Saxonburg resident Kyle Walters and Butler resident Emily Hiles share a moment prior to competing at the Kentucky Natural Classic. Submitted Photo

Kyle Walters received a gift card. Emily Hiles received a second chance.

Both have elevated themselves in the world of competitive bodybuilding.

Walters, 50, of Saxonburg, recently won the Over-40 Masters Physique division at the Kentucky Natural Classic, held in Rupp Arena in Lexington. Hiles, soon to turn 41, of Butler, took second in the Women’s Open Bikini division at the same event.

These are photos of Butler’s Emily Hiles in 2001, left, and in 2023. Submitted Photos

Walters trains Hiles on a regular basis. He had received a gift card for a massage from one of his clients about three years ago. Hiles, a massage therapist, happened to be the one who gave him that massage.

“We got to talking ... She wanted to lose a lot of weight and I’m a physical trainer, so we got together,” Walters said. “What’s she done to her body since has been remarkable.”

All told, Hiles has dropped more than 100 pounds. Through her training sessions with Walters, she was exposed to the competitive side of bodybuilding and decided to opt in.

“But I never dreamed I’d be doing anything like this,” she said.

After her second-place finish in Kentucky, Hiles learned of another bodybuilding competition in Cincinnati the following weekend. She decided to give that one a try as well.

“You go to these shows and a lot of the same competitors are there. You get to know them,” she said. “A couple of them were going to the show in Cincinnati and talked me into signing up as well.”

Hiles worked that whole week, got up early the morning of the competition, and drove five hours with her husband to Cincinnati. They arrived shortly before the event began — and she won the Over-40 Masters Open Bikini division there.

“Just to have the confidence to do that shows how far Emily has come,” Walters said. “We’re talking about someone who, only two years ago, just wanted to lose some weight. Now she’s winning competitive shows in the bikini division? That just doesn’t happen.

“It’s a testament to what someone can do when they put their mind to it.”

Walters hasn’t been doing badly in his own right. The Kentucky Natural Classic was a pro qualifier, meaning that Walters earned his pro card by winning that event.

There are numerous different bodybuilding federations and they all have their pro shows.

“I believe strongly in the natural shows because they involve no drug use or artificial help,” Walters said. “It’s all about dedicated training and dieting the right way.

“Now that I’m 50, I wasn’t sure I could hang in and compete with guys younger than me by 10 years or so. I not only won my division, but I won the overall competition ... I guess I can still hold my own.”

He has a definite fan in Hiles.

“I still train with Kyle every week,” she said. “He shapes bodies like Michelangelo shapes stone ... He’s Muscle-Angelo.

“My dad had a silent heart attack when he was 38. I knew I had to go down a better track with my life physically. Kyle helped me in that regard. The (Cincinnati) competition wasn’t a pro qualifier, so I don’t have a pro card. It’d be great to get one someday, but I’m just having fun right now.”

While Walters was prepping for the Kentucky Natural Classic, he helped prep fiance’ Micci Hutterrer for the Boston Marathon. At age 63, she ran Boston in 3 hours, 51 minutes. The qualifying time for her age group was 4:27.

It was her fastest time of 12 marathons she’s run.

“We trained together, two totally different sports. That was kinda neat,” Walters said.