Ballybofey gym owner wins national bodybuilding title and professional status

A Ballybofey gym owner has won the right to become a professional bodybuilder, after winning the Natural Bodybuilding Federation Ireland’s (NBFI) overall title in Dublin.

Don Maguire (34), who lives in Stranorlar and owns Don Maguire Fitness Gym, won the overall competition held at the RDS on Sunday, October 5.

As well as winning the NBFI title, Maguire also won the Muscle Contest International held the week prior in Limerick, adding to Maguire’s trophy collection over the last decade.

“They are all through drug-free bodybuilding,” said Maguire. “It is not actually very common, but thankfully, it is getting a lot more popular these days.

“It is something that I value really highly. The trophies are proof of dedication more so than the pieces of metal that they are.”

For Maguire, the big change to his bodybuilding career was being granted his professional status following his success at the RDS.

He said: “I have won the nationals three times. Twice I have won the overall and three times, I have won my class, but this year it was a little different because it is the first time that they have handed out professional status, so as of October 5, I am now a professional athlete in drug-free bodybuilding, which to me is surreal.

“I still can’t comprehend it. It has not set in yet, but I am excited to get on the pro stage and see how I stack up against guys who have been doing it for years on the pro circuit.

“The beauty of the jump itself, to the pro circuit, is that I have competed against some of the guys, so I have an idea of where they are at. Some of the guys are a level above me, which means I am going to have to take time off.

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“Being unassisted when it comes to performance-enhancing drugs that are used in the enhanced bodybuilding scene, I guess, it is a lot harder to gain muscle, especially with age, as I am getting on. If I am the best version of me, I am going to be there or thereabouts with the professionals. I feel like I have a physique that can carry me over and be competitive on a world stage with professionals.

“The pro scene is where I want to be, to challenge myself to get 10% or 20% better than what I feel I am.”

When asked about what inspired him to become serious into bodybuilding, Maguire commented: “The first thing to make me go into bodybuilding was my wife.

“She was my girlfriend at the time. She was a big believer in so far as my physique and what I could achieve. She was looking into coaches. We like going to gyms and meeting people around the gym scene.

“For me, it was the routine and the discipline and the ability to just take something that I love and make it something that was crafting me into a better person.”