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National | Bodybuilding

Hawke's Bay athlete overcomes adversity to pursue ultimate goal

After turning his back on a life of drugs and alcohol two years ago, Hawke's Bay boy Reilly Brown has turned his life around and will take the stage with the world's best at Natural Olympia, Las Vegas.

Reilly Brown says he's blown away at news that he's qualified for the Natural Olympia competition.

He says, “It was surreal, just reading it and seeing who it was from and I'd been chosen to represent New Zealand for it, was crazy, especially in such a short amount of time.”

Just two years ago, Reilly found himself trapped in a cycle of drugs and alcohol. But he was able to come out the other side.

Brown says, “I literally stopped everything, stopped smoking, stopped drugs, stopped drinking to do what I'm doing now.”

Now his journey has seen him rack up top titles around the country, but it takes hard work!

Getting on the international stage means his posing game has to be on point if he's to foot it with the best.

Brown says, “It's all part of my ultimate goal to be able to motivate and inspire people and show our people that we can do it.”

Now a drug-free body builder, he'll take the Las Vegas stage on November 12 at the three-day event.