Highlights from the 2023 NatBod Season – Old School Natural Bodybuilding
The 2023 NatBod Bodysport Contest Season was a spectacular showcase of natural bodybuilding and bodysculpting talent, with a remarkable improvement in the standard of athletes across all categories and divisions. The season consisted of two exciting events: the Country Challenge in Albury, which featured amateur and pro divisions as well as inspiring fitness stories; and the Australian Nationals on the Gold Coast, which saw athletes from across the East Coast – Queensland, New South Wales & Victoria – flying in to compete for the national titles in their respective divisions. The season also witnessed the emergence of some excellent quality new pro athletes, who earned their spot in the prestigious NatBod Bodysport Pro League and will be competing with the best of the best in the future. NatBod Bodysport is flying the flag for old school inspired natural bodybuilding with a sports focus, celebrating the dedication, discipline, and passion of the athletes who strive to achieve their personal best. All the photos featured in this article were taken by the talented Nithin from Gym & Glamour Photography, who specializes in capturing the beauty and strength of the human form through fitness, bodybuilding, and glamour photography. We thank him for his amazing work and invite you to check out his Instagram page and website for more stunning images.
Country Challenge Pro/Am – Albury Natural Bodybuilding
The Country Challenge in Albury was an epic event that showcased the best of natural bodybuilding and bodysculpting. It was the second time that NatBod Bodysport hosted a contest in this city, and we are looking forward to coming back again this year in 2024. The competition featured amateur and pro divisions, as well as inspiring fitness stories. Among the amateur winners, Thomas Webb impressed the judges with his athletic physique and earned his pro card in the Athletic Men open category. Ellen Bateman, who had previously competed in Figure divisions with other organisations, successfully adapted to the NatBod style and won the Classical Bodybuilding Women’s open category, also earning her pro card. Anna Foster, who is a pro in Sports Model & Bikini divisions with other organisations, demonstrated her versatility and skill by winning the Athletic Women’s category and earning her pro card in the NatBod style. Leigh Grundy displayed a very old school style physique and presentation and won the Classical Bodybuilding open category, earning his pro card as well. Brendan Simms, who had a great physique with excellent muscle mass, was the runner-up in the Classical Bodybuilding category and also earned his pro card. In the pro divisions, Luke Trainor won the Pro Athletic category with a physique that resembled a comic book superhero. Sujan Silpakar won the Pro Classical Bodybuilding category with a complete physique, great posing, condition and muscle fullness. A special mention goes to Jordan Willis, who continues to inspire us with his fitness journey.
Australian Nationals Pro/Am Gold Coast – Old School Natural Bodybuilding
The Australian Nationals Pro/Am on the Gold Coast was the second event that NatBod Bodysport hosted in this city, and we are excited to return this year in 2024. The event attracted some of the best natural bodybuilders and bodysculptors from across the East Coast, who competed for the national titles and pro cards in their respective divisions. Among the standout athletes were Nicki Sewell, who is a double NatBod Pro and who demonstrated an epic posing routine that was very much reminiscent of old school women’s Classical Bodybuilding from the 80s. She won the Pro Women’s Athletic title, beating new pro athlete Anna Foster, who also had a great presentation. In the amateur men’s Athletic category, both Craig Johnstone and Solova Taufa tied for the title and both earned their NatBod pro cards. Craig brought great condition and excellent posing and was well prepared for NatBod’s unique style. Solova, who is a pro in the men’s physique divisions with other organisations, was new to the NatBod style but his excellent physique still meant he was super competitive and a deserved new NatBod pro. For the amateur men’s Classical Bodybuilding category, veteran natural bodybuilding competitor and multiple pro champion with other organisations Arash Samali stepped into the NatBod arena for the first time, presenting a complete physique and masterful posing. He took out the win against newcomer athlete Jye McDonald, who is sure to be a superstar of the sport in the future. Both athletes earned their NatBod pro cards. In the pro divisions, Sujan Silpakar took out the Pro Men’s Athletic title with great posing and overall physique including muscle fullness. The Pro Men’s Classical Bodybuilding category was a stacked line-up and again Arash Samali took out this title, having just earned his pro card in the amateurs. Jye McDonald again took out the runner-up. A special mention goes to 3rd place finisher Michael Hook, who brought excellent improvements from two weeks earlier in Albury to move up in the placings.
“Back to the Future” – the upcoming 2024 NatBod Bodysport season
We hope you enjoyed this recap of the 2023 NatBod Bodysport Contest Season, which was a spectacular showcase of natural bodybuilding and bodysculpting talent. We congratulate all the athletes who participated, and we thank all the spectators, sponsors, judges, and staff who supported the events. We also thank Nithin from Gym & Glamour Photography for his amazing work and invite you to check out his Instagram page and website for more stunning images.
But the excitement doesn’t stop here. We are thrilled to announce the 2024 NatBod Bodysport Contest Season, which will feature two exciting events: the City vs Country National Pro Qualifier in Albury for Season A and the Australian Open International Pro/Am for Season B. The theme for the 2024 season is “Back to the Future”, where we are bringing back the magic of old school bodybuilding with a fresh new natural sports focus. We want to move beyond the model style that is dominating at the moment and into a bright new future that re-captures the magic of silver and golden era bodybuilding. If you are passionate about natural bodybuilding and bodysculpting, you don’t want to miss this opportunity to challenge yourself and see how far you can go. Whether you are a seasoned competitor or a newcomer, you will find a category and division that suits you and showcases your hard work and dedication. You will also enjoy the fair and consistent judging, the revolutionary scoring system, and the friendly and supportive atmosphere that NatBod Bodysport offers.
So what are you waiting for? Join us for the 2024 NatBod Bodysport Contest Season and be part of the renaissance of old school natural bodybuilding and bodysculpting. For more information, visit our website where you can find the 2024 contest calendar and info for athletes. You can also follow us on our Instagram page where we will post all the updates and news. And don’t forget to join our Facebook group where you can get involved in discussion and also get tips, motivation and share your journeys. We look forward to seeing you on the NatBod Bodysport stage, where muscle matters.