In the sport of bodybuilding, athletes are judged by their physique and any edge could give them an advantage over the competition.
Florencia “Flo” Burke embraced the spirit of the sport by helping, giving advice, encouraging and cheering on other athletes — sometimes the same female bodybuilders she would be going up against on the day of competition. That’s how classy Flo was and the reason why she was adored by everyone in the sport.
On Feb. 11, 2015, Burke, one of Guam’s pioneer and premier female bodybuilders, died at the age of 48.
For more than a decade, Burke graced the center stage in Guam’s bodybuilding world and represented the island in numerous competitions. She was down-to-earth. She inspired numerous women, both in and out of the gym, by living a healthy lifestyle.
Former Guam bodybuilder Steve Oshiro, who was also Burke’s friend for over 30 years and her trainer since 2008, said she was like a sister to him and it’s still hard to imagine that she’s not with us any more.
“Flo will definitely be hard to replace in a sport that is selfish and filled with egos,” said Oshiro. “You rarely see people coaching their competition. But Flo would often go out of her way to help people with their posing, help apply their tan on the night of the show and she would give advice that could possible help her competition beat her. She was gracious and giving, that’s why everyone loved her, even the people she competed against. I believe Flo felt the greatest gift of all in this sport was to help others. I can’t think of any competitor, male or female, that has anything bad to say about Flo.”
During an independent film I made in 2013, which featured Burke, she said she didn’t think she was a role model for younger girls, but felt connected with women that were closer to her age.
“I don’t know about being a role model for young girls, but maybe people who are my age, and I want to be a role model for older women,” Burke said. “I just want women to get active, workout, eat healthy and keep moving. You don’t have to be a bodybuilder like me. This is something that I enjoy doing and something that I want. If you decide that you would like to compete or just want to work out, you can do it.
“Don’t ever let anyone put you down and say you can’t do it, because you can. Anything is possible.”
When Burke first started working out she never imagined being a bodybuilder. She later became motivated when she saw other women training in the gym.
According to longtime friend and former local bodybuilder Terry Debold, Flo had a lot of discipline and was more intense than the other women in the gym.
“Flo constantly tried to improve and learn as much as she could about the sport. You can see that she really enjoyed working out so I suggested that she should take it to the next level,” said Debold.
Burke was a flight attendant and her occupation made it very harder for her to train. Oshiro said Burke had to work out at different gyms in different cities. Sometimes the only place she could find a gym was at the hotel where she was staying. Often those facilities weren’t fully equipped for the type of workouts needed for bodybuilders.
“Flo always worked hard and did everything I asked. She tried to make do with what she had. She worked harder than the other athletes who were fixed in one place and worked out in one gym,” said Oshiro.
2011 Guam National Bodybuilding Champion Richard Rosete and Burke were members of the 2007 and 2011 Guam National Bodybuilding teams during the Pacific Games.
“Flo was uplifting, free spirited, helpful, a good teammate, a great person to travel with because she always had fun and had a lot of team spirit. We were like best friends whenever we traveled. We were always there for each other,” Rosete said.
Another teammate, 2007 and 2010 Guam National Bodybuilding Champion Brando Quejado added: “Flo was like a big sister to me and we have been friends for a long time. She was an inspiration to everyone and promoted all sports. I will always think of her when I am competing and when I am in the gym. She will always be with me.”
Oshiro believes Burke knew that there was an expiration date on the years she had left in a sport where all eyes were on them.
“On the days of competition, I think she enjoyed being around all the competitors and cherished the whole environment. She was involved and helped checked other competitors during their last minute posing before they went on the stage. She really liked to be apart of the whole process and did her best to help everyone,” said Oshiro. “If she wasn’t gone, I think she would have been a great coach. There is no doubt that any athlete that would have worked with her would have been successful. She understood people, knew how to motivate them and would help people realize their true potential.”
Whenever Burke stepped on the stage she displayed strength and was muscular, but she also married it with grace, femininity and elegance when she performed. She was an icon for Guam bodybuilders, both men and women.
“Without Flo, there is a void in female bodybuilding on Guam. She was a great champion,” Oshiro said. “But for those who were fortunate to know her outside the physique community, we know we not only lost a great bodybuilder, but we all lost a great human being and a lot of us are still grieving.”
Courtesy of: Pacific Daily News
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