Bodybuilder nurse picks up Miss England prize

A bodybuilder who scooped a prize during the Miss England finals hopes to use her success to further her nursing career.

Pearl Susanne Davison, who works as a staff nurse on a male acute ward at the Becklin Centre in Leeds, was named Miss Sportswoman 2016 during the prestigious event last month.

While such a title comes with glitz and glamour, Ms Davison is more concerned with qualifying as a personal trainer so she can help the inpatients her day job brings her into contact with.

She said: ‘We have a gym on site but I can’t get insurance to get patients fit until after I qualify.

‘But I firmly believe being more active makes a real difference when done in harmony with the treatments they receive to help them recover.’

Miss Davison was studying a health and social care course at college when she decided to train as a nurse at the University of Leeds in 2009.

Diet and exercise regime

Explaining why she took a postgraduate course in mental health nursing she added: ‘I have some family members with mental health problems and thought my experience would help understand what patients go through.’

Admitting she was ‘overweight’ at university, Ms Davison developed her love of bodybuilding after changing her diet and adopting a vigorous six-times-a-week exercise regime.

She began entering swimwear competitions in 2013 ‘to show people you can work full-time and still have fun’ and found out about the Miss Leeds competition via an advert.

After coming second she qualified automatically for the finals, part of which involved the 49 competitors taking part in various themed rounds.

Although her ability to weightlift 100kg failed to win her the ‘talent’ round, her prowess in an hour’s boot camp – including wall-sits, burpees and hurdling saw her clinch the ‘sports’ title.

Ms Davison added: ‘I also came in 12th overall in the finals so I’m delighted with my first experience of Miss England.’

Her next challenge is a bodybuilding competition later this month.

Ms Davison's official Facebook page Pearl-Susanne Inspiration