The competition, which was held at the Kingston Town Hall in Melbourne, saw the 62-year-old bodybuilder compete and win against participants more than 20 years his junior.
“Because there was only myself and one other competing in our age category, they decided to put us in with men aged 40 and over, so I was rapt to have a win against the younger guys,” Mr Leonard said.
The six times Mr Victoria Masters champion has been competing for 25 years and developed a passion for the sport when he started exercising in the gym at a young age.
“Bodybuilding is all about the shape of your body, it’s really got nothing to do with how much weight you can lift in the gym.”
“You’re judged on the Bodybuilding stage for your symmetry, from the tip of your head to the tip of your toes,” Mr Leonard said.
After spending several months on a strict diet and training cardio and weights twice a day for the recent contests, Michael says he won’t be going on to compete at the national level.
“I’ve achieved more than I set out to this time around and I’m looking forward to easing back on the diet a bit now” Mr Leonard said.
“When we’re training for competition we really only eat protein. We take out all fat, sugar, fruit, dairy or bread, so it is extreme.”
But whether he is competing or not, Michael says training as a Bodybuilder is now simply part of his lifestyle and something he can’t go without.
“I love how good it makes me feel while also keeping me fit and healthy,” he said.
