A COUPLE from Haverfordwest have certainly had their fair share of success taking part in Miss Bikini and bodybuilding competitions.

Jill Evans and partner Rodney Owens, are both approaching 50, where many of their age group are quietly happy to come home from work and put their feet up, however this pair can’t wait to get to the gym and work out hard every day. They regularly train at the Power Shack Gym, Haverfordwest.

Evans competed for first time last year aged 49, she set herself a goal to be stage ready within a year and did so by placing third in UKUP competition in Port Talbot.

This year, Evans competed in her 50th year, and placed 1st in Over 45 and 2nd in Over 35 categories at the Next Fitness Model UK competition held in Bridgend. Then she placed 4th at the Nabba Wales’s qualifiers staged in Newport. 

Owens, 49, also competed at NABBA Wales, one of the oldest and most prestigious federations in the World and did superbly to finish second in the classic open (age 21 years up). 

Owens was invited to the NABBA British Finals that took place in Southport, Liverpool, and he came second from a field of 7, and was pipped to the winners’ rostrum by a 32 year old.

Rod Owens told Telegraph Sport: “It’s a huge commitment as with any sport where you are training to compete. It’s a complete lifestyle that continues beyond the gym. 

“Jill wanted to do something different for her 50th year and that was to continue to train hard and step on stage with the aim to collect all trophies in the 1st to 4th place range. I’m so proud she did it.”

The pair train at least 6 or 7 days a week. A typical day is up at 5am for a 40 minute fasted cardio then a full day’s work followed by 1.5 hours in gym after work and another 45 minutes cardio, so a typical week consists of 13 cardio sessions and 6 weight sessions. 

Diet is healthy clean eating but portion control and specific to their goals, consists of lots of broccoli, asparagus, turkey, white fish. Both eat different portion sizes and train differently, as Jill’s look is bikini which is a soft feminine look with some muscle definition, whereas Rod’s is muscular and shredded.

Evans is coached by Rhi Pontin, of Newport, herself an experienced bikini competitor and British champion.

Owens was coached by Rod Knight, also of Newport, and he was also guided into the British Championships by George Wandrum, from Haverfordwest, UKBFF Welsh Champion and a regular at the Power Shack.