Trio build reputations at national contest

Port Hedland fitness fanatics Henry Heta, Muhammad-Ali Salby and Ashleigh Jade Ritchie have returned from the national natural bodybuilding championships in Brisbane with their heads held high.

The trio were all fairly new to bodybuilding and were surprised to qualify for the International Natural Bodybuilding Association's Australian titles in Brisbane on October 4 and 5.

While Salby and Ritchie walked away from the titles with valuable experience, Heta managed to score a third placing in his weight division.

His manager and fiancee Hailee Kareko said Heta outdid his expectations and led the way for WA bodybuilders.

"He was the only male bodybuilder from Western Australia to get on the podium at the nationals in any class," she said.

Heta's efforts were all the more impressive given it was just his second competition.

His first event had been in September when he won the men's overall bodybuilding award at the INBA North West Titles in Karratha.

That victory earned him qualification to the nationals two weeks later and sent Heta, Salby and Ritchie into a rushed fundraising spree to help them afford the cost of competing in Brisbane.

Kareko said that given the short turnaround between events, all three had done amazingly well.