Personal trainer Ashleigh Sives Jackson said she was “speechless” after being named Miss Universe
An ex-teaching assistant who swapped the classroom for the stage has been crowned Miss Universe after triumphing against world-class competition.
Ashleigh Sives Jackson, 30, was named Miss Universe at NABBA (National Amateur Body-Builders’ Association) Universe 2024 at The NEC Birmingham on Sunday leaving her “speechless”. Ashleigh, who lives in Redcar, began bodybuilding around eight years ago after being told she was too skinny and fell in love with the sport.
She said: “When I was younger I was never good at any sports, I was always skinny and people used to say ‘you’re too skinny, you look anorexic’. I started doing classes at the gym and I built muscle quite fast. Bodybuilding was the best thing I’ve done as it helped me build my physique and has 100 per cent given me confidence.
“A few of my friends at the gym said ‘why don’t you start competing’? and now I’ve progressed from someone who had very little muscle to now being Miss Universe.”
When she began training, Ashleigh, who grew up in New Marske, worked as a teaching assistant in a primary school but now works as a personal trainer at Mas Body Gym, in Middlesbrough, where she trains.
She previously competed at the international championships last year where she placed six and said her goal this time around was to improve on 2023. She said in the final stage she was up against around a dozen women from across the world including Germany, Slovakia and Spain and was “speechless” at being crowned, she said: “Bodybuilding is subjective so it’s all on the judges’ opinions. Anything above last year I’d have been happy with so when they said I was first I was completely speechless, I was crying.”
Ashleigh said bodybuilding judges look at a number things including symmetry and muscle definition and she trains around five or six days a week focusing on cardio in the morning and working on different muscle groups in the evening. She said all her meals are from Teesside’s Macro Based Diet and she couldn’t have done it without her trainer Mike Hind MBE.
Mike praised Ashleigh’s resilience and dedication in a heart-warming social media post, saying: “This isn’t just any win; it’s the peak of the sport, a title with an incredible legacy. Names like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Frank Zane, and Reg Park have all competed fiercely to claim this exact title.
“Four weeks ago, Ashleigh competed at NABBA England, the intense qualifier for the Universe, narrowly missing the top spot. But she didn’t let that stop her. Instead, we went back to the drawing board, made the adjustments, and today she returned with a physique that simply couldn’t be matched.
“Against a lineup of the world’s best, she rose to the very top and brought this legendary title back to Teesside, beating the very girl that won her four weeks ago. Last year, Ashleigh came 6th on this stage. Today, she is the new Miss Universe – a title that has defined some of the greatest careers in bodybuilding. Her victory is a reminder to everyone that setbacks are simply setups for comebacks.
“Ashleigh’s name now joins the ranks of bodybuilding icons. She’s shown us all that true champions aren’t just born – they’re made through resilience, dedication, and the courage to push beyond limits. This is for everyone fighting for their dreams. Today, Teesside has a new Miss Universe, and she’s here to inspire a whole new generation.”
Ashleigh has plans to join the pro-league next year. Anyone wanting to try Macro Based Diet can get 15% off using code ASH15
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