Former Smithers athlete achieves Pro bodybuilding status
Published 12:00 pm Monday, August 24, 2026
Janelle Holm (VanDriel) has become the first International Federation of Bodybuilding (IFBB) Bikini Pro athlete from Northwest B.C., capping a 24-year journey that began at a gym in Smithers.
Holm first picked up weightlifting at 17, training at Fitness Northwest to build strength for university volleyball. Lifting and running became her regular hobbies after graduating.
In 2020, she began learning the fundamentals of macro-based nutrition (monitoring daily intake of protein, carbs and fats), and in 2023, she stepped on stage for her first bikini competition, placing first regionally and third at a National show. She then spent three more years growing her physique to better fit the Bikini criteria.
This summer, at age 41, at a National Pro-Qualifier show in Pittsburgh, PA with hundreds of other athletes, Holm earned her IFBB Pro card, placing first in her Bikini class.
Holm hopes her story challenges assumptions about the sport. Many people believe women need anabolic steroids to reach this level of muscularity. She wants people to know that isn’t true —she turned pro as a natural athlete.
“I believed that if I took the time to build muscle through nutrition and heavy lifting, I could still win against enhanced athletes,” she said.
New divisions have been introduced in recent years—Bikini and Fit Model—that require less muscularity, drawing more women into the sport. However, turning pro takes years of dedication and is very competitive.
Rather than rush back to the stage, Holm plans to keep refining her physique before her pro debut at a Spring 2028 IFBB Pro show. She also hopes to encourage other moms to pursue hobbies and goals of their own.
“It’s so important to have interests and activities that are just yours, so you remember who you are outside of all the other hats we wear,” she said.
“If you set your sights on a goal, it’s achievable.
“She now lives in Phoenix, Arizona, with her husband and their two kids and regularly visits the Bulkley Valley.
