Meet Sibusiso Kotelo — the SA bodybuilder who wants to be Mr Olympia

He’s the first black South African bodybuilder to secure a pro card and he’s determined to follow in the footsteps of the one and only Arnold Schwartzenegger and be crowned Mr Olympia.

Meet Sibusiso Kotelo, the 30-year-old with big muscles and big dreams.

“I’m going to win the Mr Olympia title some day, some day soon,” says Kotelo.

“It’s the ‘Super Bowl’ of bodybuilding, the pinnacle of the game.”

Kotelo won his International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB) pro card at 26, after initially impressing in the amateur ranks.

“You have to win a pro show to get an invite to the Mr Olympia contest … where the cream of the crop compete.

“Mr Olympia is in October, but I’m targeting the 2024 competition, so will be doing a pro show after this year’s competition, in November, to hopefully win and qualify.”

‘Body beautiful’

Kotelo was born and raised in Lamontville in Durban and says he stumbled somewhat into his career, or lifestyle as he calls it.

“I stumbled into this sport. Or rather, lifestyle,” he says. As a teenager at high school he wanted to improve his sporting ability and to “make his body beautiful” and things developed from there.

“I realised this would be my career when I did my fourth show as an amateur, and that pro card dream was in reach.

“I needed a good coach and in 2015 I shook hands with Jack Lotter and we plotted a plan to get the pro card.”

Kotelo currently works as a personal trainer and online coach.

He says the best part of his job is travelling to beautiful countries all over the world to “showcase his physique to people who value and appreciate the art of bodybuilding” and the worst part is “having an ice bath in winter!”

‘Consistent and persistent’

Training and staying in shape is a full-time seven-day-a-week job. This includes regular strength and conditioning training, ozone therapy and ice bathing, boxing and cardio training.

“You just have to be consistent and persistent,” he says.

“If you’re going to do this, you can’t have a Plan B. I live for bodybuilding.”

Kotelo is a member of the newly established Ryobi Won’t Quit Crew, a mentoring programme for the benefit of rising sports stars. He says it means a lot to be a part of something bigger than oneself.

“It means I’m part of a collective of athletes that not only resonate with what I go through but are able to also share different views and perspectives as to how they go about their business and what their blueprints are to go even further. I’m surrounded by like-minded individuals who I can draw inspiration from.”

So next up for Kotelo is the all-important pro show in November?

“It’s absolutely within my grasp to win it. I’m well on track to make it happen,” he says.