Double victory earns entry to World events

Danae Cornford is one step away from completing a rapid ascent to the pinnacle of her sport after beating more than 40 other women to claim the national under-30 fitness model crown at the Australian Natural Bodybuilding Championships in Sydney last week.

Competing in just her fourth event since taking up bodybuilding at the start of the year, Cornford blew judges away with her sculpted physique to win both the under-30 and novice divisions.

The double victory earned the kindergarten teacher a pro card and entry into the Ultimate Fitness Events World Championships in Toronto next month.

“I definitely didn’t expect to win,” Cornford said.

“I try to go into every competition with a neutral mind — obviously doing well is the goal — but I try not to think about placings so that I am happy whatever the result.

“There were 43 girls in the division and I was absolutely stoked to make the top six, let alone win the whole thing.”

Cornford is the first West Australian to gain professional status from the recently created Australian Natural Bodybuilding federation and will extend her gruelling training regime into the next two weeks in preparation for the World Championships.

“I train six days a week with weights and I do cardio up to four times a week on top of that,” Cornford said.

“In terms of diet I eat six meals a day and everything is measured down to the gram.

“Everything should be fairly fresh and encompass a mix of proteins, carbohydrates and fats with all of those things very evenly balanced and adjusted as you get closer to the competition.”

Cornford, who is working towards a Certificate IV in Personal Training, now faces the challenge of raising enough money to pay for her trip to Canada.

“Anytime Fitness Australind, Glenn Lee Electrical and Eaton Community Pharmacy sponsored me to go to nationals but the trip to Worlds is not paid for so I am still busy looking for sponsorship to get over there, ” she said.

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