At 23, Garard earned one of just five ‘golden tickets’ to the premier fitness event at the Australian regional championships at WIN Entertainment Centre last weekend. Setting another lofty goal, Garard believes he could be the first ever to win the international crown on debut.

“The competition was tough but I put in so much work over the past year to win this place at the world games in August so I’m so happy to finally make it,” he said.  “Now I can prepare myself to compete alongside the world’s best, I’m feeling stronger now and hungry to excel. I’d really love to be the first person in history to win the Games at their first appearance at the event – that would be awesome – but I’m out to do my best.”

Ben, now 28, finished 15^th overall in 2015.

Ricky finished the gruelling, three-day competition in second place behind winner James Newbury, with three seconds from six events, which included pull-ups, handstand push ups, handstand walks, dumbbell snatches, ring dips, rope climbs, skipping, cycling, kettlebell deadlifts, muscle ups, overhead squats, burpees and box jumps.