ONE point. One lousy point cost Taree bodybuilder Greg Hain first place in the Asia-Pacific Natural Bodybuilding Championship held in Sydney.
Competing in the lightweight (between 65-74kgs), Hain finished the two day event oh-so-close to being the best in his category. And that point also cost him the opportunty to compete in the world championship in New York.
He admits he probably wasn't at his best on the opening day. The second day was dedicated to posing and he won that section.
There are seven judges. Final points indicate that three favoured Hain and four the winner. The two dominated the section.
"I've been working for 15 years for this,'' he said.
"So to get this close was great. I'm not disappointed at all.''
Hain's quick to point out that all his fitness levels are the result of hard work and careful dieting, not drugs.
"There's a bit of a stigma with bodybuilding and drugs,'' he admits.
However he said all the contestants are regularly drug tested.
He prepared for 15 weeks going into the championship.
Hain was 85kgs when he started to get serious. By the time he was ready for competition he was 69kgs. Hain says his natural weight is between 75 and 78kgs. As was the case with the other competitors, Hain was coated with fake tan for the event.
"The darker the better for muscle definition,'' he explained.
During training he was also eating up to six times a day. Meals included kangaroo steak, broccoli and a bit of rice. Hain concedes bodybuilding is not a pasttime for the introverted. But he adds that it's not necessarily the domain of the showoff, either.
"When I was introduced to bodybuilding I had body issues - just about everyone has,'' he said.
He was also battling depression. Hain credits bodybuilding for changing his life. As he started to lose weight, he gained confidence.
"People lose weight and then people change attitude,'' he notes.
Hain will take a bit of a break from competition for a couple of years, although winning an Australian title and eventually taking on the world's best remains a goal.
He'll remain active in the coaching department while he and his wife want to do a bit of travelling.
Hain explains that with all the right food supplements, the gym and competition fees and other expenses, bodybuilding can be expensive.
"There's not a lot of money in it either, or at least not at the level where I am at the moment, so hopefully I'll be able to get some sponsorship,'' he said.
Hain guesses he'll resume competition in about three to four years. He is determined to put a couple of kgs on his frame.
"I was competing at 69kgs and the winner was 74. That's a massive difference,'' he said.
He said his wife has been a great supporter in his endeavours, as have Taree Elite Fitness and the Sweat Shack at Forster.
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