Northampton's champion bodybuilder claims third prize at world class Mr Olympia contest

Kamal onstage at the 212 Mr Olympia event.

Kamal Elgargni has faced down some of the most muscular men in the world to claim third prize at the international 212 Mr Olympia contest in Las Vegas.

He returned home last night (September 27) to the applause and cheers of his friends, family and customers at the Better Bodies Gym, in Freehold Street.

Kamal said: "It's been an unbelievable year for me. I have been working for this for a long, long time. I don't know there is anyone at this level or my age who has worked as hard as me.

Kamal and his members celebrate at his homecoming to the Better Bodies gym.

Kamal qualified for the Olympia after claiming first place at the 212 Arnold Classic show in Ohio in March where he accepted his trophy on stage from Arnold Schwarzenegger himself.

Since then, he has three times a day for the past three months to hone his physique for the 212 Olympian, where he would compete with the world's top bodybuilders. His performed at the contest weighing in at 205lbs, or 93kg.

The judging included a posing routine, where competitors demonstrate their muscle definition, symmetry and conditioning - or how visible individual muscles appear.

Kamal said: "Everyone was talking after the show about me. No one had conditioning like me. My routine had the classic postures they hadn't seen in years.

After months of clean eating and training, Kamal can finally enjoy a slice of cake. Cake designed by JJCakes Northampton.

"A friend brought me a small slice of a doughnut as a present after I won. I told him to his face, 'I love you, man'.

"It's a great achievement. I'm 46-years-old, but I won the Arnold Classic as a first-time competitor and now I've taken bronze at the Olympia on my first try.

"But now I'm hungry for more. I'm going to take it easy until January, then I'll have nine months to get ready for the next Olympia and win it for Northampton."