Lisa Gyoerick. (Zoom Images Pros)

By Nigel Maxwell

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Nov 23, 2020 | 1:59 PM

Prince Albert’s Lisa Gyoerick should have been in Toronto this past weekend at a national bodybuilding competition, but sadly COVID-19 had other plans for her and the other athletes.

On Thursday, less than 10 hours before she was scheduled to leave for the airport in Saskatoon, Gyoerick received the call that the Pro Qualifier event was cancelled. While obviously disappointed for herself, Gyoerick told paNOW she was also thinking about the other athletes.

“Probably most people started prepping in January or February so I just felt really horrible for just everybody who put all that effort in,” she said.

Lisa Gyoerick at the Van Dijk show in October. (Submitted photo)

Gyoerick qualified for the national show after finishing first in her category (Bikini A) at a qualifying event in Winnipeg last month. Gyoerick acknowledged she knew for a while that the show in Toronto was not a guarantee, but added she knows the organizers also did all they could.

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‘The whole week prior, every day and a half, the show was getting cancelled and re-scheduled in a different location or in a different city,” she said.

When given the opportunity to look back on the past year, Gyoerick is holding her head high. She explained bodybuilding is very much a sport all about personal growth and development.

“I think with this sport it kind of teaches you that you don’t just need a medal to be rewarded,” she said.

Gyoerick said she is now focused on qualifying again next year, and still hopes to one day stand on stage at the Olympia event, regarded as the marquee international event for the sport.

Training in COVID-19

Gyoerick started competing last year and has finished first at all three events she attended.

She acknowledged training this year was a bit more challenging, as access to the gym was limited due to provincial health guidelines.

“When you are an athlete who is used to lifting heavy weight all the rime and you have that separate space to go to, it was hard,” she said. “You definitely have to think outside the box a little bit.”

Gyoerick explained she ordered more equipment for her home gym and did a lot of her cardio training outside, with her dog providing valuable support. Despite the setback this year, Gyoerick said she feels very proud of what she was able to accomplish.

“The plan was to being the best physique for myself and I did that,” she said.

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nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell