Loughborough College is in sight of a World Skills UK Fitness Trainer Competition crown for the third year in a row.
Following national title wins for Jack Burbank in 2015 and Terri Musson in 2016, Sarah Woodhouse is in line to make it a triple after securing a place at this year’s grand final.
Together with fellow Loughborough College student Chelsy Osborne, Personal Trainer Sarah lined up against competitors across the country earlier this year before their top scores took them both to this summer’s 2017 regional deciders – with Sarah now announced amongst the final eight going through to the national final.
The November showdown will see Sarah face a range of live, high-pressure tasks for a team of expert judges and hundreds of event delegates over several days at the Birmingham NEC.
“I'm incredibly proud that Sarah has made it through to the Grand Final as this year there has been a very talented field of entrants making qualification even harder.
“This is the third successive year Loughborough College has reached the Grand Final, which shows the calibre of our students is world class,” said Mark Thorpe, lecturer in Exercise and Fitness at Loughborough College.
“This is my first ever fitness trainer competition. It’s one thing to attend lectures and read books but to then line up and show everything you’ve learnt and have judges watching your every move … the regionals were nerve-wracking but the client I worked with was brilliant and I am delighted to have got through to the final,” added Sarah.
“I’ve enjoyed running and keeping fit for years and I’ve loved studying for my Level 3 and then Personal Trainer qualifications at Loughborough College. There’s been so much to learn – anatomy, physiology, nutrition - and Mark Thorpe and Hannah Jackson have been amazing. The courses have really exceeded my expectations and are so valuable.
“I’ve been raising my three daughters Poppy, Daisy and Jemima who are eight, five and two but these qualifications have helped me open up a whole new avenue in my life, giving me the knowledge and confidence to start running a Buggy Fit franchise three times a week. I’m also building up a personal training business.
“But for now I’m focusing on the final. There are only a few weeks to prepare and I’m excited – at least with three children it doesn’t leave me a lot of time to get nervous.”
Pictured: Loughborough College’s Sarah Woodhouse (right) puts a client through her paces under the watchful eye of expert judges ahead of reaching the 2017 UK World Skills Fitness Trainer Competition national finals