With such an elite group of
women competing for a win or a top spot at this year’s Olympia, the task of
writing a preview of what might happen is nearly impossible. This is the best
of the very best and below is the most eloquent way someone in my position
could describe what might take place this year with the Women of the O.
Fitness
The numbers in fitness have
declined yet there are a few familiar faces that have remained true to the
sport by continuing to support one of the most entertaining divisions of the pro
ranks.
The Reign Champion:
Adela Garcia continues to
improve her routines year after year and will be returning to defend her title.
What’s interesting about Adela is that unlike most of the fitness athletes, she
does not have a gymnastic background, yet manages to pull off one of the most
high energy and strong routines. Adela’s
physique is also a strong point for her and even if her routine do not appear
at its very best, this usually brings her scores up. With this combination, Ms.
Garcia will very likely walk away a champion once again.
The Top Challengers:
We can look for Tanji Johnson,
Oksana Grishina and Bethany Wagner-Cisternino to also be in the fight for the
top spots. In a division that requires strength moves and flexibility, a dynamic
and entertaining routine, along with a conditioned and symmetrical physique, it
is hard to say which athlete will edge the other when considering any of these.
The Surprise Contenders:
Myriam Capes will surely be
the one to watch this year. She will be stepping into the Olympia stage after a
fresh 1st place win at the Valenti Cup . Her placings have improved
consistently and more notably, so has her physique. Let’s not count out
Canadian Jodi Boam, who has made some noise this year with her gymnastic skills
and electric routines.
Women’s Bodybuilding
The Reign Champion:
Can any of the women in the
line-up come close to the structure and lines of Ms. Iris Kyle? Most don’t
think so. Ms. Kyle is very consistent with the way she trains and sticks to
what has worked for her over the years. Since she has managed to get a formula
that has secured her winning streaks, the likelihood that she will be de-throned
are slim to none. There is one top challenger who will surely bring Ms. Kyle a
run for her crown.
The Top Challengers:
We should be keeping an eye on
Yaxeni Oriquen-Garcia, this year’s Arnold Classic champ, who has promised to
bring an entertaining routine, a feminine and gorgeous physique and great
conditioning. If everything comes together for Yaxeni she may very well be our
new Ms. Olympia.
If both Debi Laszewski and
Alina Popa’s bring in their best and most perfected package, they are
guaranteed to secure a top spot. They both had great finishes at this year’s
Arnold with Debi coming in 2nd
place and Alina in 3rd. Let’s not forget Brigita Brezovac, who
continues to gain popularity with the crowds despite a disappointing 6th
place finish at this year’s Arnold. She could very well be either a top
challenger or one of the below surprise contenders.
The Surprise Contenders:
Sarah Hayes will be coming in
from her first IFBB Pro win at the PBW Tampa Pro after not placing where she
had hoped at the Europa Supershow in Hartford, where she took 5th
place. Ms. Hayes maintains an elegant physique with a feminine look and a good amount
of muscle. With a more conditioned physique at the Olympia she will be one to
watch for.
Monique Jones and Michelle
Cummings are both fast rising stars in the world of female bodybuilding. Jones has
the type of structure that can hold muscle but at times lacks the conditioning
required to win a show like the Olympia. She is clearly improving and has great
potential. Michelle just turned pro last year and has an overall pleasing
physique.With a few more pounds of muscle she could very well be on the rise to
a win very soon since she has been placing consistently in the top 3 spots in
her past pro shows.
Figure
The Reign Champion:
Nicole Wilkins, perhaps one of
the most controversial Ms. Olympia winners, will be coming back to defend her
Figure O title. Even though she’s fallen victim to plenty of criticism due to
her lack of muscle maturity and conditioning, her amazing structure alone makes
her the standing Figure Olympia. She has, undoubtedly, a near perfect X frame
with her wide shoulders and small waist, and looks nearly flawless from the
back. I believe time will be on her side and she can only get better.
The Top Challengers:
Erin Stern is possibly one of
the most popular Figure Olympians to step back on the stage. After winning in
2010 with what most considered to be the “it” look for figure, Stern lost the
title to Wilkins last year. If she brings it all together including her hair,
makeup, and presentation, she could very well regain her title.
Candice Keene seems to have
found her winning look and will be in one of the top 3 spots. Her physique has
greatly improved and so have her placings, which have all been top 3 finishes,
including two 1st place wins at the Europa Show of Champions in
Orlando and the New York Pro. Candice is destined for a great future as a pro
and if speculation might have her crowned with a Figure O title in the near
future.
Another Candice moving up the
ranks and a top challenger will be Candice Lewis. She is not as conditioned as
the rest of the top challengers, but she is able to hold her own in the figure
stage with her great presentation, a beautiful frame with a tiny waist, and a
gorgeous face with flawless hair and makeup. These are all things judges take
into consideration when choosing who will be rewarded. If Lewis brings a
tighter and more conditioned lower body, she will be remain in the top spots at
the Olympia and beyond.
Lastly we have Teresa Anthony,
who will be returning to the O stage looking to move up from last year’s 5th
place win. She has consistently maintained a look that the judges reward.
The Surprise Contenders:
Girls, watch out now! Mallory
Haldeman and Francine Sablan are on their way to the top! New to the IFBB
ranks, these 2 ladies just turned pro this year. Both wasted no time to get on
the list of contenders at the remaining qualifying pro shows of the year. It
will be interesting to see where they place at the biggest show of the year
amongst the best of the best figure physiques in the world.
Ann Titone could very well be
one the most improved figure athletes this year. She will be coming into the
Olympia from her first win as a pro at the Pro Bodybuilding Weekly Tampa Pro
Championships. This has been a turning year for Ann and we look forward to
seeing her best package yet at the Olympia.
Honorable Mentions:
Larissa Reis, one of the
crowd’s favorites, brought a surprisingly smaller and tighter physique at the
Europa Dallas Pro, earning her a 2nd place finish, but fell to a 5th
place finish at the Tournament of Champions.
Andrea Cantone is a wild card,
someone who has consistently placed in the top 6 spots since turning pro and
this will be her first trip to the Olympia. She has a very pleasing physique
with a tiny waist to rival that of Candice Lewis.
Heather Dees is one pretty
lady who has done exceptionally well this year and has gained more popularity
from figure fans who would love to see her snag one of the top spots.
Bikini
The Reign Champion:
Nicole Nagrani will be
returning to defend her Bikini Olympia title. A cute lady with a great
personality off and on the stage, Nicole has what it takes to continue to carry
on the title of Ms. Bikini O.
Top Challengers:
The ladies who have been
consistent with the look they bring to the stage seem to be the most successful
in this division. These top challengers have changed very little from the
beginning of their journey as amateur competitors to what will possibly at the
Olympia.
India Paulino is the name
everyone is talking about with the strongest potential to walk away crowned the
new Ms. Bikini Olympia. Paulino has remained with one of the most consistent
looks since the inception of the bikini division with her signature yellow suit
and her little move at the end of her posing. She exudes confidence and sex
appeal on the stage. India is coming in with a very solid and strong placing
history which includes two back-to-back 1st place wins at the Pittsburgh
Pro and the New York Pro this year.
Sonia Gonzales will be looking
to redeem herself from a disappointing 5th place finish at last
year’s Olympia after holding the Ms. Bikini O title in 2010. Despite heavy
criticism by fans, Sonia has proven to have what it takes from the judges’ eyes
to be a top challenger. She has done exceptionally well this year with two 1st
place wins at the Arnold Classic and the IFBB Pro Musclecontest.com Pro bikini.
Diana Dahlgren is another top
challenger this year. With a 3rd place win at last year’s Olympia,
and a strong list of placings to back her this year, she will be in the line-up
to battle it out for one of the top 3 spots.
Yeshaira Robles aimed to earn
her automatic qualification at this year’s Pro Bodybuilding Weekly Tampa Pro
Championships in August but due to inclement weather, she was forced to sit the
show out. Fortunately she remained on track and earned her spot by winning the
Valenti Pro Cup in Sarasota a few weeks later. This will be Robles first trip
to the Olympia and if she continues to remain consistent, we can foresee her making
a strong mark in the division.
When it comes to consistent
placings and showings, we cannot forget Jamie Baird. She earned her pro status
back in 2009 and since then has jumped in as many as 10 pro shows, including the
2010 and 2011 Olympia, where she finished 4th at both. Will this be
a better year for her with an even bigger list of top contenders and challengers?
Surprise Contenders:
Justine Munro has improved
greatly and could very easily steal the judges’ hearts with her charm and
beauty. She has gained popularity with her recent win at the IFBB St. Louis Pro
with what could be considered one of the best glutes in bikini at the moment.
Pollianna Moss, a young lady
with only a handful of shows under her belt, is one of the most remarkable success
stories in the bikini division. She managed to earn her pro card at this year’s
NPC Junior USAs and jump on to the pro stage at the Toronto Pro, where she won
1st place and earned an automatic qualification to the Olympia. The
possibilities of where things will end up for her are endless but either way,
her success is nothing to snooze about.
Honorable Mentions:
We haven’t seen much of Vanessa
Campbell on the stage this year or otherwise, so it is difficult to assess
where she will place. She had a successful 2011 but did not end as strong with
a disappointing finish at the Olympia. Will she be looking to redeem herself?
The same can be said for Natalia Melo, who, has been missing in action since
this year’s 5th place finish at the Arnold Classic. Although many
consider Melo’s glutes among the best, her physique as a whole could go either
way. If she tries to bring down her lower body and glutes she risks being
extremely lean in the upper half, and vice versa, if she tries to remain softer
up top, she can be too soft in the glutes. Either way, she remains a fan
favorite and it will be exciting to see what package she will bring this year.
Well, this concludes my little preview and thoughts on what we might see this coming weekend at the Olympia! See you guys soon!
Well, this concludes my little preview and thoughts on what we might see this coming weekend at the Olympia! See you guys soon!
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