Help Nadia’s dream come true!
Nadia won her line up in the Gauteng Central regional show and was chosen to represent her region at the IFBB South African Championships.
“I have fallen deeply in love with this sport – the sacrifices, discipline, motivation, good days and bad days, the training, the strength, the show day glam and nerves, and so much more. I am blessed beyond measure to have received a call-up to the national team to represent my country.”
Nadia van Biljon, a local high school teacher and mother from Honeydew, Roodepoort, made these remarks after she participated in the South African Bodybuilding Championships for the first time this year.
“I’ve been active my entire life. I played National Hockey League and provincial hockey until I was in my mid-20s. My mother unfortunately passed away in 2016, and two weeks later, my husband and I discovered we were expecting our son,” explained Van Biljon. “My pregnancy was quite stressful, and I put on a lot of weight – I was a few kilos shy of 120 when I gave birth.”
She lost a little weight and made the decision to pick up hockey once more. Sadly, she developed numerous stress fractures in her feet. In August 2019, she received a diagnosis from her friend and Springbok physician, Dr Mampane. “I had to sit down and admit to myself that I was simply too overweight to be a competitive athlete because I was still carrying around 90kg. My weight-loss journey started there.”
Van Biljon entered a contest on Instagram in July 2021 to become an ambassador for a fitness/ lifestyle brand. She competed in 2022 after she had won. She continued, “I had the notion of stepping on stage once, maybe twice, to test how far my body could go.”
She participated in six events this year, with her most recent two being her most successful. “I consider it an honour to be coached by JP Hoon, a respected professional in the field. He has shown me my full potential, and our goals and visions are in sync.”
Van Biljon won her line-up in the Gauteng Central regional show and was chosen to represent her region at the IFBB South African Championships. After finishing in second place in the SA Championships, she received a call from Wayne Price, the IFBBSA president, informing her that she had been chosen to represent South Africa at the IFBB World Championships in Santa Susanna, Spain, in November.
“I feel extremely blessed, honoured and frankly still in shock that this is all happening to me. I am so grateful to my husband and son for their support, my friends and family, as well as my sponsors, SPSport&Beauty and All Star Nutrition,” Van Biljon said.
Her current training schedule consists of two sessions per day – one weightlifting session followed by 40 minutes of cardio; and one 20-minute cardio session followed by posing practice.
They are fortunate to be a part of a sporting federation (IFBBSA) that covers the athletes’ flights to and from Spain, and their accommodation. However, there are still significant costs involved for the athletes, including, but not limited to IFBB registration fees, international affiliations, visa costs, passport costs, and show-day costs such as tan, hair and make-up. The majority of the above is paid for in euros, and with the rand so weak the total cost is quickly escalating.
“I’ve been overwhelmed by the amount of money I need to raise, but I know that with faith and hard work, we’ll be able to do it. If you are able to make a donation, no matter how large or small, please know that it will be greatly appreciated. Any amount will help me get to Spain and represent my country, which is a lifelong dream.”
Nadia is holding onto an old Tanzanian proverb … “Little by little, a little becomes a lot”.
If you or someone you know would like to help Nadia van Biljon on her journey to Spain, go to https://www.backabuddy.co.za/nadia-van-biljon-5384456764912597896.
