Dallas bodybuilder Robert Brown set to compete in WNBF World Championships in Las Vegas
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A DALLAS bodybuilder is set to jet off to Las Vegas to compete in the WNBF World Championships.
Robert Brown (23), who attended Forres Academy, will be part of a 22-strong team representing Team GB in the competition on November 20, having qualified just a couple of weeks ago.
If he does well in Vegas, Robert could be in line for WNBF (World Natural Bodybuilding Federation) professional status – something all natural bodybuilders set out to gain.
Robert, who now lives in Elgin, qualified for the Vegas event after finishing runner-up in the junior category at a WNFB UK event in Birmingham on October 31.
He said: "The UK qualifier was the last before the worlds, so entries closed a few days after.
"I got invited after finishing second there, so it was a quick decision that I had to make.
"But it was quite a no-brainer. The worlds are the most prestigious title you can win and I might not get this opportunity again.
"I'll be representing Team GB up against countries from all over the world and If I do well I could be in contention to gain WNBF pro status, which is the ultimate goal.
"The aim is to win my category and see how it goes. If I don't quite manage to get professional status, I'll do it all again in 2022 or 2023."
This isn't the first time Robert has qualified for the WNBF World Championships, but it will be the first time he has competed in them.
He qualified for the worlds in 2018 but couldn't attend as he was too old for the category he qualified in by just two weeks.
"This is like my redemption," he said. "So that's why I was so eager to qualify again.
"I didn't compete in 2019 and was set on 2020 but unfortunately there were no finals because of the pandemic.
"When they announced there would be a Team GB going over about four months ago, all my focus went onto this.
"I was taken aback when I got the invite – I've achieved a big goal."
Robert only began competing in bodybuilding back in 2018, but admitted that most people don't get to experience what he has in four years in a whole career.
The 23-year-old's last competition before jetting off to The United States was on November 7, as he won gold in Maidenhead.
Robert thanked his work Moray Sports Centre, who he described as "absolutely buzzing for him", for all of their support.
He also thanked the Adam Family Foundation and MB Joinery for donating money to allow him to visit Vegas.
