Madushi Amarasinghe is a well-known woman bodybuilder in Sri Lanka.
There is a big barrier for women who wish to enter this sport. However, she entered the game and gradually became a top bodybuilder.
The Youth Observer caught up with her to find out her ambition and the future of her sports career.
Q: Madushi, first of all I wish to ask you about your age. I know that women do not like to disclose their age. However, I would like to know your age?
A: I am not afraid to reveal my age. I am in the over-30 category. My actual age is 32 and I am in the youth category. Why should I hide my age?
Q: Where were you born? Was it Colombo?
A: No, I am not a Colombo woman. Kegalle is my birth village. I am a real village girl who grew up the traditional way. You must have thought I was from Colombo because I have taken up bodybuilding. I came to Colombo to stay later.
Q: Are other members of your family involved in sports?
A: No, we are a small family of four. My father is an executive in the hotel sector and my mother is a housewife. I have a brother who is in Canada. We are a very close-knit family.
Q: You were born in Kegalle, but you went to a school in Chilaw. Isn’t that so?
A: Yes, that’s right. I went to Ananda National College, Chilaw. In my school days I was a member of the school basketball and netball teams and participated in inter-school tournaments.
Q: How did you balance sports with your studies?
A: That was never a problem. I was clever in balancing the two. I passed the GCE Ordinary Level with flying colours in 2005. I obtained six A grade passes, two B grade passes and two C passes. I chose the Commerce stream for my Advanced Levels which I did in 2008.
Q: It is common to find girls messing up their studies and sports. Didn’t it affect you?
A: No it didn’t. However, I was hoping to enter the law faculty after I passed the GCE Advanced Level, but that didn’t materialise and I qualified to enter the Sabaragamuwa University.
Q: What happened thereafter? Did you complete your degree at the Sabaragamuwa University?
A: Unfortunately no. I was afflicted with asthma and it ruined my ambition of obtaining a degree.
Q: Wasn’t your sports career also ruined due to the illness?
A: I was not involved in sports after I passed my GCE Advanced Level. Asthma was controlling my life. Later I joined the private sector.
Q: How did you come to take up sports again?
A: After my marriage, suddenly I began to get asthma attacks again. At that time I had joined the Open University to fulfil my ambition of obtaining a Law degree.
Due to my bad health I had to face many problems again. Then my husband suggested that I try to improve my fitness level and develop lung capacity. He told me to train in a gym and that it may help to improve my fitness level. He should be given credit for helping to take up sports again.
Q: So your life changed completely after you began visiting the gym?
A: Yes. That environment helped me to improve my health. I followed a proper training schedule and I was attracted to bodybuilding. Then my body muscles began to change.
Q: I understand that you obtained NVQ qualification in fitness. What made you obtain a theoretical qualification of fitness and wellness? Was there any particular reason?
A: After I began training in the gym I realised that there is a technical side to this and I joined Lanka Institute of Fitness and Nutrition and got NVQ level 4 qualification. I am now a qualified fitness and wellness coach.
Q: Have you started a career as a fitness coach?
A: Yes, I did. I am now training a couple of students to become bodybuilders.
Q: You are a good-looking woman bodybuilder. Do you have a role model?
A: Arnold Schwarzenegger is my role model. But it is not possible to have a body like him as I am a woman. Today, I have beaten asthma and become a good woman bodybuilder in the country. I hope to become the top woman bodybuilder in the country and bring glory to the country in the international arena.
Q: The final question. What do you think of your decision to take up bodybuilding?
A: I am very happy about my decision. It has helped me overcome asthma which I suffered for several years. A few young women have taken after me. Honestly, I am proud of it. I hope to set up a good bodybuilding culture in the country.