Vegans Thriving. Elite Vegan Athletes
Shelli Beecher-Seitzler is a natural bodybuilder who has made an impressive impact on the sport in a short time.
After several people suggested she compete, she started training six days a week with the aim of competing. After five months she entered the 2018 INBF NW Royal Natural Bodybuilding Championship. Read More... “Shelli Beecher-Seitzler”
Maayan Eliasi is an Israeli bodybuilder who has broken into international competition and won her Pro Card.
In 2018 she won 1st place in the Israeli national NABBA Bikini division Over 30 category. Soon afterwards she won the WNBF Israel in fit body category and overall fit body and received the WNBF Pro Athlete card. Read More... “Maayan Eliasi, vegan bodybuilder”
Kelly Colobella is known for her strength and fitness, having played in women’s semi-professional (full tackle) American football since 2000. As a key team member of Utah Falconz, who play in the US National League, she has played a part in contending for the National Championship four times, winning twice. Read More... “Kelly Colobella, vegan American Footballer”
Niki Kelly is a professional snowboarder who lives in rural Canada where she pursues her passions of nature, photography and of course snowboarding. Living in her van with her partner Mitch and dog Nelson, she explores new zones on her sled and on foot, as well as competing. Read More... “Niki Kelly, vegan snowboarder”
Coming to powerlifting relatively late in life has not stopped Glenda Presutti from taking the sport by storm and rapidly emerging as a force recognised nationally and beyond.
It’s not been easy, the 62 year old (in 2018) registered nurse has overcome numerous injuries. Read More... “Glenda Presutti, vegan powerlifter”
Paolo is an Italian cyclist known for his long distance cycling events. He competes in mountain biking and loves races of up to 24 hours.
In 2016 Paolo placed second in 24 hour Barbano Vicentino and took third in the Bellaria Igea Marina, also a 24 hour event. Read More... “Paolo Barbon, vegan cyclist”
Marc-Olivier Brouillette is an American Football player playing in the Canadian National Football League. Playing as a Linebacker or Safety, the 185 cm (6ft 1) vegan has enjoyed a long career in the sport.
Marc-Olivier joined the Montreal Alouettes in May 2010 and played 103 games in which he registered 195 tackles, 31 special teams tackles and 5 interceptions. Read More... “Marc-Olivier Brouillette, vegan American footballer”
Anastasia Zinchenko has been competing in powerlifting for several years, recording some high profile placings and impressive totals. She’s competed in the 63kg and 72 kg weight classes, and taken regional UK titles, national placings – and competed internationally.
In 2014 she won the BDFPA All Midlands Championships 72 kg weight class and took second in the 2014 British Universities Powerlifting Championship 63 kg class. Read More... “Anastasia Zinchenko, vegan powerlifter and bodybuilder”
Calle has been taking on some of the most difficult courses on American Ninja Warrior, reaching the finals on several occasions.
Ninja Warrior originated in Japan and consists of obstacle courses of increasing difficulty with competitors being eliminated after failing to complete obstacles or running out of time. Read More... “Calle Alexander, vegan ninja warrior”
Victoria Lissack competes in bodybuilding. In a short time she’s made an impression on the sport. She’s competed in three shows so far: twice with the WBFF in the Fitness Model class in 2015 (placing third in her first show and sixth two months later at the World championships) and once with the NPC in 2017. Read More... “Victoria Lissack, vegan bodybuilder”
TJ Galiardi is a retired professional ice hockey player, he started playing in the Western Hockey League (WHL) in 2007-8, returning to his home town where he joined Calgary Hitmen early in that season. TJ was named the #2 rookie in the WHL with 70 points, leading the whole league in playoff scoring. Read More... “TJ Galiardi, vegan ice hockey player”
Ramona is a masters weightlifter, competing nationally in America. Competing in the 63 kg category, she has also competed in powerlifting, although has had more success with Olympic lifting.
Her only powerlifting meet was in 2015 and her 221 kg (488 lb) total gave her victory in the Masters division. Read More... “Ramona Cadogan, vegan weightlifter”
Karl Bruder is a bodybuilder who has impressed everyone as he has made great advances in the sport.
He has a win at the WABBA Grand Prix (2016) and took 6th place at the Mr Universe before placing 4th at the PCA Physical Culture – all as a vegan. Read More... “Karl Bruder, vegan bodybuilder”
Tammy Fry Kelly is well known both for her business activities and her achievements in sport.
The karate 5th Dan black belt has competed nationally and internationally for over twenty years, and was part of the South African Senior National Karate team for ten years. Read More... “Tammy Fry Kelly, vegan karate expert”
Jay has made a rapid impact on the martial art of Brazillian Jiu Jitsu as he has fought his way to the very top.
In 2016, fighting in the Brown Belt Masters Division Jay entered five international tournaments sanctioned by the lead federation IBJFF, taking Gold in all 5 tournaments. Read More... “Jay Oliveira, vegan fighter”
Julia is a powerlifter from New Zealand who has been recognized with some amazing lifts.
She holds the national records in all three lifts in the sub 52 kg category. Competing at the IPL Drug-Tested World Championships in Atlanta, Georgia (U.S.A.) Read More... “Julia Trezise-Conroy, vegan powerlifter”
Derek Tresize is a professional bodybuilder and has been a vegan since 2007. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology, is a personal trainer through the American Council on Exercise and has a certificate in Plant-Based Nutrition through Cornell University. Read More... “Derek Tresize, vegan physique and bodybuilding competitor”
Ivan Blazquez is a certified exercise physiologist with a master’s degree in exercise physiology, a pro natural physique competitor/bodybuilder and a competitive triathlete. Holding a coveted pro card in natural bodybuilding since 2009, he gradually transitioned to a vegan diet as he experienced benefits for both health and physical performance. Read More... “Ivan Blazquez, vegan physique competitor”
Joe ‘Monk’ Coleman is a bodybuilder who started competing in his 40s and still provided stiff competition for competitors far younger than him.
Following years of an unhealthy lifestyle, Joe started to change his habits. This included meditation, attention to his diet, and exercise. Read More... “Joe ‘Monk’ Coleman, vegan physique competitor”
Pam Boteler is a retired sprint canoeist who has made history in a number of ways.
She started competitive sprint canoeing in 2000 at age 32, at a time when women were banned from national championship events. Pam was the first woman to compete in canoe at the 2000 US National Sprint/Kayak Championships, competing against the men in the intermediate class, which was a bridge class for men jumping from the junior to senior rank. Read More... “Pam Boteler, vegan sprint canoeist”
Long-term vegan Torre Washington started competing in bodybuilding in 2009 and got his Pro card that same year, winning his second show. Ever since, he has won numerous competitions and placed in the top 3 in all but one of the sixteen he entered. Read More... “Torre Washington, vegan bodybuilder”
Melanie is an Austrian boxer who lives in the capital Vienna and competes in the 60kg weight category.
At age 14 she took up full contact karate and competed for ten years, winning numerous medals at home and internationally. In 2010 she started boxing and by 2016, with other fifty fights on her record, Melanie had competed at national and European level. Read More... “Melanie Fraunschiel, vegan boxer”
Ariel Rosenfeld has been recognised for several years as a leading ultramarathon runner in Israel. He has also gained respect internationally and taken on extremely tough events outside his home country.
He won Sovev Emek, the most prominent Israeli ultramarathon four times in recent years, winning the 61km race in 2011, 2012 and 2014 and the longer 100km course in 2013. Read More... “Ariel Rosenfeld, vegan ultradistance runner”
With a supportive family who love sport Cody Elkins has become a noted vegan athlete at an early age.
As a junior competing in racquetball, he has already achieved great things. In 2013 aged eight he was the American Junior champion, and in 2014 he was the California State Champion and finished third in the Junior Olympics. Read More... “Cody Elkins, vegan Racquetball player”
Success in powerlifting has given Melody Schoenfeld’s records at State and National level, and the petite American has shown enormous strength in kettlebell, old time strongman challenges and unusual challenges such as bar bending.
She has broken California state records for all three lifts (bench press, squat and deadlift), and in 2015 was awarded the USPA National record for bench, deadlift and total in the women’s 40-44 age category. Read More... “Melody Schoenfeld, vegan powerlifter”
As a world champion player who has topped the rankings, snooker’s Neil Robertson is one of the best known and highest achieving players.
The Australian left hander turner professional in the 2006/7 season. He was already known in Australia, having become the youngest player to make a century break in an Australian ranking tournament at age 14. Read More... “Neil Robertson, vegan snooker player”
Tia Blanco has been a successful surfer for many years and has achieved international recognition very early in life. She is a member of the American surfing team and has won several surfing tournaments.
In 2014 she won the NSSA Southwest Women’s U18 season and the Surfing Prime America Womens U18 season. Read More... “Tia Blanco, vegan surfer”
Mika Ireste is a leading player in the brutal and sometimes dangerous contact sport of roller derby. She plays in Wales for Swansea City under the name ‘Little Myy’ and also for Team Wales as ‘Ireste’.
The sport involves two teams skating the same way around a track, with both teams having a ‘jammer’ who scores by lapping opposing team members. Read More... “Mika Ireste, vegan roller derby player”
David Smith is a successful para rower and cyclist who has won Gold medals at international level. David has overcome enormous setbacks and recovered to extremely high levels of fitness thanks to determination and high standards of nutrition.
He was born in 1978 with a club foot and underwent repeated medical interventions to break and reset the foot. Read More... “David Smith, MBE, vegan paralympian”
Shea West is a BMX rider from Kansas USA. He started riding competitively in childhood and won several state championship titles and was placed fourth in the 1994 World championships. He was also part of the team which won a national team title in 1993. Read More... “Shea West, vegan BMX rider”