Hard work really does pay off.
Gibsons’ Mikayla Custance finished up her year of fitness competitions by winning her bikini class at the Sandra Wickham Fall Classic Nov. 8.
Hosted by the B.C. Amateur Bodybuilding Association, the event in New Westminster brought together more than 500 competitors, 200-plus alone in the bikini competition.
After placing third at the Northern Classic in June in the figure competition, Custance qualified for the provincials in July where she finished seventh.
Following that placing, she and her coach John Xuereb decided it was time for a category switch.
“Despite all the hard work, we just were not receiving the kind of results needed in terms of overall muscle size and increase,” Custance said. “John suggested that after two years competing in figure, it was time for a switch to bikini. Winning the Fall Classic certainly is validation that we made the right choice. I was just thrilled with the result.”
Custance said Xuereb, who has returned to his home country of Malta with his fitness company, has made a huge difference in her life and her training discipline.
“I met John over the summer. I have been friends with his brother here on the Coast for years,” she said. “It just seemed natural when we started working together. I knew he would be the trainer to take me to the next level, to get me where I want to be — and that’s to nationals.”
Despite the long distance training relationship, Custance is making it work.
“New West was one of the highest competitive shows in Canada this year. There were top competitors from all over the place, so by winning in my category it really shows that all the time I have invested has paid off,” she said. “To finish off the year with a win could not be any better.”
Custance has pared down her training schedule, now going to the gym only five days a week versus the two times a day, seven days a week in preparing for the Fall Classic.
Her next competition will be the provincials in June where a top-five finish will earn her a spot at next year’s nationals.
