Under Armour and award-winning fitness influencer and bodybuilding champion Zinhle Masango are championing the power of women who continue to evolve, inspire and redefine strength. Their partnership is a natural fit, reflecting a shared commitment to resilience, performance and purposeful growth
The brand's Unapologetic by Design campaign celebrates women who embrace every part of who they are. Adding her voice to the conversation, Zinhle says, “Being unapologetically myself means allowing myself to evolve without feeling the need to explain it to anyone. When I first joined Under Armour, I was chasing bodybuilding stages, six-packs and peak performance. Today, my life looks different. I still love movement, but I’m also embracing balance, softness and enjoying life beyond aesthetics.”
At the heart of the collaboration is authenticity and a continuous evolution. “The beautiful thing is that neither I nor Under Armour has stayed the same. We’ve both evolved but our mission has remained the same: to empower people to become stronger versions of themselves, not just physically, but mentally and emotionally, too. And I think that’s why this partnership works so effortlessly. We’re telling the same story, just in different ways.” She also credits the brand for being by her side through her different fitness eras. “Whether I’m race-day lean, in my curvier season, or simply moving because it makes me feel good, I never feel like I have to fit into one version of myself. Being unapologetic is giving yourself permission to grow, to change and to embrace every chapter without apologising for becoming someone new.”
Letting us in on the brand’s impactful role in her life beyond her workouts and fitness routines, she says, “Under Armour has given me so much more than training gear. They’ve given me opportunities that have completely transformed my career. This year alone, I’ve had both a digital and a print GLAMOUR cover, and knowing that they believed in me enough to make those moments possible still feels surreal. Those weren’t just career milestones. They were reminders that dreams really do come true. More than anything, Under Armour has given me a sense of belonging. They’ve seen me evolve over the years and have continued to believe in me through every version of myself. That’s incredibly rare. It’s one thing to have a brand sponsor you. It’s another to have a brand champion your growth, your voice and your purpose beyond sport.”
Expanding on their shared qualities and values, she says that inspiration lies at the core. Neither she nor Under Armour exists simply to sell a product or promote a lifestyle, but to make people believe they’re capable of more than they thought possible. “Every time I share my story, whether it’s overcoming abuse, living in my car, rebuilding my confidence, crossing a finish line or celebrating a small win, my hope is that someone watching chooses not to give up on themselves. That’s exactly what Under Armour stands for, too. It’s about resilience, grit, possibility and showing up, even when it’s hard.
Through her journey, Zinhle has become a symbol of perseverance, representation and the power of embracing every stage of personal growth. On female representation in sports, wellness and active lifestyles, she says it gives women permission to dream bigger. She grew up not seeing many women who looked like her taking up space in endurance sports, bodybuilding or even the fitness industry. “Yet here I am, a Black woman who’s stood on bodybuilding stages, crossed triathlon finish lines, covered GLAMOUR magazine and built a career through movement. If my journey shows just one young girl that she belongs in these spaces too, then I’ve done my job. We can’t aspire to what we don’t believe is possible. The more women we see leading, competing and simply showing up as themselves, the more we redefine what strength, beauty and success look like.”
As she inspires women to take up space, Zinhle observes that there’s been a notable shift in the conversation around women’s fitness and wellness in South Africa over the past few years. “When I was at my leanest and most muscular as a competitive bodybuilder, having visible muscle as a woman was still considered ‘too much’. I was criticised, trolled and constantly told I looked masculine. Fast-forward to today, and I love seeing more women proudly embracing strength, lifting weights and celebrating what their bodies can do rather than just how they look.” While these strides are welcomed, there’s still room for growth. “I want us to move even further away from aesthetics being the primary goal. Wellness should be about longevity, confidence, mental health and quality of life. Every woman deserves to feel like movement belongs to her, whether she’s chasing a podium, walking around the block or choosing herself for the first time.”
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