Mikle Dill has already received vindication over his decision to quit rugby in pursuit of a bodybuilding career after surpassing expectations in his maiden show.

Having taken the difficult decision to call time on his playing days after a succession of serious injuries last year, the former national player opted to explore a different avenue and a sport that had always intrigued him.

After putting in months of hard graft and body transformation under the guidance of coaches Muhsin Nasir and Ross Caesar at Beast Gym in Hamilton, Dill’s decision paid immediate dividends after finishing he finished second in the novice class and third in the classic physique open class at the NPC National Qualifier Tri-City Classic Bodybuilding Championships in Columbus, Georgia.

“I was so delighted and just full of shock, it was such an amazing feeling,” said the 24-year-old on the result.

“It was just a crazy feeling hearing names getting called out for fifth to third place and then hearing my name, I honestly almost shed a tear.

“All those hard months of training and not knowing it would pay off, to then go and surpass all my expectations is just so rewarding.

“It feels like a big indication that I made the right choice to retire from rugby and look at a new challenge. After suffering a lot of concussions, my love for rugby had started to fade and so I felt it was the right decision to walk away because I wasn’t feeling it any more and that wasn’t fair on anyone.

“I was so focused on this event and this has been a huge motivator for me now. All I had really hoped for was to have a good show and enjoy the experience, but to have placed second is just amazing and a massive confidence boost going forward.”

More accustomed to the camaraderie of team-mates on the rugby field, Dill admits to feeling nervous ahead of stepping out on his own on stage, but was surprised at just how quickly he became comfortable in his new environment and putting on a show for the judges.

“I generally felt pretty confident leading up to the show because I was happy with how I was looking, but then the nerves hit once I was backstage because everything hit home,” he added.

“However, once I hit that first pose all of the nerves went away. It’s funny because I’ve gone from being part of a team to having all eyes on me and having to command that attention of the judges.

“That can definitely be nerve-wracking but in bodybuilding you have to feel confident on stage otherwise it won’t show through in your poses.

“In all honesty, I actually felt at home on the stage because I’ve always enjoyed being a bit of a performer. Very quickly I felt no nerves and I just had a blast being unapologetically myself up there.”

High on confidence, Dill will now be turning his attention to the NPC Worldwide Royal Grand Prix Bermuda Regional event, which is scheduled to take place on September 9 as he aims to take a step closer to fulfilling his aspirations of earning a pro card.

To do so, Dill must win his category to qualify for the NPC Worldwide Caribbean Grand Prix Bahamas in Nassau in November, where he will have the opportunity to earn the much-coveted card.

“For me now it’s all about getting ready for the Bermuda event in September and getting the win to qualify for the main event in November,” he added. “There I hope to earn my pro card, that’s the main overall aim.

“That would be the first step in hopefully having a promising career in bodybuilding, earning that pro card would be part of my hopes of having a perfect year in the sport.”