From as far away as the Yukon, provincial bodybuilding champions have gathered in Moncton in pursuit of a spot on team Canada.

“It kind of puts the province on the map nationally, and I think it's a big boost for our athletes,” said international bodybuilder and promoter Jean Leblanc.

It's the first time the province has hosted a national bodybuilding event. The athletes think a sharp rise in the number of New Brunswick competitors is playing a part.

“A lot of people are wanting to be fit and healthy and be able to do physical activity and not get winded. They see this as a goal,” said Fredericton figure competitor Nadege Corcoran. “I always compare it to running. If you're a runner, you love running, and it's a lifestyle, eventually, you'll enter a race.”

Thirty of the 230 athletes hail from New Brunswick, only second to the 66 competitors who travelled east from Ontario.

Just hosting the competition is a massive success for New Brunswick, but for the athletes, it's also a stepping stone to international competition.

Beyond taking part in world championships, the International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness has gained recognition as a test event at the Rio 2016 Olympics.

“The hope is that if it were to become a successful sport in the Olympic stream, this show would be that venue that would bring (athletes) to team Canada, bring them to the world championships that would put them on the Olympic team,” said Georgina Dunnington, chairperson of the Canadian Bodybuilding Federation.

And like official Olympic events, organizers are keeping an eye on banned substances with an official drug tester on site.

“We have the random testing, we have testing the overall winners, and we have targeted, so if they feel there could be a few bodies onstage that have some substances, then we test them for those things,” said Heather Leblanc, president of the New Brunswick Physique and Fitness Association.

It's a step forward for the province, the competitors, and potentially, the entire sport of bodybuilding, as the athletes may gather in Moncton again in the future with Olympic dreams.

With files from CTV Atlantic’s Cami Kepke.