LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Local bodybuilder Donna Williams Salib is on her way to Las Vegas this December to take part in the Olympia, a competition that brings in the world’s top bodybuilders.
Salib secured a spot by placing first in a show in New York, becoming the first woman from Kentucky to qualify from winning a pro show. Salib has come a long way since she was a student at Oldham County High School.
“I developed an eating disorder in high school trying to fit in and do the things that the girls were doing. It pretty much overtook my life,” she said.
Luckily for Salib, a friend who owned a gym, along with his wife, a dietician, took Salib under their wing and began helping her turn her life around.
“I fell in love with the idea that I could control what happened to my body and do it in a healthy way. The proper eating, the proper training, going to the gym, things like that. So, it was a very educational experience, that now I have control of what goes on.”
That led to entering bodybuilding competitions, where Salib placed fifth in her very first outing in 2006.
“There were a handful of us in the gym. We all got ready for the show, and I was bitten by the bug.”
Fast forward 16 years and Salib is among the world's top bodybuilding competitors. She’s fought through bulimia and later, when PTSD forced an early retirement from her career as a frontline worker, she transitioned to personal training and bodybuilding full time.
Salib says her path can serve as an example to many.
“First and foremost, always believe in yourself," she said. "If you don’t believe in yourself, then nobody else is going to believe in you. So if you feel like this is something that you want to accomplish, then go do it. Who says you can’t?”
Salib also works with Active Heroes, a local organization serving the needs of military personnel.
“I’ve been able to help many military members, whether they're retired, active duty or reserves, help them find an outlet with this because I know how this helped me,” she said.
For more information on the Olympia or how to get involved with Salib and Active Heroes, you can checkout her website.
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