Nicole Tovey claimed fifth-place finishes in the bikini open and masters class at this month’s Olympia Amateur in Marbella, Spain.

It was the first time Tovey had competed outside of North America and the Caribbean, and she admits the physical preferences of the judges were different in Europe.

“The preferred look for the competition was definitely different to the United States,” said Tovey, who was representing Bermuda.

“The favoured competitors had a more conditioned and developed look to those preferred in my last competition [the Arnold Amateur Class in Columbus], where a softer look seemed to be preferred.

“The competition itself was tough; the standard was high and there were a lot of seasoned competitors on stage from all over Europe and the United Kingdom.

“The event itself was really well run; credit to the IFBB [International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness] for a very well-organised weekend.”

Tovey said she was encouraged to finish in the top six in both her categories and felt the Olympia Amateur had allowed her to gauge herself against some top overseas competitors.

“All in all, it was a fantastic experience and I’m happy with the result,” said Tovey, who is a lawyer at Taylors in association with Walkers.

“To make top six in both categories in the face of some fierce competition where I was often outsized, in a new jurisdiction and in front of new judges is really gratifying.

“I came away immensely proud to have represented Bermuda well, and with some fantastic new contacts within the industry.”

Tovey’s ultimate ambition is to earn an IFBB pro card, which would enable her to grace the stage at professional shows for cash prizes.

Only the overall winner of each category at an IFBB amateur competition is usually eligible for a pro card.

“While it would have been nice to win, it’s definitely provided me with a level of insight as to where I need to make improvements, and more exposure to the world stage, which is invaluable,” she added.

Tovey captured glory at last year’s Night of the Champions at CedarBridge Academy, winning the overall bikini class, and has finished second and third twice at the Central American and Caribbean Championships.

The Australian also finished third at the Arnold Amateur Class in March.