VANDERBIJLPARK. – The Roman poet, Juvenal coined the famous phrase when he wrote: ‘Orandum est ut sit mens sana in corpore sano’ – You should pray for a healthy mind in a healthy body.

23-year-old Zoe Tasak a postgraduate student in education at the North-West University’s Vanderbijlpark Campus is blessed with both intellect and a healthy body.

She recently exceeded her wildest expectations when she was chosen to represent South Africa at the International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB) World Championships from 18-23 October in Korea.

After four years of intense training and dieting under the guidance of her coaches Rishape Angels, Riaan and Rachel Dohne, she is reaping the rewards.

“I am proud and honoured to say that years of hard work, dedication, and sweat and tears have finally paid off. I have been competing, gradually working myself to the top. I placed 5th in my first SA Nationals (2019), 4th in my second SA Nationals and after competing at SA Nationals this year I placed 1st at the SA Nationals Junior line-up and I placed first at the SA Nationals Bikini up to 163m line up.”

Fortune smiled upon her in 2022. After being part of NWU Vaal’s Bodybuilding team that won the USSA championships, she went from strength to strength. But her feet are planted firmly on Mother Earth. She is no stranger to the spoils of hard work and the sacrifices required.

“After school I wanted to continue with my passion for sport and therefore, I decided to take part in bodybuilding competitions. This will be my first time travelling abroad, I am so excited to embark on this amazing journey. This opportunity has by far exceeded my wildest dreams.

“We definitely worked for first place at the SA’s. But apart from the hard work to achieve my goal, we believed that God would take me to heights I could only dream of, and He did,” she admits.