Steadfast Athlete Dakini Sellamuthu is the winner of this year’s International Federation of BodyBuilders (IFBB) Pro Card at India’s largest bodybuilding championship- the 2021 Amateur Olympia held in Mumbai. She is also Tamil Nadu's first woman athlete to achieve the feat. The 23-year-old earned a gold medal in the bikini division of the championship held at the 2021 International Health, Sports, and Fitness Festival from December 3-5. She was not only the best performer in her division but also the overall Bikini champion.
Dakini won the the coveted IFBB Pro Card in recognition of her incredible performance. She gets a spot in the international pro leagues and, eventually, a chance to compete in the prestigious IFBB-organised Bikini Olympia, held in Las Vegas every September.
A psychology student, and fitness enthusiast, Dakini has proven that dreams do come true with hard work, determination, and confidence. The gritty athlete worked tirelessly on her physique. Achieving the perfect bikini body takes tremendous discipline. Apart from lifting heavy weights and building muscles, it requires following a strict diet regimen for weeks together to look one’s best on the stage.
The Steadfast Athlete exercises for about five hours a day, or even more at the time when competitions are coming up. She follows a strict diet and trains vigorously.
The desire of the Tamil Nadu resident to qualify for Olympia was so strong that she worked relentlessly to achieve her goal. Dakini says she relied on a variety of Steadfast Nutrition supplements for her preparation. She also praised Steadfast’s nutritionists of the company for being “a constant source of guidance”.
I was consuming multiple Steadfast products that helped bring out the best of myself. I took Incredible Whey and Warmax after my workouts; Power Glutamine for proper digestion and recovery; Curcumin to reduce inflammation; Steadfast Multivitamin to ensure that I'm not on a deficit diet; Milk Thistle for liver cleansing, and Steadfast Melatonin for perfect sleep. Apart from providing world-class products, the nutritionists at Steadfast were also a constant source of guidance,” Dakini says.
Dakini, who has been associated with Steadfast for over two years, says the brand had grown into India’s leading sports nutrition company in a short span. "When I joined Steadfast, it was relatively new, but the way it has grown to become one of India’s leading sports and wellness nutrition companies, gives me great pleasure.”
Steadfast Nutrition founder Mr Aman Puri said Dakini’s feat would encourage more women from Tamil Nadu to participate in sporting activities. “It gives me great pleasure to know that Dakini is the first female IFBB Pro from Tamil Nadu. This will certainly encourage daughters from the state to participate in sporting activities and contribute towards the company's goal of making India the sports capital of the world. Steadfast will continue supporting Dakini; we hope she wins at the IFBB Olympia and takes the tricolour to new heights.”
The IHFF attracted athletes from around the world to compete at the Amateur Olympia. The competition was in eight different categories, with three IFBB Pro Cards awarded in each.