Bodybuilder reaches for his dream
Jures Pieterse brought a silver and bronze medal home after the National Amateur Body Building Association of South Africa (NABBA SA) WFF Bodybuilding Championship that took place in Gauteng.
POLOKWANE – Jures competed in the Gauteng provincial tournament where he was able to win a silver medal in the Performance Bodybulding 75 kg class and a bronze medal in the Novice Open class.
Review caught up with Jures to find out more about his passion for bodybuilding and what inspires him. “I have been training for the past eight years but only started competing in competitions this year,” Jures explains. He says he aimed for a spot in the top six and was pleasantly surprised when he walked away with two medals.
“After my performance at the NABBA Provincials, I qualified for the South African National Championships where all the top bodybuilders from the provincial round will compete against each other,” Jures says.
The South African Championships will take place on 8 October, and Jures adds he is already training hard for the tournament. “I have always loved bodybuilding simply due to the discipline it requires. Bodybuilding is all about routine and that’s something I am very strict about,” he continues.
He says bodybuilding can be difficult at times because you need to be dedicated, especially when it comes to your diet. “You have to learn to stop eating many types of food because you have to stick to your diet but you also learn more about yourself because you learn how far you can push yourself.”
Jures says training used to be a hobby for him but after his friend and fellow bodybuilder, Donovan Suddes, introduced him to the competitive side of the sport, he has entered numerous competitions. “I train about twice a day, five days a week. I do cardio in the morning and weight training in the evening,” he explains. “I see myself competing in more competitions over the next few years but bodybuilding remains a hobby for me.”
Jures admires professional bodybuilding legends, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Phil Heath, and Jay Cutler. “I grew up watching Schwarzenegger movies like Predator and Terminator. He is my role model,” Jures says. “Bodybuilding is not for the faint-hearted. You need to be serious about it and willing to work hard to achieve the desired results,” he explains.
He says it’s important to keep going, no matter how discouraged you feel. He thanks his fiancée, Claudette Richards, for supporting him on his bodybuilding journey.
“If it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t have been able to compete. She makes sure I eat all the right food, and I am very grateful to her. I also want to thank Donovan for introducing me to the sport and motivating me to compete.”
