Lights shone down at iCompete Natural’s (ICN) Canberra competition, and all contestants claimed their glory with bodies built from sweat and dedication.
From the movie-worthy beach body physique to pure lean muscle, bodybuilding pushes athletes’ bodies to extremes.
In the past few decades, the Australian Sports Commission has seen a rise in non-sport physical activity. COVID-19 boosted these figures as Aussies turned to gyms and online fitness content.
Ausplay’s statistics on gym/fitness participation in Australians recorded from 15.9% to 38.6% between 2001 and 2023.
I, too, was swept up in online gym videos, and now, after years of interest, I decided it’s time to watch an ICN bodybuilding competition.
What is ICN Body Building?
iCompete Natural holds competitions featuring local talent and travelling athletes competing in many categories. I was shocked to see the number of women’s divisions, outdoing the men’s, considering the stereotypes of gym junkies.
As the name suggests, the competition is drug tested and promotes hardcore but safe competition. Importantly for those new to the sport, natural bodybuilding is not quite an industry standard, especially on the international level.
Winners claim a small cash prize, some sponsored products, a sword trophy and most importantly, a qualification to compete in greater competitions.
Stalls and food
Hosted at Erindale Theatre, I walked in to see stalls for trinkets, discounted clothes, and health products.
Visiting each stall, I had fun speaking to people about the show and what they were selling. I ended up buying dumbbell fridge magnets, and my girlfriend was tempted by discounted gym outfits.
I had a long conversation with a man about hydrogen water, which I understand sounds confusing. Although the benefits of the product were interesting, the engagement I had in getting to speak to people about new topics was a highlight of the event.
Gym culture can be lonely. It’s pleasantly surprising to be involved as a community and celebrate people’s hard work. It was a worthwhile environment.
The food bar was truly unique, with the menu being full of discounted protein bars and $5 premade protein meals! It’s not often you have your meal microwaved, but for the price, a high-quality protein-packed meal was too good to pass up.
The stage
After exploring the stalls, the energy shifted as the lights dimmed and the first athletes took to the stage. The crowd cheered for each athlete as they walked out, creating an exciting atmosphere before each show. Physiques were displayed alongside a light show that highlighted the effort put in by every contestant.
My excitement was not alone, with fans filling the seats throughout the day, and cheers filled the room for everyone willing to put themselves on stage.
Lining up adjacent to each other, they all completed a routine that allowed everyone to compare their crafted bodies. Every category was different as judges were looking for different muscular proportions and leanness.
Categories are not the same between men’s and women’s competitions. Here are some examples of the differences:
Men’s Physique – Looking for broad shoulders and small, with comparisons being made to a beach body. Less focus on the leg muscles and maximising size.
Classic Physique (Men’s) – Full body muscularity with a focus on aesthetics, such as symmetry, but is restricted in total weight based on height.
Fitness & Ms Fitness Model– Focused on a balanced physique.
Open Body Building (Women’s) – Maximising size and reducing fat across the full body.
Wellness (Women’s) – Heavy focus on the lower body.
Bikini Model (Women’s) – Similar to the Men’s Physique, it aims towards a beach body with particular proportions in the shoulders and waist.
Results
Canberrans stood out both in the crowd cheers and on the results sheet, delivering strong performances in the men’s and women’s divisions despite strong visiting competition.
Men’s Fitness saw a strong performance from local Anthony Bowson, winning three events and claiming the overall champion for Men’s Fitness. His success was followed by a speech that unexpectedly hit the heartstrings with the presence of his mum after her diagnosis of cancer a year ago.
I spoke to Dowson about his results, and he said:
I saw the other guys and knew it was gonna be a tough competition.Just to get in the shape that I’m in, and obviously, it’s paying off now, just that commitment, and I work full time, I got two kids, wife, all that sort of stuff, so it’s not easy, and it definitely takes a long time, a lot of commitment
The hardest part for me is just the lack of eating. It’s always being hungry and never being able to actually stop thinking about food.
When it’s over it’ll take me months not the binge eat.
Chloe Damceviski showed out amongst an army of supporters that nearly burst eardrums. She impressed the judges as well, winning Ms Wellness Overall. Damceviski took a secondary prize home in the People’s Champion Award.
A traveller from greater Sydney stole the show for the coveted men’s classic physique. His stage presence was a step above the competition, and his physique matched.
Joao Goncalves took the Men’s Physique overall with his strong smoulder and stronger muscles. Speaking to him, he spoke about his coach asking Goncalves for six months to get him ready for the show, and he didn’t disappoint.
It’s unreal to be honest, because I have been working towards this for six months.
I love this shit, so it was good. It was about 30 weeks of prep, building mass, a calorie surplus and training. Then 15 weeks just to prep into the show so, cutting and getting conditioned.
It does feel lonely at times, but the amount of support you get in spectators is unreal, especially from random people.
What’s next?
According to Dowson and Goncalves, it’s straight to the pizza shop to indulge.
Bodybuilding has seasons like in other sports. It has two seasons and the second season is set to be bigger than the first. I caught word that the second season will be held at the Convention Centre (NCCC), meaning more stalls, competitors, and a bigger event.
The future of exercise is moving towards the growth of working out at the gym; body building will likely be an alternative sport. ICN has shown growth in the ACT with an upgrade to the NCCC in September.
On a personal note, this event is an enjoyable and meaningful experience for those going to the gym and stuck on their phone watching the next GymTok trend.
The event is full of real people who are athletes with jobs, families, determination and powerful stories.
Original photos by James McEachern