WHEN Amor Kisling started training to be a bodybuilder in April, she never imagined she’d be tasting glory just five months later.

PUMPED UP: Amor Kisling on stage at the North Harbour Bodybuilding Championships. Photos supplied by: www.muscleimaging.com.

South African born Kisling has only been involved in the sport for a short period of time but managed to take out the Novice Figure Short division at the 2007 North Harbour Bodybuilding championships.

The Howick resident nearly broke down into tears after realising she had won in her first competitive event.

“I’m very happy about it. When I was on stage, the girl who I thought would win came third, so I thought I had a good chance of coming second.

“But then another girl got second place and then I started to think to myself “was there someone that I’ve missed in the lineup?”.  But when the announcer read my number out, I just felt like crying,” says Kisling.

Kisling admits being nervous going into her first event, hoping she wouldn’t embarrass herself in front of the crowd.

“The morning routine wasn’t too bad but the evening one where we had to get on stage and put compulsory poses into a music routine for 60 seconds. That was pretty scary.”

The 30-year-old’s quick walk to fame started when she took part in the Body for Life challenge earlier on in the year.

Kisling says she achieved some great results in the 12-week diet and exercise programme, but hadn’t even thought of bodybuilding until someone else suggested it to her.

 “After doing the Body for Life in April, someone suggested I should compete in bodybuilding because I’ve got good symmetry. It got me thinking so I decided to give it a go,” she says.

That advice obviously paid off, but the single mother says it’s been a hard road balancing life outside bodybuilding with her hectic training schedule.

“It was just the hard yards getting there and all the issues in my life being a single mum.

“It was an effort to go to the gym twice a day and getting someone to look after my boy. It’s been overwhelming,” Kisling says.

Kisling’s win at the North Harbour Bodybuilding championships qualifies her for direct entry into the national championships next year.

She says she’s excited about the prospect of competing with the best in the country but will also be looking forward to a well earned break over the summer.

“The nationals aren’t till the end of next year so there’s a bit of time. It’s the off-season now but will still look to build some muscle in that time,” Kisling says.