A GLASGOW bodybuilder has scooped a prestigious fitness prize after nearly five years of work. 

Stuart MacDonald,31, who is originally from the Isle of Lewis, achieved a gold award at the European World Beauty Fitness & Fashion (WBFF) Championships in London earlier this month. 

Better known in fitness circles as Stu Mac, the win was his first ever and came at the second highest stage for a Scottish bodybuilder.

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Reflecting on his win, he said: “It feels great. To represent your country as the only one of your kind and then take that trophy back home – there’s no feeling like it.

"The recognition I’ve had since the show has been crazy too - I am now in a small elite group of champions.

“I can’t believe I’m now European champion. I’m over the moon. The standard was wild, so I couldn’t be happier.”

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Bodybuilding may have looked the unlikeliest of careers for Stu, who previously studied pure maths at Strathclyde University.

Stu got into his fitness through reading his flatmate’s FLEX magazine, taking inspiration from international fitness model, Jaco De Bruyn.

From there he was instantly hooked in his ‘quest to become Jaco De Bruyn’, achieving success on the world amateur stage before actually becoming great friends with his idol Jaco who even invited him across to South Africa for a safari trip.

Now over 1500 days into his fitness journey though it hasn’t always been plain sailing, who along the way endured a pretty horrific injury where he burst a vein in his leg that required the whole vein to be removed from groin down to ankle.

Achieving his professional card at the beginning of this year, he entered the European Championships not knowing what to expect. But the result was "better than he could have ever dreamt".

He added: “They went well and the leaner I got the more positive I became. It was a tough prep, but all I wanted to achieve was stepping on stage, one last time.

“The next stage for me is the World Championships. I’ve been given my feedback - now to take on the world.

“I have my belief back - one minute I was quitting the sport, the next I’m preparing for the World Championships in the Bahamas.

"I don’t think anyone has ever held European and World titles at the same time, so that’s the goal."

Stu Mac is an ambassador for leading sports nutrition brand USN.