By Gary Chappell
IT IS said that bodybuilding is the loneliest of sports. But if you have your spouse in tow maybe you really can conquer the world.
As the sun began to set in the leafy Canadian city of Toronto on Sunday evening, a married British couple were emerging as the stars of the weekend. By winning their respective classes at the Toronto Pro in women's Wellness and Men's Classic Physique, the pair secured their place at the Masters Olympia.
By the time they return home, Carly Thornton-Davies and Llewellyn Davies would have flown almost 25,500 miles. To offer some perspective, the earth is 24,901 miles in circumference.
But the biggest journey is yet to come. And it is one they will cherish for ever.
The Masters Olympia will take place in Toyko, Japan, across the weekend of August 9 and 10. And it will mean a further round-trip of almost 12,000 miles. This is bodybuilding on the professional, world stage.
Some might consider it third-time lucky for the pair, this being the third competition after shows in Seattle and Miami. But luck would discount the hard graft that has been put it in at the gym, the relentless slog of cardio, the extreme discipline of what must seem now like continuous dieting. Make no mistake, reaching the pinnacle of your sport over the age of 40 has very little to do with luck.
"Mindset of success isn’t always achieving something when you want it," said Carly. "You have to work hard on becoming the character within, in order to be rewarded. I work, I show up and I believe in myself so much that the power that resides within my mind will eventually be displayed."
Llewellyn added: "What a whirlwind the past five weeks have been. We have done three shows in America and Canada and have experienced what it actually takes to make a magnificent obsession become a reality.
"We made a promise to one another and held hands each step of the way. And we refused to take no for an answer. And I can finally say we are coming home as IFBB professional bodybuilding champions and Olympians."
British success did not there, either. Open bodybuilder Sas Heirati secured his place at the Mr Olympia in Las Vegas in October. He took the Toronto Pro title, beating Regan Grimes, who had pipped him for first at the previous show in California.
Heirati said: "We did it! Finally a win, finally I’m going to the Mr Olympia after taking first place at the Toronto Pro Supershow. It was a pleasure to attend this awesome event. To say it feels unreal would be an understatement.
"I want to say a quick thank you to everyone who’s helped me get this far. We aren't done yet this season."
