DURING her 20s, bodybuilder SARAH PAGE was riddled with anxiety. Her eating disorder made her so full of shame that she could barely look at people for fear of being judged. But fast forward a few years and her discovery of the late wrestler, Chyna, and the sport of bodybuilding helped her rebuild her identity after years of struggling with self-image. And today Sarah is a physique champion with eyes on a British title. She will celebrate her 35th birthday on Friday and this is her journey to the stage and everything in between:
MY name is Sarah Page. Many of you know me as Chynasyndrome. I compete as a female physique bodybuilder in the UK. I train to wrestle too because I'm what's known as a Cosplayer. For those of you who don't know what that is, well, it it is basically dressing up as characters from film/TV etc and going to Comic Con Conventions. YES, I am a massive geek!
I have always admired bodybuilding as a sport. The physiques have always amazed me. How one person could chisel their body to look like a greek god. Never did I believe in a million years it was an achievable goal for me until 2015 when i discovered wrestling. That is when I also discovered Chyna from WWE. She is by far the most impressive female wrestler there has ever been.
From the moment I saw her, I was in awe of this absolute amazon powerhouse of a woman. Many people had told me previously I looked like her and I should Cosplay her. So in August in 2022 I did just that. I attended Mega Con in Manchester dressed as Chyna – and boy was I not ready for the response.
A 10-second clip of me in Cosplay went viral and the outpouring of love from it has been absolutely unreal. I have since had the opportunity to meet some of the WWE wrestlers that worked with and knew Chyna. This has been absolutely mind blowing, as these are people I have watched on TV, especially when they all comment on the resemblance.
The most amazing honour was to be recognised as the only official lookalike and Cosplayer endorsed by Chyna's estate and her mother Jan.
Chyna passed away in 2016, so to be able to carry on her legacy through Cosplay means the world to me. Without her I would never have had the confidence to be where I am now. In her autobiography "If They Only Knew", she talks about being different and never fitting in and that that is completely OK. I identified with her on such a personal level on a majority of things and reading her book really gave me the confidence to embrace who I am as a person and follow my dreams. From this point I was intent on getting that amazonian physique and stepping on a bodybuilding stage.
During the Government's response to Covid, with lockdowns etc, I lifted weights at home. But In April 2023 I plucked up the courage and went into my local gym, The Fitness Station in Peterborough. This shy, quiet girl, walked up to the front desk and spoke to the owner Simon Gomm and his wife Helena. "I want to be a bodybuilder, can you help me?", I asked. From that point I was put with my current coach Deborah Shelton from Active Bodies Coaching.
There is 100 per cent truth in the saying "trust the process". We [Deborah and I] spent the next few months bulking, which wasn't the most comfortable thing for me but I wanted that end goal of stepping on stage. I lived for it and I craved it more than anything. Through Debs coaching me, I went from this slim girl with muscle to this absolute powerhouse – just like my idol Chyna.
I will say it definitely isn't for the feint hearted. Bulking I found easy but the cut right before a show is where the true mental test comes in. Your head starts messing with you, you are tired, no social life, carb depleted and, yes, very grumpy. Silly things annoy you that never bothered you previously. The cravings get insane at times. Many nights I found myself scrolling baking recipes on instagram and all I could think about was chocolate. But again, trust the process knowing the end result is worth it.
We set a date of August 4 as my first time to compete. It was due to be IFBA A1 Classic. But then I decided to do the BPA Impact Classic the week before as I was more than ready. Boy am I glad I did. My first time stepping on stage I was nervous as heck, but I won my category. When I came out again for the overall by that point I had found my feet and I just went for it. My first time ever on stage and I won overall female champion, which was truly the happiest moment for me.
We have a few more shows planned for this year – including the BPA British Championships a week on Sunday [September 29] and then its back into bulk and see what package we can bring for next year. But competing with the BPA has me completely hooked on competitive bodybuilding. I love it. Through bodybuilding, not only have I found something I adore but also the most amazing supportive people who I am now honoured to call my closest friends. Helena Gomm (below, right) and my coach Deborah Shelton (below, centre). It is true you are only as strong as your team and I have the most amazing people supporting me.
I have always struggled with my mental health. So not only do I use it as my social media as a platform for my Cosplay and bodybuilding but also to promote mental health issues. It is something I am passionate about. I make a point of building others up and celebrating their achievements. Being kind costs nothing but it can absolutely change someones day.
I can truly say finding Chyna and bodybuilding has been my saving grace. I am the happiest and most confident I have ever been with life. Yes there are challenges, life is a journey. But I wouldn't have my life any other way. Thinking back to my 20s, I was a scared little girl with an eating disorder who wouldn't even look at people when she spoke to them because the anxiety and fear of being judged was that bad. It has been one heck of a journey so far and I cannot wait to see where my bodybuilding journey takes me in the future.
*Lead photo: Sarah Page as Chyna, with WWE wrestler X-pac (wrestled with Chyna and is her ex boyfriend).
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