The woman standing on stage glistens in a crystal-studded bikini. Her glowing, tanned skin shows off each of her well-defined muscle lines, the result of hours of weight training in the gym. Roya Karimi's perfectly-applied make-up and highlighted blonde hair wouldn't look out of place in the finals of Miss Universe.
It is hard to imagine that just 15 years ago, she was a teenage mother in Afghanistan, married off as a child bride, before she escaped to her new life.
Now aged 30, she is one of Europe's top bodybuilders and will be competing in the World Bodybuilding Championships this week. Her rise has been meteoric—she only took up the sport professionally less than two years ago.
None of this looked likely when Roya fled Afghanistan with her mother and young son. Back then, she sought refuge in Norway where she made a new life for herself, continuing her education and becoming a nurse while meeting her new husband, who also bodybuilds.
Bodybuilding helped her break free from the mental and social limitations that had been imposed on her for years, she says. Every time I go to the gym, I remember that there was a time in Afghanistan when I wasn't even allowed to exercise freely, Roya told BBC News.
Roya's life story has been one of fighting against restrictive traditions and rebuilding her identity—trying to inspire women in her home country who face widespread restrictions. Some of those restrictions existed when Roya lived in Afghanistan— a result of social norms. But they have gotten worse since 2021, when the Taliban returned to power.
Now, women in Afghanistan are banned from attending school beyond the age of 12, getting most jobs, and must travel long distances accompanied by a male chaperone.
I was lucky to be able to get out of that situation, but many women still don't have their most basic human rights, such as education. It's really sad and heartbreaking, says Roya.
But years before the Taliban returned to power, Roya decided she didn't want that life. Her decision to flee Afghanistan in 2011, leaving her then-husband behind, carried many risks for a woman in traditional Afghan society.
In Norway, Roya faced a completely different environment. She had to adapt to a new, more liberal culture, find a job to support herself and her family, and learn Norwegian. It was difficult to juggle all the demands in the early days, but her efforts eventually paid off.
Roya studied nursing and worked at a hospital in Oslo, but her introduction to bodybuilding was the next turning point in her life.
Attending gyms wasn't just about physical exercise; it was also a way to rebuild her self-confidence and redefine her personal identity. It was also where she met her second husband, fellow Afghan Kamal Jalaluddin. He had a long history in bodybuilding and is one of Roya's main supporters.
Before I met Kamal, I was doing sports, but not at a professional level. His support gave me the courage to choose a competitive and taboo-breaking path. I believe that if a man stands by a woman, amazing things can happen, she explained.
Eighteen months ago, Roya decided to leave her nursing career and enter the world of bodybuilding professionally. It was a risky decision, but the biggest challenge for her was adapting to freedoms after the restraints she had experienced in Afghanistan.
Although her bikini-clad appearance may be seen as a break from tradition, it hasn't come without problems. She often faces threats and criticisms online due to her choices. However, she uses social media to connect with and encourage women back in Afghanistan, promoting physical health, self-confidence, and rebuilding one's identity.
Now preparing for the World Bodybuilding Championships in Barcelona, Roya hopes to build on her earlier successes. With her husband's unwavering support and the desire to inspire Afghan women, she aims to make history by competing for her country and representing women's empowerment.
