Vivette Barrett spent her childhood riddled with anxiety and as a victim of bullying, due to suffering from a hunched back. Born and raised in Portmore, Barrett attended Waterford High School and had plans to work in electrical installation. She began training at the gym to correct her posture when she was 19 years old in 1998. She fell in love with her body and with training as soon as she started seeing results.

She first noticed she was suffering from hearing loss in 2002, and it has gradually got worse over the years.

“I am not entirely sure what caused my hearing loss. I was diagnosed with Chronic Rhinitis in 2012 and that causes my hearing to get worse if I eat food that I’m allergic to,” said Barrett.

Chronic Rhinitis is the medical term for long-term inflammation of the inner lining of the nose.

She credits the hearing loss as what motivates her to push herself in training and competing, despite also suffering from chronic anxiety disorder.

Chronic Anxiety Disorder is characterised by persistent and excessive worry about a number of different things.

“The change in my lifestyle created a change in my attitude toward my anxiety disorder. I have learned the art of pushing myself from training myself as a bodybuilder and I have used the same practice when it comes on to other aspects of my life. I’ve never stopped training after that time,” said Barrett.

“Most of all, I’m just grateful for the percentage of hearing that I have left.”

Barrett began to consider bodybuilding as a career after constantly getting mistaken for a fitness trainer. After landing her fitness certification, she began training harder for competition and secured her first win two years later.

As a competitor, Barrett competes in the Women’s Physique category and, more recently, the Women’s Body Fitness category.

Barrett won the Women’s Physique category seven years in a row from 2010-2017 and won the Body Fitness in 2019.

“I’ve never gotten used to the stage because of my anxiety. I just think about looking my best and showcasing my best on stage,” said Barrett.

The Jamaica Amateur Bodybuilding and Fitness Association is the governing body for the National Bodybuilding Championship. 

Bodybuilding at any level takes great dedication, discipline and drive. It is critical for upcoming athletes to believe in themselves and pay close attention to dieting, resistance training and cardio, accordingly. These efforts should not be randomly made as athletes are required to take into consideration their protein, carbohydrates, healthy fats, and vitamins and minerals needs and achieving their daily calories to accomplish their goals.

“Currently, my focus is on my academics and I have taken a break from the stage. I am still training hard and I will be coming back at the international level,” said Barrett.