Cindy Willemse beats the odds to compete on stage again
“It just comes to show, no matter where you are coming from, it’s where you are going to. With anything in life, regardless of what goals we set, we need to sometimes stop focusing on the destination and enjoy the journey.” - Cindy
The Advertiser recently reported on Boksburg fitness model Cindy Willemse who participated in the International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB) SA Extreme event in Cape Town, where she won silver.
However, before SA Extreme, the athlete was absent from the sport for a number of years.
When the Advertiser had a chat with her about her hiatus from the stage, Willemse pointed to a battle against bad health beginning in 2017 and how she has managed to overcome mounting odds to compete once again.
“At the end of 2016, I got swine flu and that’s when my whole system crashed. In May 2017, they diagnosed me with fibromyalgia and in September 2017 I ended up with kidney failure where I was close to death,” she explained.
“The kidney failure was due to all the medication used for fibromyalgia, and I couldn’t compete. It was a very difficult time in my life.”
Willemse began her road to full recovery in the latter part of 2017 and explained how she never gave up on her sporting dreams despite enduring life-threatening illnesses.
“After my health ordeal in 2017, I thought that my journey in the fitness industry, my dream of that pro card, has ended,” she continued.
“I was very sad because deep inside I knew that I’m not yet done. I still had my goal to accomplish, but facing reality with my situation at the time, I decided to put the running shoes on and start running.
“I really enjoyed it. I understood why it can become an addiction because you feel so free, only focusing on your surroundings. I planned on doing my first 21km in February 2018, which I did.”
Willemse continued her visits to her doctor throughout 2018 and following a long, frustrating journey of health interruptions, she was deemed fit to compete again and was given the green light to return on stage.
ALSO READ: Fitness model Willemse bags a silver medal at SA Extreme
