do sports like this. You put aside your social gatherings and your daily routine suddenly changes, which affects your personal life,” she said.
Du Toit urged ladies to exercise frequently since it will help them fight several chronic and underlying diseases.Ashton Mitchell, 44, who has competed in bodybuilding for 21 years, said: “I love training and getting out on stage as a bodybuilder, as well as achieving a healthy lifestyle. This is a good structure to have in any type of life. You spend most of your time at the gym. This sport helps one to shy away from over-indulgence or being a slave of drugs or substance abuse, for instance. Follow your passion and heart and don’t let anybody lower your self-esteem.”
Charles Holzhausen, 73, one of the silver medal recipients for Master BB over 40, said: “I would like to inspire younger people to come forward in the sport.”
It was not about physique, he said. “It is not necessary to have a good body. It is good to exercise to prolong one’s life and live a better quality of life. You have to be punctual and strict with yourself and accept the change in your diet.”
Lehmann’s coach and personal trainer Thandazani Nsimbi stated that they have been working together for four years and would want to see additional sponsorships. working together for four years and wished for more sponsorships.“I am happy with the way how athletes are coping in this sport even though the funding is inadequate,” he said.
IFBB Background information
n 1946, the International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB), a non-profit organization that governs amateur sports worldwide, was established.The IFBB was established in Montreal by brothers Ben and Joe Weider, with the former serving as its first President.
The IFBB now has over 199 associated countries, and Dr. Rafael Santonja of Spain has served as its president since 2006. Santonja was re-elected at the IFBB Congress in 2010, 2014, and 2018, and is now in his fourth term as president. The IFBB is working to become one of the most active Federations in the world under his direction.
At the World Championships, the IFBB hosts a competition for junior, senior, and master’s athletes in a number of disciplines. Men’s and women’s physique and fitness, as well as women’s body fitness, bikini fitness, and athletic fitness, are all included in this. In its 73-year existence, the IFBB has taken part in a number of regional competitions.
The Panamerican Games, Asian Beach Games, South American Games, Central American Games, Arab Games, and Bolivarian Games are all included in this. The IFBB hosts more than 2,000 local, national, regional, continental, and world championships each year, and it is estimated that over 100 million people routinely train in gyms and fitness facilities on all seven continents.
The IFBB SA National Championships
The premier competition of the year is the IFBB SA National Championships. To compete in this important event, athletes were chosen at the provincial and regional levels. The City of Johannesburg is sponsoring the event, which will take place in Randburg, Johannesburg, in the renowned Walter Sisulu Sports Hall. The top IFBB bodybuilders, fitness competitors, men’s physique, and bikini competitors from all over South Africa will compete in this event.
Sibusiso Kotelo, a 26-year-old bodybuilder from South Africa, is one of the best. The Durban-born bodybuilder is not only one of our favorite athletes, but he is also Mzansi’s sole black and youngest IFBB Pro bodybuilder. Having received his IFBB Pro card in 2018, Kotelo
The IFBB
- Holds competitions in the eleven following competitive sports: men’s bodybuilding, men’s classic bodybuilding, men’s fitness, men’s physique, women’s physique, women’s body-fitness, women’s bikini fitness, women’s fitness, mixed pairs, children fitness, men’s wheelchair bodybuilding.
- Organizes more than 8,000 local, national, regional, continental, and world championships each year. Bodybuilding and Fitness are extremely popular sports practiced as a healthy lifestyle worldwide.
- ifbb.com receives 15 million hits each month from almost all countries around the world.
- IFBB social media reaches a very impressive number of followers, athletes, officials, and Fitness enthusiasts, multiplied by millions through the social media of its 199 national affiliated federations.
- IFBB is a signatory of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Code, and strongly believes in and supports sports values and the promotion of health.
- IFBB considers that the combination of proper training and nutrition, supported and guided by skillful and well-prepared coaches and trainers, are essential to promote athletes’, in all levels and disciplines, physical conditions, and public health, with tolerance zero for doping.
- The International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB) is the sports federation responsible for the management of bodybuilding and fitness worldwide, being a full member and/or being recognized by the following sports institutions and organizations
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