A WOKING woman has risen through the ranks of bodybuilders from novice to world champion in just 18 months.

Kim Valente, founder of the popular Squat2Fit fitness group, sealed her meteoric climb when she became ICN Female Sports Model World Bodybuilding Champion in Perugia, Italy, this month.

As if that were not enough, Kim was also placed second in two other classes, classic figure and figure open.

“I’m so proud of what I’ve achieved,” said Kim, 49. “My first event was in May last year and now I’m a world champion with magazines keen to feature me. It’s been a whirlwind.

“And this has been so special because I coached myself. I wanted to have sole responsibility for everything and it’s worked out really well.”

A personal trainer, Kim was a distinguished track-and-field athlete.

But she decided on a change of disciplines when her plans to compete in the European Masters Athletics Championships in Portugal were thwarted by the pandemic.

She decided to set herself a new challenge, one that would test her versatility as an athlete, and entered a bodybuilding competition.

“I’m going to put the focus back on athletics now, at least for the first part of next season,” said Kim.

“It’s a totally different discipline, going from concentrating on individual muscles in bodybuilding to getting the whole body working as one in athletics.

“I’m keen to try again, though, and after Portugal I do have unfinished business.”