Tracy flexes into world champs
Tzaneen's very own fitness and gym guru, Tracy Petersen, adrenaline junky of note won the Miss Figure category during the International Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation (IBFF) Fire and Ice competition in Gauteng over the past weekend.
She also achieve a well deserved second position for the Miss Fitness category.
The IBFF federations are created for competitors – not the other way around and that is what most of international associations have forgotten.
More than 50 countries from all continents are members of IBFF and as long as you respect the rules and statute of IBFF that applies to everyone with no exceptions. Their athletes can compete in all federations and it never happens that they would be limited or punished for doing that. That is the basic right of every competitor, according to Arnie Williams, Africa’s president of the IBFF.
But Petersen pushed herself to the limit and will now represent South Africa during the world championships of the IBFF that will be held in Midrand in South Africa on 7 September.
The ‘gym bug’ got hold of Tracy at the tender age of 13 and her passion became a positive addiction. ‘When I started to gym, it was just to get into shape. I’ve decided to take myself a step further and entered competitions. I wanted to push my body to the best possible limit,” Tracy told Herald.
And so she did and will now stand a change to win the world’s crown as one of the best.
But it’s not an easy road and hard word and dedication is the order of the day. Everyday. It’s taken Tracy 12 weeks to prepare for the competition. 12 weeks of only fish, rice,chicken, broccoli and asparagus.
“No cheating is allowed and I am only allowed to drink water. No coffee or tea. I practice three times a day. That includes cardio workouts and weight sessions. Not only alone but also with my clients and Golden Acers or at the Health at fitness Gym.”
Peterson stays humble after her achievement.
“I am not doing it to be competitive. I am totally doing it for myself. I want to achieve my goal, and that is to push my body to the limit to what i would like to achieve.”
Did she anticipate the win?
” Not at all. It came as a total surprise. I was so nervous during the competition, but I am extremely glad that I made it through to the world finals.”
Excitement is tangible, when Petersen thinks about the big day lying ahead.
“The ultimate goal will be to win the world title. It would be amazing. But I am doing It for myself. Not for any recognition,”
And yes. there are a few adventurous dreams in her bucket list. With skydiving under the belt she ads that: “My biggest dream is to run the comrades. I would also like to do the half Iron Man Marathon is also on my to-do list,” this fitness fanatic dreams.
She invites all to contact her for group sessions or one on one gym sessions in weight lifting, boot camps or cardio work outs at the Health and Fitness gym.
But there is also an appeal to the community and businesses in Tzaneen.
To part take in the world champions are expensive and any form of donations are welcome to make it possible for our champ to go and strut her stuff and bulged those muscles to bring home the world title.
Acknowledgement in her own special fitness way will be done by her after the competition through the media.
And who knows, if Tracy win the big first ‘Best in the world title’, a healthy-fit-to the occasion-cheese-and-wine at the gym could be on the card-(io)-s, with a complimentary spinning to the occasion weighing with heavy cheers to Petersen!
For more information on donations or to be trained and undergo excellent training by Tracy, contact her on: 063-136- 7090.
