Kenyan bodybuilder Evelyn Okinyi Owala emerged victorious at the 2019 Women Bodybuilding Championship held in Angola. The banker-turned-bodybuilder took to Instagram to celebrate her win.
“In my country, there exists good people, people like my better half @carlmc79 who puts up with my prep sunny and dull days but still kisses me on the forehead and says, it is ok. People like my siblings who go out of their way to let me be and support me where they actually don't even understand what it means. People like @adnan_empiree who find it in their heart to go out of their way to partially sponsor a passion. A company like @usnkenya who knows what an athlete needs.” She wrote.
Evelyn's latest win comes a few months after she scooped two trophies during the annual Arnold Schwarzenegger Sports Festival held in South Africa in May. She is a fitness model, a personal trainer, a USN athlete, and former Miss Nairobi 2016, amongst others.
Evelyn's journey has not been easy. She stated that she faced numerous challenges after quitting her job as an assistant manager in a bank.
"My biggest challenge was knowing when the time is right to do my own business and identifying the business. Having been brought up in Kenya, the ideal way is to go to school, get a degree then have a blue-collar job, end of story!" She said an interview.
“Explain to my parents that I was leaving my job as an assistant manager to do personal training services was not easy. I am glad they now understand,” she continued.
Kenyans took to social media to congratulate Evelyn on her win in Angola.
Amina Mohammed, Cabinet Secretary for Sports, Culture, and Heritage, wrote on Twitter, "Congratulations to fitness coach and mentor Evelyn Okinyi Owala for winning the Women Bodybuilding 2019 Championship Title in Angola over the weekend. Evelyn has inspired thousands of women to embrace fitness and a healthy regime through her Eveal Health and Fitness franchise."
Header Image Credit: Evelyn Okinyi