Liew first Singaporean bodybuilder to receive IFBB Pro Card
Bodybuilder Joan Liew recently became the first Singaporean to receive the International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB) Pro Card.
Liew, 41, received the card after competing in the women's physique (tall category) in the Arnold Classic Sports Festival in 2014, and the women's physique (open category) at the Arnold Classic Asia 2016.
The card acts as a ticket for Liew to compete in professional competitions, which often offer cash prizes.
Liew said: "It has been 24 years of hard work, and I am truly happy that I have finally achieved my dream. I started competing in 2000 in the Asian Championship - I was very determined to win, so I trained for seven years before I stepped on stage for my very first competition.
"In that competition I competed at the Asian level and won my first gold medal."
The IFBB offers bodybuilders the opportunity to compete in competitions such as the annual Joe Weider's Olympia Weekend, where athletes vie for the Mr and Miss Olympia titles.
Singapore Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness president Alex Betts said: "The IFBB Pro Card is extremely competitive and in order to earn this accolade, one must be able to beat the very best in the world at some of the world's most respected and well-known sporting events such as the Arnold Classic Sports Festival.
"We hope to see Joan go all the way and carry the flag of Singapore on the Olympia Stage, to truly make her mark in the sport and to make Singapore proud."
Liew, who runs her own gym in Boat Quay, plans to continue promoting the sport, and guide other bodybuilders to achieve their dreams of achieving their IFBB Pro Card.
She added: "Being an IFBB Pro is a new beginning for me.
"It's another journey with a new playing field, as I will now compete with the world's best athletes in the IFBB Pros."
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