A city bodybuilder hopes to inspire other women to work hard for the things they want to achieve as she celebrates winning a gold medal at her first competition.
Laura Watling, who lives on the outskirts of the city centre, has always been interested in fitness and has a dance background.
She moved into the gym to start weight training in 2013 but during the pandemic became inspired by the world of bodybuilding.
The 34-year-old, who owns a marketing business, said: “I signed up with Ella Crouch early in the pandemic, and moved to my current coach, Vic Mandi, when I fell pregnant with Eloise as Vic has pregnancy and post-partum experience.”
The extreme sport sees athletes build muscle and lose fat to reveal the muscle that has been built.
Competitors are judged on how well they fit the criteria relevant to the category they are competing in.
READ MORE: City athlete who had a heart transplant brings home the gold
Laura was competing in a category called Wellness, which is lower-body dominant.
She said: “I have done this 100 per cent naturally, but it has been hard running my own business as well as having a toddler.
“It just required planning, prioritisation and a good mindset. I wanted to show my daughter you can do anything you set your mind to.”
READ MORE: Norfolk & Norwich Hospital nurse set for Ms GB Classic final
But the sport isn’t just about muscles, Laura also had to perfect a series of mandatory poses.
And on Saturday she competed in her first competition at NFMUK Women's Masters Shape event in Manchester, where she placed first to win gold.
She said: “It felt unbelievable, worth all the hard work.”
Laura says anyone wanting to compete should invest in a good coach like Vic Mandi as well as a good posing coach like Posed by Honey.
She will be competing again in two weeks.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here