A Northam bodybuilder made a splash in his debut competition in Perth earlier this month, claiming a strong set of results in his first time on the stage.
Mohammed Alkhatib flexed his way to a great showing at the IFBB O'Mara Classic, showcasing his talents in front of judges at the Hyatt Regency Perth on his way to second place in the 80-plus kilogram division and third among all first-timers.
With the competition affected by the impact of the coronavirus, it was an unsettling debut for the Avon competitor. But Alkhatib took it in his stride, earning his place among the podium in what he deemed was a "surprising" result.
"To be completely honest it definitely came as a big surprise to me. I was just hoping to get some experience in my first competition and enjoy it a bit, so to come away with those results, I felt so blessed," he said.
Originally hailing from Egypt, Alkhatib has been based in Australia for the past five years, having only recently taken to the competitive side of fitness. He has been regularly working out for almost a decade now, but decided to get into bodybuilding competitions with a little nudge from his partner.
Alkhatib will now have to wait months before his next competition, with the fitness industry one of many to feel the strain of the coronavirus pandemic.
Gyms were among the many businesses ordered to shut their doors earlier this week, but the Northam fitness freak is adamant his workouts will continue at home.
"Fortunately I have the capacity to be working out at home, so that will help me out a lot," Alkhatib said.
"Now it's just about staying in shape until the next competition."