Sela Byrne - top title at Counties Manukau bodybuilding

Sela Byrne holds her Supreme Champion Plaque and wears her gold medal for Classic Women while sponsor Erana Kelly-Webber holds Sela's Classic Women Certificate.

After a lay-off of three years, Sela Byrne of Dannevirke has reached the winner's podium once again at the Counties Manukau Regional Body Building Championships held at Papakura on June 4.

Competing in the Classic Women 58-62kg division Sela beat five others drawn from the best all over New Zealand but was astonished to hear her number called out when the Supreme Champion award was announced, beating 29 other competitors both male and female in all divisions.

The Classic Women Counties Manakau Regional Body Building Certificate.

For Sela, it has been quite a journey since first winning body-building championships in 2016. Back then she was competing in the Senior Women's Physique Category for those over 40 years, which emphasised muscle toning. This time she was competing in the Women's Classique Category for those 58-62kg of any age which has an emphasis on posing as much as physique.

This was Sela's first competition in bodybuilding for six years as she had also moved to powerlifting winning a number of regional championships including the Central Districts Championship lifting her own body weight.

Unfortunately, an injury three years ago took 12 months to heal and when she trained in powerlifting again for the Masters' Nationals in Dunedin last year they were cancelled due to Covid.

Disappointed Sela decided to return to bodybuilding, still powerlifting but not competitively. Her build-up was disrupted by getting Covid in February, but she trained hard at Activate Gym and went every day to practise her posing technique which she says is the hardest part of preparation along with managing her diet.

Hugely nervous, being the oldest in her division, she said her practice paid off when it came her time on stage.

Sela is very grateful to Erana and Kelly Webber who are her chief sponsors. "The sport is not cheap," she says and any help to get to competitions is much appreciated.