The pride of Thailand.

Penpraghai Tiangngok, known as ‘Fon,’ is the first Southeast Asian woman to compete in the Olympia. Hailing from Thailand, Fon had no conventional path to the stage.

After primary school, she worked in an office environment, but quit shortly after to pursue work as a personal trainer.

She was first introduced to serious competitive training by her Czech boyfriend.

“I didn’t think of competing at first; I just wanted a nice body and a six-pack,” she told BBC Thai.

“There weren’t many women lifting weights [at the time I started], but nowadays you have both men and women. In the past, female bodybuilders looked strange in the eyes of Thai women.

“People don’t recognize me when I go back to my hometown. They are surprised of how big I am and think I look transgender.”

Fon first took the stage at the 2012 Mr Thailand, after which she earned a spot on the national bodybuilding team. This afforded her the opportunity to compete at the World Bodybuilding & Physique Sports Federation in Singapore.

But she was distraught at receiving last place and decided to leave the team

At this time, stories were also published in the news about her being arrested for selling anabolic steroids, which are illegal in Thailand.

A police officer attempted to purchase the drugs online and arranged a sting operation at a bus terminal.

Although she was initially asked to report to the police station, the authorities have not pursued serious legal action against Fon.

In September, she won the 10th place in the women’s division of Mr Olympia in Las Vegas.

“I was both happy and surprised. I don’t know how to explain it… I performed better than expected.

“In the Olympia, they look at our weak spot when we’re presenting ourselves on stage. I know that my arms and calves are still small compared to foreigners.

“The way I see it is if you want to be the best, you have to beat the best,” she says.

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