Local resident awarded by IFBB for contribution to bodybuilding
She's been in the fitness and bodybuilding industry for over ten years.
Fitness and bodybuilding aficionado owner Helena Calitz is the recipient of the 2022 International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB) and Bodybuilding South Africa (BBSA) President’s Award.
Helena got the nod on September 3 at the BBSA national championships in Randburg.
She was awarded for her stellar work in the fitness and bodybuilding industry in a career that spans over a decade.
She got into the fitness industry while in the USA working in video production.
“When I came back to South Africa in 2007, I started my own fitness company. In 2009, I qualified as a national fitness and bodybuilding judge and was chosen as the chairlady of the World Fitness Federation for Gauteng,” she said.
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Her dedication and commitment have resulted in the sport growing in leaps and bounds. Through her work as an event coordinator, she took over events that had moderate attendance and turned them into qualifying events for the Arnold Classic.
“In 2012, I took over two big events and started organising them on my own. It grew from having 60 athletes to over 400 in 2016.
“In 2015, I joined the IFBB. I was then chosen as chairlady for the Gauteng Province. I grew from having two bodybuilding and fitness events per year to six. All these events are qualifiers for the Arnold Classic Sports Festival.
“In 2016, I was also selected to host the Teen Fitness Challenge at the Arnold Classic Sports Festival and I still host that to date. I also went to the Arnold Classic Sports Festival in Columbus USA as Team Manager for the South African Team in 2016,” she said.
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