A north west Queensland woman is celebrating after receiving a national award last week.
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Joy McClymont, a personal trainer and grazier, took Fitness Australia’s highest personal trainers’ honour at the October 14 Awards Dinner at Sydney’s Royal Randwick Racecourse, taking the #ActiveAchievers title.
Standing onstage as part of an inspirational class of 2016 state and territory winners, Joy’s effort to bring people in remote communities together to train via technology resonated with judges and all those present alike.
“I was humbled to be on stage with all of those other finalists,” Ms McClymont said. “To be announced as the national winner was a shock, but a huge honour.”
The 2016 winner described the impact of her training on people in rural and remote places around Queensland as providing a “massive amount of connectedness and a feeling that they’re not alone on this fitness journey”.
“We make the impossible become possible by reaching people that can’t access gyms because of location, lifestyle or time, with live workouts,” she said.
Wendy Hick, Joy’s client, who lives hundreds of kms outside Mount Isa nominated her, describing Joy as positive and empowering influence during a time of drought.
“She gave me an outlet for hope through exercise,” Wendy said.
Wendy said was supported by her trainer remotely via podcasts, live internet workouts, phone calls and printed materials.
Ms McClymont said it was a lovely feeling to think that what she did was recognised on a wider scale.
“It all helps my message that you can achieve fitness wherever you live, that distance is no barrier,” she said.
#ActiveAchievers recognises the outstanding work that fitness trainers and instructors do to help their communities live a more active, healthy lifestyle.
Fitness Australia CEO, Bill Moore said the awards represented everything that is good about the industry.
“Joy is making the best use of technology and bringing it to people in remote areas,” Mr Moore said.
“Joy and Wendy’s story is the pinnacle of how a trainer and client connection can be so effective and supportive, even from hundreds of kilometres away.”
“We’re extremely proud of the impact Joy has had on her clients.”