We are delighted that Julia has joined our BRIT Ambassador family and is championing the BRIT Challenge to support and improve young adult and student mental health and fitness throughout the UK. Julia is a former Great Britain bobsledder and as a Natural Figure & Bikini Athlete, has won three Universe, four World and three Olympia Championships, and 19 Professional Titles. In 2012, Julia returned to athletics and became the 200 metres Masters World Champion.
As a former student at the University of Leeds, competing with and coaching both the GB Bobsledding Squad and professional bodybuilders, training women to improve their fitness, and returning to compete as a track and field athlete in the Masters, I am aware of the many mental health challenges so many people, of all ages, face in their lives. With the impact of the pandemic on young adults, it is clear that we must do more to support students, and staff, in order to avoid them facing long-term mental health difficulties. With reports from young adult mental charities that this is a critical time for student mental health, I am encouraged that BRIT are determined to support and improve young adult mental health and fitness throughout the UK by uniting the Education, Sport and Charity sectors. Despite the pandemic, it is an awesome achievement that almost 180 university and college teams have taken on the BRIT Challenge over the past two years.
It’s great to see that the BRIT Challenge is being delivered as an annual feelgood February fundraiser for every university, college, specialist college and Students’ Union to enter teams and encourage student and staff participation. I hope that every university and college throughout Yorkshire and Humberside will enter teams. I’m thrilled that the BRIT Challenge is inclusive and enables students and staff of all abilities to take part and work as a team to cover the 2,022 mile distance by either hand-cycling, cycling, wheelchair pushing, swimming, walking, jogging, running, rowing or paddling (canoeing, kayaking or paddle-boarding).
I am delighted to be part of the BRIT Ambassador family to promote the BRIT Challenge, destigmatise mental health and champion equality, diversity and inclusion. In addition to supporting the University of Leeds and Coventry University’s Scarborough Campus, it would be a pleasure to support and encourage students and staff at the University of Hull, University of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam University, should they decide to take on the BRIT Challenge”.
Julia Hubbard Former Great Britain bobsledder, multiple Natural Figure Universe, World and Olympia Champion and Masters Athletics World Champion
Julia has been competing in various sports since she was 15. She is a lifetime natural competitor and Julia has been a vegetarian since she was 15 and a vegan since she was 39. She aims to inspire others to achieve their fitness goals in a healthy way. In 1997, Julia graduated from the University of Leeds with a Bachelor of Science degree in Sport and Exercise.
Starting out as a Sprinter, Julia went on to represent Great Britain on the GBR Bobsleigh Team for 4 years before helping coach a team to take silver at the Youth Olympics. Whilst competing in Italy, Julia was in a bobsleigh crash and broke her back. Shortly afterwards, Julia was diagnosed with a genetic heart condition which she has had since birth, but had been dormant. This injury and illness spelled the end of her Bobsleigh career. After Julia retired from bobsleigh, it took a couple of years for her to be healthy and fit again. Julia competed in her first bodybuilding show as she just needed a goal to aim for in the gym.
Having previously taken her health for granted, she now understood the value of living life to the full and looking after her health as a priority. Julia loved the experience of competing in bodybuilding so much that she been competing ever since.
Throughout the course of her Body Building career, Julia has won British titles, 4 World Titles, 3 Olympia & 3 Universe Titles and holds professional cards with 9 Federations and has 19 Professional Titles.
Julia returned to athletics and in 2012, became the Masters World Champion for the 200 metres and was nominated for Plymouth Sports Personality of the Year. Outside of her elite athlete career, Julia owns the Compass Health and Fitness Gym in Scarborough and is a Personal Trainer and Online Coach, specialising in coaching women to help them achieve their own fitness goals. She specialises in Plant based nutrition and also offers posing classes and bodybuilding workshops. Julia loves the experiences, the travel and the people she meets and friends made from competing around the world.
Julia has also published an E Book called “The Strong Vegan”. To find out more about Julia, please visit her website. You can follow Julia on Instagram.