Bourne body builder competes in World Natural Bodybuilding Federation Professional World Championships in Seattle

A body builder has gone from lifting weights in his local gym to representing the country in a global competition.

Twenty-year-old Callum Farrell from Bourne discovered his love for fitness at the age of 12.

“I was diagnosed with diabetes which was what got me into it,” he said. “I knew I needed to make a change sooner rather than later.”

By the age of 15 he began competing in bodybuilding competitions, alongside his studies at Bourne Academy.

His latest competition, the World Natural Bodybuilding Federation Professional World Championships, is the biggest he has been a part of and took him all the way to Seattle, America.

He was invited to compete in the open men’s bodybuilding heavyweight category just three weeks before which isn’t a lot of time to prepare for a normal trip let alone a big competition.

“It wasn’t much notice for a show like that but I’m glad I did it,” he said.

“You have to do an intense load of physical work for months on end with training, dieting and putting your body through stress, which isn’t a normal approach to getting into shape.

“Getting ready for the show there are also weird little things you need to do like getting fake tanned.”

However the hard work was worth it for Callum, who represented the country and placed fifth in the international competition.

Although he has competed a number of times, the thought of stepping out onto the stage in Washington in front of thousands of people had him feeling nervous.

Callum, a personal trainer at Tedd’s Health and Fitness in Market Deeping, said: “I haven’t been nervous for any of my shows but this one I was.”

Further pressures came as he was placed in the heaviest weight class ‘up against giant middle-aged men’.

While for a lot of people discipline and diets are things of nightmares, for Callum it is something he wants to do for the rest of his life.

“I don’t see myself getting bored of this,” he said.

“It is the only thing I actually have a big passion for.”

The structure also helps him manage his diabetes, although being in America, which is known for its sugary food and big portions, did affect his blood glucose levels after the competition.

He said: “Trying to manage your diabetes when you are surrounded by that environment is a bit tricky.

“I am very meticulous with how I manage my diabetes by timing the insulin and calculating everything accurately.

“It’s all these little things, if one thing goes wrong everything can collapse.

“I think I handle it well.”