Ettienne van Rensburg
VANDERBIJLPARK. – She is built like a Greek Goddess and last year Hurricane Zoe Tasak hit the Sedibeng Bodybuilding Championship with a gale force.
This 20-year-old fitness athlete from the North-West University’s Vanderbijlpark Campus surprised friend and foe when she won the Overall Beach Bikini and Student line-up. She topped things off at the South African Championships when the young rookie placed fifth.
Standing 1.5m in her heels and weighing a mere 48kg, she is proof that dynamite comes in small packages.
Born and raised in Vanderbijlpark, she attended Hoërskool Driehoek where a teacher and former bodybuilder noticed her potential and helped her with a training programme and a diet plan.
“I worked very hard on my body since a young age.

I love being healthy and fit. I always experiment with new recipes and eating habits. I like to replace unhealthy foods with healthier alternatives when not in competition season. I truly believe that small changes lead to great results,” she says.
Not only is she a pretty face, but also a second year BA Psychology student with a decent head on her shoulders. According to Tasak, mental fitness is the key to success.
“I would say that genetics do play a role to some extent. But overall, I truly believe that anything can be achieved when you put your mind to it. Your brain is the most important “muscle” that should be trained.
“Your mind is the boss of your body. If you put your mind to something you are more likely to achieve it. It is important to “see” yourself the way you want to be. Imagine your ideal body weight, imagine yourself standing on that stage or having a six pack. When you set that goal in your mind, your body will follow.”
Even though she has set goals for herself she does not believe in short cuts.
“I want to move up to bikini fitness, but that will take some time as I am a firm believer of natural bodybuilding. My biggest goal for next year is to place higher in SA Championships and to compete in more competitions. I want to ultimately honor God in my sport and every other aspect of my life.”
As a self-proclaimed food lover she admits that dieting and posing are the hardest part of competing, but the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow makes it all worth it in the end.