Castlebar is celebrating a local personal trainer who has achieved back-to-back overall natural bodybuilding titles, propelling himself into the professional realm of the sport by securing the prestigious WNBF (World Natural Bodybuilding Federation) Pro Card. This remarkable journey began for John Van Den Oosten with a victory in his first competition at the St. Michael’s Theatre in Wexford, followed by the crowning of the Irish National Champion on the 10th anniversary of the NBFI (Natural Bodybuilding Federation of Ireland) in a sold-out Helix in Dublin, with over 1,000 spectators in attendance and 157 other competitors.
As a dedicated natural competitor, I've had the privilege of achieving significant success in the world of bodybuilding. I'm proud to share that I've secured victories in two of the most prominent natural tournaments in the country – the WNBF (World Natural Bodybuilding Federation) and the NBFI (Natural Bodybuilding Federation of Ireland). The pinnacle of my journey was earning the prestigious WNBF Pro Card, a distinction not granted annually and reserved for only the elite among natural athletes. This Pro Card now opens up incredible opportunities for me to compete on a global stage, including the World Championship in Boston next year, a professional tournament in Germany and alo to qualify for the Natural Olympia in Romania. - John
The WNBF, the world's largest natural bodybuilding federation, hosted 81 global athletes all vying for the coveted Pro Card — a rare recognition allowing professional athletes to compete on a global stage. This honour is like gold dust and is selectively reserved for only the elite among natural athletes.
In a dramatic face-off, John emerged victorious. The competition intensified as category winners battled for the 'Overall Winner' title. A surprising twist revealed that the Pro Card would go to the Overall Winner, turning our champion's dream into reality and securing his place in natural bodybuilding history.
The triumph, achieved in just 15 weeks of preparation, capped a decade of unwavering dedication. Despite contemplating retirement after a previous third-place finish, victory tasted even sweeter amid challenges, including juggling two jobs, managing a personal training business, and embracing fatherhood with the arrival of his daughter, Hailey.
His achievements haven't gone unnoticed either – John has been featured in various newspapers and radio shows, and also had the privilege of appearing on The Today Show on RTE, which has significantly increased his visibility.
John is a lifelong natural athlete with an unwavering passion for health and fitness, earning his qualification as a personal trainer in 2012. Commencing his competitive venture in 2016 at the age of 29, he has since forged an illustrious path, participating in 8 national competitions. His track record speaks volumes, securing 3 overall titles across various tournaments and maintaining an unwavering presence within the top 3 in every competition - a statistic that he’s very proud of. These achievements were accomplished under the expert guidance of his coach, John Carney of JC Physique Fitness, also a Castlebar native, who has been a constant source of support throughout the years.
John is currently employed as a personal trainer at Goal’s Gym Castlebar, a thriving 8,000 sq ft fitness facility with over 1,000 members. In addition to this, John runs First Choice Fitness, a personal training business catering to fitness enthusiasts of every level. Whether you’re looking for weight loss, muscle gain, enhanced body composition, strength improvement, or just a healthier lifestyle, First Choice Fitness offers tailored solutions to help you achieve it.
If you’ve got any questions or want to clarify anything just give us a call or contact us using the form below. We’ll get back to you as soon as we can. Look forward to hearing from you…
