Alice Richards (22) said she struggled to contain her smile when she was announced as winner of the Up and Coming Personal Trainer of the Year in the New Zealand Fitness Awards in Auckland.
''I was pretty excited. I didn't know what to do. I tried to hold back my massive smile so I didn't look cheesy for the photo."
The Up and Coming category in the awards was open to all personal trainers in New Zealand with less than two years' experience.
Miss Richards started working in the exercise industry in June last year when ABSolute Health and Fitness opened in South Dunedin. She specialised in weight loss and muscle gain.
For the competition, she answered two questionnaires and produced a three-minute clip showing how she worked with two clients - a female on a 15-week weight-loss programme and a man building muscle mass.
She considered herself a good trainer because she listened to her 40 regular and 50 ''sporadic'' clients.
''It's knowing what they want and giving them what they need."
Miss Richards beat two trainers from Auckland and another from Christchurch.
