A fitness fanatic is celebrating after making his way through to a national final.
Gareth Jones, 24, from Ellesmere Port, who is currently studying fitness instructing at West Cheshire College, won the gym-based category in the CYQ Fitness Instructor of the Year regional finals and will now head off to compete at the national finals in May.
After deciding to make a complete career change and pursue his passion for fitness, Gareth started the part-time course so he could eventually become a personal trainer.
Gareth said: “The competition was a great experience and it’s such a big achievement for me to win.
“I have always been interested in keeping fit and have wanted to be a personal trainer for some time.
“The course has definitely put me on the right path and has given me the knowledge to hopefully secure a job in the future.”
The event saw Gareth present a personal statement to the judges as well as completing an online test as part of the initial assessment stage.
The second phase of the competition challenged him to produce a tailored training programme and showcase it in front of the judges.
Sharon Penrhyn-Jones, CYQ commercial qualification leader at the college, said: “Gareth worked extremely hard to prepare for the competition and really deserved to win.
“There were a variety of North West colleges competing, so for him to win is a massive achievement.”
Gareth has now set his sights on the national finals on May 1 in Birmingham.
Tutor Sharon will also take part in the event after being selected to judge the competition.
