AFTER 24 years of hard work and dedication, Darren Hallett has become the world’s best and created history in the process.

Entering this year’s IBFA World Championships in Rome in the shape of his life, and on the back of a fourth-placed finish at the British Championships, the Weymouth bodybuilder was eyeing a top-three placing on the world stage.

The standard of competition was fierce with more than 220 hopefuls descending on the Italian city from as far afield as Brazil, Argentina, India and Pakistan.

But Hallett was unfazed and went on to win his class before being crowned the overall champion – the first Briton to do so.

The Fitness World owner said: “The class in which I competed was a height to weight ratio meaning you have a maximum weight for your height, which meant I had be very careful with what I ate and drank during travelling.

“Thankfully I made my weight when we registered. I won my class and was told that I made some big improvements in my physique on last year and had a good chance in the overall competition that took place at the end of the evening.

“The overall event sees the winners of all the classes competing against each other for the Grand World Title. So I was up on stage with seven of the top athletes from around the world.

“Initially I did not know I had won as the MC announced it in Italian first.

“It was only when the other competitors started to congratulate me, followed by the GB team jumping up on the stage, that I realised my dream, hard work and dedication had paid off and I had become the first British athlete to win this title and I was informed by the British judge that all nine judges had voted for me.

“I would like to thank my wife for her support as without her I could not achieved this, as she has made many sacrifices over the weeks so I could train and stay on my diet.

“A big thank you goes to Clive and Andy at Sherrens Printers, Rob at GW Electrical, Darron at Real World Services, Mr and Mrs Xue at Ocean City Chinese, Laura at LH Treatments, Roy at RFG Interiors, Mr and Mrs Loader, Barry at Dorchester Carpets and Beds, as well as George at Quality Butchers from who I get my quality meat, as they all helped towards the cost of my travel and expenses.

“I would also like to thank one of my members Chris Tett, who supplied me with all my fresh fish throughout my diet, as well as everyone else at Fitness World for all their encouragement over the last few weeks.”

This month, the newly-crowned world champion will be running new circuit classes and power cardio classes at his Southill-based gym.

Telephone 760333 for times and dates.