Last year this time, Canadian Fitness Competitor Fiona Harris was preparing for the Arnold Amateur competition. This year, she’ll be heading to Columbus once again however it will be as an IFBB Pro. Fiona made an immediate impact in the top spots in 2012 and went from amateur to Olympia competitor all in her rookie year. She joins us in her journey to the Fitness International. Check out what Fiona has to say in what was a whirlwind rookie year and why she lives by the motto, “no regrets”.

Fiona Harris, 2013 Fitness International Contender

NO REGRETS
Wow, what a difference a year can make. This time last year I was prepping to compete as an amateur at the Arnold Classic and this year I will step on stage as an IFBB Pro. To say these past 12 months have been a whirlwind would be an understatement. I’ve been extremely blessed and provided with opportunities many competitive fitness/figure athletes would only dream of. Since earning my IFBB pro card at the IFBB World Championship Qualifier in April 2012, it has been an amazing ride of back to back shows taking me to new and amazing places.

One week after earning my pro card, I stepped on stage for my debut at the Pittsburgh Pro Show.  There was definitely some fear and trepidation in joining the pro circuit so quickly, but my coaches had all the confidence in the world in me. And thank goodness they did! I walked away from my first pro show with a 3rd place finish and a bucket full of confidence. Following another 3rd place finish at the Toronto Pro Show in June, I solidified enough points to compete at prestigious Olympia. This had only been a distant dream six months earlier and now I would be having the opportunity to stand on stage with the top fitness competitors in the world.  And what an amazing experience it was.  It truly lived up to my every expectation!

Two weeks following the Olympia, I once again boarded the plane, this time to compete at the Arnold Europe in Madrid, Spain. Having the opportunity to travel to such a beautiful country and compete in the sport I love so much was another fantastic opportunity. As if four shows in six months weren’t enough, I decided to stay the course and compete in two more shows, the Fort Lauderdale Cup and Miami Pro, in order to try and earn points for the 2013 Olympia.  With the new qualifying system, each fitness competitor is anxious to solidify their spot for the coveted event. My approach is to do everything I can possibly do to make that happen, so that if the chips don’t fall in my favor, I can honestly look myself in the eye and know I had no regrets! That is and will continue to always be my philosophy in life – “No Regrets”.  Train as hard as I can, give 110% effort in and out of the gym, show my passion and love for my sport and be proud of what I accomplish each time I step on stage.

Everyone always comments on how hard I train, how much I compete, how dedicated I am to the sport. And they ask me why I put myself through it? My answer is simple – I love it!  It is a privilege to compete with the best in the world in a sport that requires such self-discipline, focus, hard work and athleticism. I am as focused and determined as ever for the upcoming Fitness International.  To be 1 of 10 fitness competitors provided with the opportunity to step onto the Fitness International stage is a privilege in itself.  I plan to continue training as hard as possible to bring the best physique and routine I possibly can, so that I know I can step off that stage at the end of the day and say I had “No Regrets”.

Fiona Harris

Follow Fiona on twitter at @fionaharrisfit, like her Facebook page and visit her website www.fionaharrisfitness.com. Check out Fiona’s competition photos here. For more information on the Arnold Sports Festival visit www.arnoldsportsfestival.com and use #ASF2013 in all your tweets.

Lead image courtesy of fionaharrisfitness.com