Amy Oakman won the novice and overall bikini classes at the IFBB Wellington Championships. PHOTO/LINDASHOOTZ
BODYBUILDING
CHRIS COGDALE
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A four-year break from competition didn’t faze Masterton’s Amy Oakman at the NZ International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness Wellington Championships.
Oakman took to the stage at the Lower Hutt Events Centre last Saturday in her first bodybuilding championships since 2017 and walked away with two championship medals.
It was also her first IFBB competition, having competed in NABBA federation events previously.
The 27-year-old won the novice bikini class, qualifying her for the overall bikini class, which she won with an outstanding performance.
Oakman, who trains at Masterton’s City Fitness Gym, is thrilled with her victory and credited her Palmerston North-based nutritionist Phillip Reid and her Wellington-based posing coach Catherine Daniell in getting her in top condition for the championships.
She said the long break between competitions had been beneficial in growing and developing her muscles.
That included having to set up a home gym with her partner – Marist premier rugby player Kieran O’Brien – during the 2020 covid-19 lockdown.
Oakman is now targeting further events over the next two to three months.
“That now qualifies me for the nationals in Auckland in seven weeks, and then another three weeks after that is the Tournament of Champs in Palmerston North, and that could qualify me for my pro card, which means I can travel internationally and represent New Zealand.”
Success is nothing new to Oakman, who in 2017 won the novice figure class at the NABBA Wellington Bodybuilding Championships.
She then won the figure class [tall] and took out best female routine at the NABBA New Zealand Bodybuilding Championships.
Oakman took up bodybuilding when she was about 14 years old, having been introduced to it through her grandfather and her parents.
She has also qualified as a personal trainer, and she said the five-year plan was for her and O’Brien to start a gym.
