Ex-NSW Waratah Francis Cullimore stars in debut bodybuilding contest

FRANCIS Cullimore has made a spectacular debut into natural bodybuilding by finishing third in the open division at the Sydney Superbodies contest.

Former NSW Waratahs rugby player Francis Cullimore made a big impact in his first natural bodybuilding contest. Picture: Martin Lange.

FORMER  footy star Francis Cullimore has made a spectacular debut into natural bodybuilding by finishing third in the open division at the Sydney Superbodies contest held in Sydney last weekend.

And he would have done even better if he was more of a poser.

Now the ex-NSW Waratah, Junior Kiwi, MMA fighter and member of the Australian bobsleigh team is turning to his wife Kerrie to help him in his quest to qualify for the Oceania International Natural Bodybuilding tournament.

After only seven months’ preparation Cullimore got a fifth place in the first timers category, a fourth in the novice division and then was on the podium with a third in the big one, where he was up against bodybuilders who have been competing for years.

Francis Cullimore is reaching high in natural bodybuildng. Picture: Martin Lange.

“To get a top five placing in every division is awesome,” Cullimore said.

He now needs to finish in the top five again at the nationals on May 14 to get a spot for Oceania. “This will obviously be even harder because there will be guys coming from all over Australia,” Cullimore said.

As part of his preparations he has been cutting his daily calorie intake from 1700 to 1690 so he will become even leaner and meaner.

He is also concentrating on his posing because the judges said while he had the best body, he wasn’t able to show it off like the veterans.

“My wife Kerrie does physical culture so she has more or less become my posing coach,” Cullimore said.

Francis Cullimore hopes to make the Oceania tourmament.

“She will be working with me for half an hour a day, giving me all the movements and making sure it flows properly and getting the good rotation to show what I need to show.

“I don’t know why I didn’t use her previously. The judges said if you nail the posing you will be in good stead for Oceania.”

Kerrie has competed in physical culture contests for 20 years and is also a trainer.

“I am looking at the best bodybuilding guys and trying to help him get to those positions,” she said.