Professional bodybuilder Aisha Kaipova boasts an impressive list of victories, the latest being the Pro Card at NPC Worldwide INVICTUS Pro Qualifier in Astana, QazMonitor reports citing Tengri Lifestyle.
Though today Aisha holds the status of a professional athlete in two world federations and is the champion of numerous tournaments, she was once a thirteen-year-old girl with insecurities about her weight who was constantly bullied at school.
"My longtime Instagram followers know me as more than just Aisha the athlete. Before all the medals and trophies, I was just an average teenager with a fair bit of insecurities and 30 kilograms overweight. Doctors diagnosed me with Class II obesity. It was a difficult period in my life in every way."
Aisha says that at the age of 14 she realized that the change won’t come unless she wills it into existence. Setting a clear goal for herself, it took her 11 months to lose 37 kilograms but still, that wasn’t what she was looking for.
I was still the same insecure Aisha, but in a skinny body. Sure, there was a short period when I saw my transformation and felt joy, but I was still anxious at the bottom of my heart. It's much easier to change physically than to do thorough mental work on yourself.
She found herself in fitness and after a year of training, she participated in her first competition. Although Aisha left that tournament empty-handed, she saw the potential in herself. In 2021, at the age of 20, she received her first Pro Card, becoming the youngest professional bodybuilder in the world.
Now the athlete looks to achieve her very best in the preparation for the main event in the career of every bodybuilder – Ms. Olympia.
"Even at the outset of my competitive career, the main objective was outlined in my head with all the intermediate steps to achieve it lining up. It's no secret that the most important competition in our sport is Mr. Olympia. So the goal is to get there and take the top spot,” says Aisha.
Training under the guidance of Alexander Philippov, a certified coach and international judge, the athlete already overcame one obstacle on her path to the Olympian title and now she only has to acquire the qualification and in Fall 2023 Aisha will be on her dream stage in Las Vegas.
“I take great joy from the fact that my achievements in life and in sports inspire and instill faith in the hearts [of people], showing that even the most unrealistic of dreams is achievable," concludes the champion.