Judges impressed by balanced form | Rotorua Sport | Surfing, Rugby, Soccer, Football, Cricket in Rotorua

Keri Onyewu leads by example.

The Rotorua personal trainer's business card says "I did it for me, now let me do it for you" and following an eventful year on the body building circuit the results speak for themselves.

The former psychiatric nurse recently impressed judges with his balanced form at the Natural World Championships in Las Vegas to claim the silver medal. Previously this year Onyewu won the NZFBB Sann Schmidt Class title, the Central North Island NZFBB Masters title, the INBA overall title and the New Zealand Masters title.

"It has been a busy year and it feels like I've been having to diet constantly since April," he said. "But with all the competitions I've had this year I can't afford to get out of shape."

Originally from Wales, Onyewu came to New Zealand in 1999 and spent time working at Rotorua Hospital's in-patient unit, before working with patients in the community. After a much deliberation, he decided to turn his love of fitness and wellbeing into a business and two years ago established Integrated Body Obeisance.

"I wanted to create a safe holistic environment that is in praise of an integrated body," he said.

The business's acronym IBO is also the name of his father's Nigerian tribe.

While Onyewu's business is relatively new, he is no stranger to sport and fitness - boasting a raft of international and national titles including: the 1990 Welsh middleweight kick boxing champion; the 1999 World Body Building champion; the 2000 World Body Sculpting and the 2002 World Fitness champion.

As well, training a diverse range of clients, including Reporoa shearer Justin Bell, he has also completed a Diploma in Sports Studies through Otago University

"My ability to achieve what I have done this year comes through the support of some fantastic individuals who have worked together," he said. "There's no way I could have carried on and succeeded without their support."