Bodybuilder Reza Rezamand back after ladybird bite caused sepsis

Reza Rezamand recovered from sepsis in 2016

A bodybuilder who overcame sepsis after being bitten by a ladybird has won his first competition since doctors gave him a 30% chance of survival.

Reza Rezamand, 37, from Blythe Bridge, Staffordshire, was rushed to hospital in November 2016 after the bite on his foot triggered a reaction.

Antibiotics did not work and his foot swelled up and went black, he said.

He has now returned to competing and won at the Natural Bodybuilding Federation events in London.

"I'm getting stronger, my foot is a lot better, it is just the side effects of the medication I was on and we're still fighting those because it wasn't a nice experience, I can assure you [of] that," he said.

"I feel a lot better than [when] it was and... remembering the tough journey I went through."

Reza Rezamand won four medals at a competition in London at the weekend

He said he had a phobia of the insects now and the trauma of what he went through was not something you can just "put behind you... it will stay with you the rest of your life".

"It's just the way you have to deal with that trauma and staying strong mentally, physically and try to just live your life, because it's not an easy thing to fight a trauma," he said.

"However, you could just fight through it by staying active, staying strong... and knowing you can beat it if it ever happened again."

• Listen on BBC Sounds: Bodybuilding winner who survived sepsis

Mr Rezamand competed in four events at the weekend and won a gold, two silvers, and a bronze medal in the first "major" event he has done since the illness.

He said to compete he had to get down to about 83 or 84kg (13 stone) and a body fat percentage of about 4%.

Winning the medals made him "emotional", he said, adding: "It was great because I went through a lot of physical and mental pain to be able to get to that stage, stand on that stage and be able to win and bring four medals back with me.

"It was a great end to my 2021, it wasn't an easy journey, but I'm grateful for the support."