A professional bodybuilder from New York that, amongst others won three international World Fitness Federation (WFF) titles, was very impressed by the standard of the weekend’s national competition that took place in Bloemfontein.
Branko Teodorivic (41) participated in the professional Beach Model and won this category.
This should come as no supprise, for he has been participating professionally since he received his pro-card in 2017 in Cyprus.
“In Cyprus I competed for a professional card and when I won it in the amateur category, I went through to win my first WFF international professional title.”
Branko is a personal trainer and does free lance copy writing for the brand Technogym.
It was also because of his work that he visited South Africa for the first time earlier this year.
He came back to compete in the South African Pro Am Championships that took place at Bains lodge on Saturday (27/11).
“It was the first time that I competed since lock down began,” he says.
“It was a wonderful experience and the event was very professionally organised,” he gave thanks to Hende-Mari Strydom, president of WFF South Africa that organised the event.
“Also the quality of the athletes were phenomenal.”
Branko was a little stuck in Bloemfontein because of the sudden restriction on flights from South Africa, due to the new Omikron strain of Covid-19 and could only get a ticket on a plane straight back to New York because of his American passport.
Originally from Belgrade in Serbia, Branko took to sport from a young age.
“I started as a track athlete when I was 10 years old. Later years I competed for the Serbian national team on the track. It is because of sport that I was awarded a bursary to go and study in America.”
About ten years ago, a back injury forced him to change track.
“Because of my injury, I had to do special training to recover. One thing led to another and soon I got involved in bodybuilding.”
For the past five years he lived and worked in New York and specialises in personal training for women. He also trained some actors that needed training for commercial or film work.
“People do not realise how precise a sport like bodybuilding is. For each category, you have to train differently and pose differently.”
He exercises every day for one to two hours.
“It is a lifestyle – the way you live and eat. If you want to compete, you have to keep to the healty lifestyle that this sport requires.”
Now and again he does take a day off, but sometimes he goes for weeks on training when he feels he does not need rest.
After Branko received his pro card, he also won the Beach Model Category at the World WFF Championships in California in 2018 as well as the one Mexixo in 2019.
Due to Covid-19, there was no international championships these past two years.
“I now am full on training for the Mr Universe Competition in Tailand in June and thereafter for the World WFF Championships that will be held in Bali next year.
“One is never fit enough. I am still figuring it out. One becomes a student of the sport, always learning more.”
Between competitions, Branko also appear as a guest poser at several championships across the world.
He hopes to travel to South Africa again in April next year and keep up with the local fraternaty.
