There are literally thousands of athletes that compete in the IFBB Pro League every year. All of them have their own unique journeys that led them to the stage. They all have their own reasons that propel them to achieve greatness as well. IFBB Pros Nadia Bradford and Carly Starling-Horrell
Lenda Murray and Whitney Jones, both incredible athletes in their own rights, hosted two other great athletes from the Figure division on a recent episode of Femme Flex Friday. Nadia Bradford and Carly Starling-Horrell are two of the top athletes in their division, and both ladies have inspired countless fans to focus on fitness. That’s because both ladies were those fans themselves before they started competing. Horrell explained that she entered the fitness world at a time of uncertainty.
“I was clueless about what I wanted to do with my life,” she said. “I had no direction, no ambition, I really was kind of lost.”
In spite of going to the gym with her mom since she was eight years old, pursuing fitness as a career wasn’t something she considered at the age of 25. However, after hiring a trainer and seeing a picture of Monica Brant, she found the guidance and direction she was looking for.
“It really sparked my interest to be doing something that no one [else] was really doing.”
Horrell has gone on to win shows in both Figure and FIgure Masters, and she’s competed on the Olympia stage four times. Now, many young athletes are looking at her the way she looked at Brant. As
for Bradford, she grew up as an athlete and competed in multiple sports in high school and college. After graduating college, she still needed something to scratch that competitive itch.
“I did road races and some marathons, but I was not very good at long distance running,” she confessed. A friend introduced her to bodybuilding, and she entered her first competition in 2014. After three wins, and placing as high as third at the Figure Olympia, it’s safe to say she was able to scratch that itch.
“I absolutely loved it,” said Bradford. “It’s gone very well.”
Get to know more about both of these incredible athletes by watching the full episode of Femme Flex Friday in its entirety. You can catch this show as well as all episodes over at www.wingsofstrength.net or by subscribing to the Wings of Strength YouTube channel.
