O1xygenAustralianJulyAugust2015_

When I was out for
brunch with Justine
recently I told her
this story and she
got goosebumps,
yes we really do
hang out together
outside of the
magazine! So
without sounding
cliche, my fitness
sister story began
when I first met
my Oxygirls. Lesley,
Justine and Lindy.
When I moved to
Australia I had no
one, no family, I
didn't know a soul
here. I joined the
gym, created a
lifestyle I loved and
started competing.
The few friends
Ididmakedidn't
understand the
stage prep or the
need for it. At my
firstexpoworking
on theOxygenstand
I was embraced
and welcomed, We
hugged and chatted
about training, I
finally felt like I had
come home, I had
found ‘my group’.
My girls, my sisters
that understood
me and loved lifting
as much as I did,
I felt normal and
accepted. It also
grounded me in
Australia, knowing
thatIwassomeone
to them as well. The
shoot for the annual
cover cemented this,
wehadsomuchfun,
it was one ofthe
best days of my life.
Penny Lomas

I’m so lucky

to have many

fitness sisters and

share something

different with each

one. It’s always

fantastic to see the

Oxygenteam at

the Fitness expos

and catch up on all

the news. Penny

andIoftenmeet

forawalkanda

greenteaandcould

easily pass a couple

of hours without

hardly catching our

breath between

chatting and

laughter.

Skye and I also love

to chat on a regular

basis and never run

out of conversation.

I would say the

Oxygenteam

are ‘what you

see’ - genuine and

inspiring women in

every way.

Another of my

favourite fitness

sisters is Jane

Watts - a world

champion figure

competitor who I

used to train with

EVERY morning, my

deep friendship

with Jane goes

back many years

and I would say

we have a special

camaraderie - like

we have been in the

trenches together

and fought a

war. We have

travelled overseas

to compete

together many

times and been

there to support

each other in every

way possible. Jane

has been there

for me through

thick and thin and

we have shared

many memorable

experiences.

Only fitness sisters

understand why

youturnupwitha

container of food -

and why you love to

work your legs until

they burn! It's a very

special bond.

Lesley Maxwell

Anne-Marie Lasserre

was a Fitness icon

that I had always

heard of and seen

pics of in f itness

mags. I admired her

dedication and her

glutes were in my

inspiration pics lol.

Anyway one day I

had the pleasure of

meeting her, it was

for some filming with

our coach, Jon Davie.

I was so nervous to

meet her, but straight

away we hit it off as

we are so similar in

so many ways! That

was the start of our

friendship. We ended

up becoming work

colleag ues as we both

worked at World

Gym on the Gold

Coast. We prepped for

a few shows together

and have travelled to

Sydney, Melbourne

and Los Angeles for

shows. We have done

hundreds of 4am

walks in the dark,

training sessions

and many late night

calls to debrief from

our crazy busy

days. Not once have

we arg ued or got sick

of each other in some

stressful situations as

together we always

find the funny

side. She has been

a mentor, trainer,

coach, tanner, sister

and best friend to me

through the years.

She is a dedicated pro-

athlete that I definetly

consider one of my

greatest inspirations.

Just recently I was

honoured to be her

bridesmaid at her

wedding! I have

met some of my

best friends in the

fitness world, I'm

forever grateful for

the beautiful women

I have met! Anne-

Marie is one of them.

Skye Cushway

e

oxygenmag.com.au | JULY/AUG 2015 | 81

FITNESS

SISTERS