A FEMALE bodybuilder known at school “as the girl with the six-pack” has made it through to the sport’s pinnacle championship competition.

Emma Paveley, who grew up in Lawford, was known for her muscles at Manningtree High School due to being a gymnast.

The 26-year-old later moved into the sport of bodybuilding and went on to become British Fitness Champion and win two international titles.

This month Emma took part in her first professional bodybuilding competition in Canada – and won.

She has now qualified for the Olympia in Las Vegas in September.

“I am headed to Vegas to take part in the biggest bodybuilding event there is,” she said.

“It’s a super huge opportunity.

“I grew up in Lawford and my three sisters all went to Manningtree High. My younger sister is a current pupil and my sister, Sis, works at the school.

“I was known as the girl with the six-pack because I had a ripped six-pack from being a gymnast.

“I also had bigger biceps than all the boys, so that was funny.”

“But it wasn’t always challenging classmates to ‘walking on your hands’ races along the corridor.

“I used to be very ashamed of my muscles and broadness, being a gymnast, and thought it wasn’t womanly,” Emma added.

“But since doing a bodybuilding show as a personal challenge six years ago, I have never felt so comfortable in my own skin.

“It made me realise that lifting weights gives you the ability to shape your body into a wonderful womanly shape with great legs and waist.

“I am now super proud to show off my shape.”

Emma, a personal trainer and online coach who now lives in Highwoods, Colchester, said: “Female bodybuilding is about shaping your body to have all the right curves in all the right places.

“My sport is not about being the biggest on the stage – its about shape, symmetry, proportion, condition and aesthetics.

“We are also judged on a routine, which means having ample functional strength along with a performance element.

“I have to perform a dynamic fitness routine to music which shows all these elements, but most of all, showing your skills in the most beautiful way possible.

“I have so much passion for what my sport in particular involves because the most important thing for me is to have a healthy body, it doesn’t just involve looking good.”