After several years without a WNBF affiliation in Australia, WNBF Men’s Physique Pro Sebastian Valdivia and his wife Yalan brought WNBF Australia to Brisbane, Queensland in 2023. The inaugural competition in October 2023 saw nearly 100 athletes take the stage, 9 new WNBF Pro Cards awarded, and 6 athletes competed at WNBF Worlds 34 in Seattle, Washington. In 2024, the presidency was passed to WNBF Figure Pro Leah Marie Coutts, with Sebastian accepting the role of Vice President.

Leah is a figure athlete with multiple world and national pro titles to her name. She earned her WNBF Figure Pro Card in 2023, at WNBF Australia’s returning inaugural competition, and went on to place 3rd at WNBF Worlds in November 2023. With a doctorate in mindset transformation, tertiary teaching qualifications and a background coaching in various domains including dance, music and fitness, Leah is a dedicated posing and physique coach who is passionate about supporting athletes throughout all stages of their natural bodybuilding journeys. As president of WNBF Australia, Leah is passionate about creating a growing platform for athletes to not only shine on stage with fellow natural athletes but to cultivate a sense of pride and belonging as part of the WNBF community.

Sebastian, originally from Chile, is a professional Men's Physique athlete with the WNBF since 2019, having earned his professional status in Singapore. He lived in Taiwan with his wife Yalan and son Lucas for 8 years but returned to Australia to establish this beautiful federation in the country. Sebastian is also a Sports Nutritionist with the SNA, a certified personal trainer, and holds a bachelor's degree in Business Administration. He possesses an internationally recognised WNBF judge certificate and regularly judges shows alongside his wife, Yalan Ponsford.

While there is a range of federations here in Australia, WNBF Australia fills an important gap in the sport – it brings a federation with world-leading integrity in drug testing and athlete-centered values that prioritizes the athlete experience. As an affiliate of WNBF Official, we’re passionate about raising the standards of natural bodybuilding and expectations around drug testing. We aim to offer an Australia-wide and international platform for truly natural athletes to compete with confidence that they are also standing amongst fellow natural athletes. We also aim to educate competitors on transparent judging processes, detailed criteria, and the benefits of competing with such a values-led federation. We strive to create a diverse judging panel not only with international judges to maintain the high standards set across the world but also with a balance of genders. 

Finally, we are passionate about the artistry of bodybuilding, appreciating the dedication that athletes show to stagecraft and posing. We strive to offer a supportive environment that encourages all – from first-timers to experienced competitors – to compete with WNBF Australia, to celebrate the process to, through and beyond the stage, and to build a community of athletes who feel a sense of pride and belonging as part of the WNBF family.

We are grateful to be an affiliate of WNBF Official because the values and ethics of the organization align strongly with our own. Knowing we are part of a global platform for truly natural athletes brings another level of community, support, and growth for the sport. As the current WNBF Australia president, Leah would like to thank Sebastian as outgoing president and newly appointed vice president for bringing WNBF to Australia and creating such a warm and welcoming environment. Together, she is confident that WNBF Australia will continue to thrive as the federation that athletes have already fallen in love with. As an athlete, Leah was drawn to the ethics, care and detailed organization that Sebastian and Yalan brought, and when the opportunity to become president was presented, it just made sense. Leah would also like to thank Yalan for her dedication to the federation in her time as Vice President and for her ongoing support. Finally, she would like to thank her coach and WNBF Australia Head Judge, Joey Cantlin. ‘Your belief in me as an athlete, coach, and now president, and your generous support and guidance are so appreciated. I have so much confidence in the community and expertise I’m surrounded by and, I’m excited for the growth we can create together.’ Our federation is only as strong as the people in it and we’re excited by the collaboration to come and welcoming athletes new and returning onto our stage!.

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