Woman killed in Co Antrim road collision was popular bodybuilder

One of the two women killed in a Co Antrim road collision on Monday morning was a popular figure on the Northern Ireland bodybuilding scene.
By The Newsroom
Published 25th Jul 2016, 18:41 BST
Updated 25th Aug 2016, 20:47 BST
Michelle McStravick pictured following success at the Northern Ireland Fitness Model Association Championships in 2014.Michelle McStravick pictured following success at the Northern Ireland Fitness Model Association Championships in 2014.
Michelle McStravick pictured following success at the Northern Ireland Fitness Model Association Championships in 2014.

Michelle McStravick, 35, from Randalstown died along with 56-year-old Lorraine Clyde, who was from the Antrim area, following the incident on the Church Road near Randalstown shortly before 8am.

They had been in a grey-coloured Citroen C1 car which was in collision with a silver-coloured Ford Focus at the Moneyrod Road junction.

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A man and woman travelling in the second car sustained non-life threatening injuries.

The scene of the fatal collision at Church Road in Randalstown. Pacemaker BelfastThe scene of the fatal collision at Church Road in Randalstown. Pacemaker Belfast
The scene of the fatal collision at Church Road in Randalstown. Pacemaker Belfast

The Northern Ireland representative of the National Amateur Bodybuilders’ Association paid a glowing tribute to Ms McStravick as someone who always had a kind word of encouragement – and a broad smile – for anyone she encountered on the bodybuilding circuit.

Dave Warner said: She was such a lovely girl, and I cannot ever remember a time I met her that she didn’t have a smile on her face. She was such smiley, happy girl who was always having fun.”

Mr Warner said Ms McStravick worked hard and was an enthusiastic competitor, but said she had a genuine interest in helping others achieve success as well.

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“She competed in the figure class of bodybuilding, and has done quite well.

The scene of the fatal collision at Church Road in Randalstown. Pacemaker BelfastThe scene of the fatal collision at Church Road in Randalstown. Pacemaker Belfast
The scene of the fatal collision at Church Road in Randalstown. Pacemaker Belfast

“But even in the shows she didn’t compete in, you would always see her in the audience and she was always supporting her friends.

“Some people in the bodybuilding world get a reputation as being a bit selfish and a bit single-minded about themselves, but she wasn’t like that at all.”

Mr Warner said the death of Ms McStravick was the third “great character” the close-knit Northern Ireland bodybuilding community had lost in the last year.

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Jim Henderson and Graeme McConkey – both from the Carrickfergus – died within weeks of each other this time last year.

“A lot of friends of the sport are now no longer there. The last year has been desperate. We lost Graeme McConkey, who was a mentor to a lot of bodybuidlers in Northern Ireland. And it’s just a year ago since we lost Jim Henderson.

“They were all great characters,” he added.

Related topics:Northern Ireland