HOW DOES IT FEEL BECOMING AN IFBB PRO?

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to win your IFBB pro card? This is what you have been working so hard for, training and dieting day in and day out: getting ready for your competitions. So here you are after several competitions, representing your province at the Nationals. This is the show that will decide if your name will be added to the list of elite competitors from all around the world. What does that moment feel like? What runs through your head backstage, being onstage, and then hearing your name being called as the newest IFBB pro?

I’ve had the pleasure to become friends with many great competitors in all classes and divisions within this industry, and I’ve always wanted to know what that moment feels like. On July 6, 2013 at the CBBF Nationals in Halifax, two of my good friends who have competed in bodybuilding for several years earned the status of IFBB pro: Christopher Wong and Tana McGowan. It’s no easy feat, but they’re so deserving and it’s so inspiring to see it happen. Knowing who they are and what they have both accomplished within the sport, I had the opportunity to ask them about that night, as well as to ask Christopher Wong’s partner, Erika Roberts, for her reaction as she watched it all happen after being with him every step of the way.

As anyone who competes knows, having a strong and secure support group makes the process of training and prepping much easier. You know that you have someone to rely on, someone who believes in you and is there for you. If you’re lucky, that support group or an individual within the group may also be your partner and/or spouse and he or she may be willing to do the extras for you to limit your stresses. Being that support for a competitor takes its toll, but I’m sure there is a sense of pride because you know the competitor you are supporting is attaining his or her goals and dreams. As a support, the biggest reward is the moment you see the person in whom you believed onstage. Someone who is very familiar with what it’s like to be a support—as well as to be a competitor herself—is Erika Roberts. She is the partner of Christopher Wong, and when he won his IFBB pro card, she was there to see it all happen and share that moment with him:

“There is no greater joy than to watch the love of your life stand up onstage and rightfully receive his IFBB pro card status, knowing that this is something that he dreamt of achieving for so long. Being by his side every step of the way makes it so emotional, because I was witness to all of the literal blood, sweat, and tears that it took to get that title. There is a lot of sacrifice in the sport of bodybuilding: time spent with loved ones, money, and, of course, sacrificing your  body! So to know that Chris put everything on the line to achieve this makes it even sweeter! It was kind of funny: While I was sitting in the audience waiting for him to go on, I was so nervous; my stomach was in knots, my hands were shaking, I was even sweating! Then it came to the top-five callout and when his name was called, instant tears of joy came to my face. Everyone around me was searching frantically for tissues. I ran backstage and couldn’t let go of him. It was almost surreal. I have never been so proud of anyone in my whole life. Chris “King Kong” Wong is a true champion at heart. His mission in life is to help others achieve their goals, and he will now represent Canada well when he attends the first-ever IFBB pro show in China in 2014! I am with you every step of the way, baby boy. Let’s go and smash some more dreams!”
—Erika Roberts

For anyone who has ever met or seen him, IFBB pro Christopher “King Kong” Wong is truly a sight to see, and he lives up to his nickname perfectly. Tall, built, and muscular, with a heart of gold and smile to brighten a room … this is a man who could also be seen as a gentle giant and truly a great rep and role model for the sport. I met Christopher over a year ago, and right away I was hooked. He just has the personality and presence to make you feel included, important, and supported. Even with all that he has accomplished, he is extremely humble and would rather focus on his clients than on himself. Christopher stepped onstage with the OPA in Sudbury in 2012, where he placed, earning himself a spot to compete at the Provincials that June. There he placed again and made his way to the CBBF Nationals, where he placed top five in both his classes. His size and conditioning caught the eye of many, including the judges. Even though he didn’t win, he had gained tremendous support and new followers who hoped that he would compete again the following year because all knew he had the potential to win.

After the 2012 Nationals, there was no confirmation whether Christopher would compete in 2013. Little did we know that he was working hard to build a bigger and better conditioned body for the 2013 Nationals. Well, the months of work and sacrifice paid off in Halifax. On that July night, Ontario’s own Christopher Wong won his IFBB pro card in the Masters class. After competing in the sport of bodybuilding for years, working as a trainer, and hoping to one day attain his dream of becoming an IFBB pro, here’s what Christopher says about that night:

“Backstage as I looked around at all of the competitors, I had no idea what the outcome was going to be. Everyone looked conditioned, and I had to keep double-checking in the mirror and comparing my conditioning to the others. As everyone was warming up, I YouTubed “I Am a Champion,” which was suggested to me by Mr. Alvin Brown (TCHPP) to keep my confidence. After all, I was going up against the best of the best in Canada. Before I knew it, we all lined up and were ready to hit the National stage. I realized that everything that I had done had come to this point. Routines and comparisons were now complete, and the top five were all lined up to see how we would fare. In my journey in bodybuilding, I had never received a first place, so when they announced the first runner-up and I was the last man standing, I suddenly felt the entire crowd. That’s when I knew that this was for real. Now with this IFBB pro card status, my mission is to educate and assist others through their journey, as I had no one to help me in mine!”
—Christopher Wong

Tana McGowan is a name that many know. Dedicated athlete, female bodybuilding competitor, role model, and supporter of the industry and sport for many years, she is one who is quiet in her success and incredibly supportive and proud of others when they reach their own victories. You can see herat shows and in the gym, training others to be the best that they can be. Tana understands all of the hard work and sacrifice that comes along with competition prep and balancing it with everyday life; she is a mother as well. Tana has competed for several years. She has stepped on many CBBF National stages—placing well—but it wasn’t her time to become a pro until July 2013. On that night in Halifax, Tana McGowan of Ontario won her IFBB pro card not once but twice, winning both the women’s overall masters bodybuilding and women’s overall classes. This is no easy task, but she achieved it. After having a bit of time to reflect on her achievements that night, she says this about winning, becoming an IFBB pro, and what it means and feels like:

“My quest to winning that most-sought-after IFBB pro card started when I first stepped on the National stage as a rookie back in 2007 alongside some of the most experienced female bodybuilders, competitors that I admired deeply. Since then, it has been a journey. So my quest for the 2013 Canadian Nationals was to bring the best package to the stage to allow me to achieve my dream of winning my IFBB pro card. The last four weeks of my contest prep was the most grueling, focusing on conditioning. Most surprising to me was winning double pro cards. I’m still in awe and disbelief that finally I am now a pro, and to be given this opportunity to stand on that pro stage to represent Canada is a dream come true. With determination, persistence, and the love of great supporters, anything is possible. Once you can conceive it, you can achieve it.”
—Tana McGowan

Becoming an IFBB pro is one of the greatest achievements for any competitor. The hard work, sacrifice, challenges, and lifestyle become worth it for that moment. Becoming an IFBB pro gives you acknowledgement that you are now considered one of the best in the world and a representative of your country. Emotionally, as you prep for a competition, you are on a roller coaster of good days and bad days, and although you may have dreamed of it for years, as your name is called, adding you to the list of IFBB pros, you are never prepared for that moment. It’s overwhelming. What our newest IFBB pros proved was that hard work and never giving up on your dream will pay off. It may not happen right away or at the time when you want it, but that seems to make the moment worth that much more.