Since childhood, I’ve always had a strong love for fitness, and that passion has only grown as I’ve gotten older. When I was in high school, I was so excited about working out that I would walk a long way to the gym. The gym trainers were really impressed with how much energy and strength I had, and they noticed that I was really determined. After I finished college, I became a fitness trainer at a local gym. Like many others, I had a dream of opening my own gym someday. After saving money for a while, I finally turned that dream into reality. The day I opened my gym was like a dream come true, and the community’s positive response made me really happy.

I achieved recognition by taking part in fitness competitions, like breaking a record of deadlift 202reps of 135 lbs. This success also made me popular on social media. Despite this, like many immigrants, I had a dream of moving to Canada for better opportunities. In 2018, I came to Canada with a work permit, and despite working long hours – sometimes 12-14 hours a day – I never missed a day at the gym. To me, skipping a workout felt like something important was missing from my day.