Sports
Body and soul - "Set the tone"
By Andrew Stackpool

Volume 49, No. 02, February 22, 2007
 
HIGHLY DECORATED: CPL Kahla Bullemor holds the Overall Miss Australia trophy and displays around her neck the Natural Olympia World Titles second place medal, with her other trophies in the background at the RAAF Base Amberley gym.
Photo by LACW Melina Mancuso
 
POISED: CPL Kahla Bullemor
 
 
Thirteen year-old Kahla Bullemor had a dream – to be Miss Australia.

Late last year, CPL Bullemor, a Service Police investigator from RAAF Base Amberley, achieved this dream twice when she won the International Natural Body Building Association (INBA) Miss Australia Natural Physique – Short class and then Overall Winner INBA Miss Australia Natural Physique.

Her dream achieved, CPL Bullemor then set her sights on world domination when she represented Australia at the next level – the prestigious Olympia World Titles, held in Perth in November.

“Having achieved Miss Australia, I had the honour to stand on stage and represent my country at the highest level, with the world’s best,” CPL Bullemor said.

“The INBA Natural Olympia is recognised as the pinnacle, the most prestigious of natural bodybuilding events.”

Her dedication, training and focus to the sport paid off when she walked away with second.

She became interested in bodybuilding after joining the Air Force, and in 2003, started serious training in the sport.

“I train for two to three hours a day and visit my nutritionist weekly or daily depending on when the next competition is, as well as my choreographer to work on my posing and stage routines,” she said.

After competing in her first bodybuilding competition in 2003, she went on to win the Miss Queensland Short class Physique title (twice) and the Overall Miss Queensland titles, which led her on to the 2006 INBA Australian Natural Physique Titles.

Despite her earlier successes, she didn’t think she would place in the world event because of the level and standard of competition.

“When I started, my goal was to win the state titles and be competitive at the nationals,” she said.

“Having done well in the state competition, I was building myself up at the nationals. I was really emotional. At the world’s, I had no expectations of winning. I entered the competition to look at the other competitors and see what I would be up against in future years.

“I couldn’t believe I would place anywhere, let alone in the top five, as there many who were bigger than me.

“I was really ecstatic as it meant I was competitive at that level, then I was shocked I was actually in second. I could not believe I had done so well. I was dumbstruck.”

She will now commence off-season training for future international competitions, possibly including the 2007 World’s in Greece in November.