Master bodybuilder proves critics wrong

"Age isn't a factor when you are up on the stage, you are only as young as you feel," says Phil Kuklinski, Sport Taranaki Masters Sportsperson of the year.

Phil, an active body builder from Inglewood, says when it comes to the competition "if you don't change your mindset about what you want to achieve, age becomes just a number and not any kind of barrier".

Phil hit a high in his body building career this year and was named Mr Universe in both the 40-strong over-40 and over-50 masters classes at the World Fitness Federation Universe Championships 2014 GNC Musclepump event. The event was held in South Korea and Phil says he was feeling confident heading into competition.

"I had gone 12 months without an injury or illness to slow me down and I had been breaking records in the gym all year so I was ready to take on the competition."

Phil had another driving factor to win the competition. "I was always told that I wouldn't win a universe title while holding down a full time job, but I did it".

Body building is not a funded sport in New Zealand, unlike other countries, all costs are covered by the athlete and he says he wanted to prove that it was possible to do both.

Phil works full time at Ballance in Kapuni, "they have been one of my biggest supporters". He was nominated for the Sport Taranaki award by the Inglewood Stadium Trust Gym.

"I do a lot of personal training sessions with people at the gym and they have always supported my body building."

Phil says for him the older he gets the better he gets at the sport.

"I didn't do my first competition until I was 37. Each year I set a new goal and just keep going until I achieve it."

Phil's advice for other masters athletes: "Never give up, things just get better with age."