Olympia Figure Photos - One & Two Piece
IFBBpro.com has posted individual shots of the figure competitors. The shots come via JM Manion for both rounds.
HARDBODY News & Events
Daily skinny on fitness, figure & female sports
Backstage at the Olympia
Bodybuilding.com takes you backstage at the Olympia. Check out some of the photos from Behind the Scenes at the O.
Jenn Gates is number one in IFBB figure.
Fitness Model Mandy Blank on TMZ.com
You’ve seen her in the fitness magazines and in supplement ads, now you can see her on the gossip web site TMZ.com. Mandy Blank is show looking at herself on the cover of GLUTES magazine. Can’t say that I’ve heard of GLUTES magazine. She tells the interviewer she’s a celebrity trainer.
Mandy Blank on TMZ.com
Updates from the New Orleans hotel
I’m in the lobby of the New Orleans hotel with a number of the IFBB’s top women. Jen Hendershott and Adela Garcia are bantering back and forth over who will beat Susie Curry’s record. Jen says she hurt her foot doing her routine and couldn’t put her shoe on. She doesn’t think anything is fractured but just sore. Felicia Romero is chilling on the couch eating some chicken. Sonia Adcock is also relaxing before heading out on her shoot. The new Figure Olympia champ says she feels good but is tired. Mary Lado tells me she didn’t party last night but might when she is at home. Tracey Greenwood missed her flights and will have to take a red eye home.
Adela Garcia is sitting on the couch with her boyfriend. Her knee is sore and has a wheelchair in her room. Now she is measuring heights with the other competitors. Adela claims she is taller than Jenn Gates but is shorter than Sonia Adcock. Cathy LeFrancois had Adela sign her check. If you haven’t had a chance to meet Adela she is one of the funniest people you will meet.
Adela Garcia signs Cathy’s check in the Orleans lobby.
Jenn Gates Wins The Figure Olympia
Congrats to Jenn Gates for winning the Figure Olympia tonight.
FIGURE RESULTS
1. Jenn Gates
2. Gina Aliotti
3. Zivile Raudoniene
4. Jenny Lynn
5. Mary Lado
6. Sonia Adcock
7. Kristal Richardson
8. Amy Fry
9. Nicole Wilkins
10. Heather Mae French
11. Lenay Hernandez
12. Julie Ann Kulla
13. Huong Arcinas
14. Jessica Paxson-Putnam
15. Jelena Abbou
16. Teresa Anthony
17. Jane Awad
Olympia Fitness Results
Fitness Final Results
1. Jennifer Hendershott
2. Tracey Greenwood
3. Kim Scheideler
4. Julie Palmer
5. Tanji Johnson
6. Regiane Da Silva
7. Mindi O’Brien
8. Laticia Jackson
9. Trish Warren
10. Erin Riley
11. Nicole Duncan
12. Heidi Fletcher
13. Stacy Simons
14. Julie Lohre (DNF)
Olympia Weekend Day 2
Today the expo opens at 10am. The fitness will kick things off in the 2 piece and then figure in the 1 piece. Check back here and bodybuilding.com for more updates and photos throughout the weekend.
Olympia Weekend Day 1 Recap
Day one of the Olympia is in the books. I caught up with a number of the females competing this weekend and most are in great spirits.
Nicole Wilkins is competing in her first Olympia. As if that wasn’t enough to keep one’s nerves on edge, Ms. Wilkins tells me she will be getting married in four weeks. Yep, that’s correct she has been planning her wedding AND getting ready for the O. She will be going on a honeymoon to Belize after the wedding. Congrats!
Felicia Romero tells me she has brought up her legs since Houston. She’s sporting some blue streaks in her hair to match her blue suits. She is always a stunner.
Huong Arcinas is chipper as ever and ready for her first Olympia. She looks great and this little stunner will turn some heads on stage.
Jane Awad tells me the casting for the new TV show went great and a decision on who is in could come as early as the next two weeks. Jane’s stoked to be competing and says the high fat, no carb diet has worked wonders for her. Her and her husband have been busy with their “Train with Jane” facility in Canada.
Felicia, Sonia, Huong and Jenn looking good!
Teresa Anthony is also competing in her first Olympia. When not eating Orange Roughy she seems to be enjoying the experience of Vegas. I caught up with “T” after a rather large, sweaty man seemed distraught. The gentleman was upset that the women were not included in the Press Conference. Teresa said she didn’t mind cause it was her first time at the Olympia. I assured her she missed out on nothing and it seems the fans are more upset than the competitors.
Bernadette Galvan looks stunning. She feels she’s found a good look for her physique after competing for months on end. Bernadette is a very friendly woman and looks great. Don’t be surprised if you see her compete in another show this year.
Jenn Gates has point blank never looked better. This little woman is spot on and she came to shake things up. One thing is for certain, nothing will be shaking on her this weekend. She has a glow about her this weekend and exudes a sense of confidence I’ve never seen from her. Don’t be surprised if the announcement of “Jennifer Gates” is higher than 3rd place.
Lenay Hernandez is a little Cuban spit fire who loves to bust my chops. Lenay will be a bit lighter than Houston, where she placed second, and is genuinely excited to be at the show. She still needs to work on her wide-grip pull-ups as she is only at 20. Kidding, this 25 year old beauty will be turning some heads this weekend.
Julie Ann Kulla also in her first Olympia is sporting a slightly darker hair color. Striking as always, Julie Ann is ready to take the stage and has high hopes for her first dance.
Jessica Paxson-Putnam looks hotter than ever. This blonde beauty turns heads every where she goes. Despite the challenges of her husband getting ready for Nationals, Jess has been able to focus on bringing her best to the stage. Definitely one of the few women who looks every bit as good on contest day as they do in the off-season.
Julie Palmer and I at Meet the Olympians.
Heather Armbrust is crabby and tired, which means she’s ready. Heather had a long line of fans throughout the Meet The Olympians. She’s definitely one to watch and could definitely shake things up today.
Jenn Hendershott is full of energy. SHOCKER! I know. Jenn tells me to shut my yap about her dancing too much and to wait till I see her routine this weekend.
Tracey Greenwood has never looked better. It must be those happy pills she’s taking because this girl is here to make some noise. I look for her to have her best Olympia placing this weekend.
Mindi O’Brien is ready to rock but tells me she re-injured her calf. She’s had to back off on her routines this past weekend as her calf has been bothering her since the Atlantic City. This girl is full of energy and I don’t see a silly calf holding her back.
Regiane Da Silva is nuts. This woman is straight up crazy and I love it. She will rock the routine rounds today and look for her to make a move into the top 6. She has more energy than a kid on a Halloween sugar binge.
Julie Palmer looks great and will undoubtedly be in the first call-outs for the physique rounds. She tells me that she’s left the monster props behind and the only thing she’ll use in her routine fit in her carry-on luggage. Julie could have her best Olympia placing here. She’s worked on her gymnastics since the Arnold and says she’s ready.
Thursday Thoughts…
“You can’t get much done in life if you only work on the days when you feel good.”
–Jerry West
Heath Heads South
One of the top NPC Figure competitors was absent from the stage this season. Erin “Cat Trapper” Heath was last seen at the Arnold Classic but we haven’t seen her on the competitive stage. I recently heard from Heath and asked her what was up. She tells me she will be moving to the south, most likely to Mississippi, due to her husband getting a job promotion.
Will we see her return to the stage? That’s yet to be determined but you can catch her this weekend working the Muscle Milk Booth at the Olympia.
Injury hits another IFBB Fitness Pro
One fitness competitor who was absent from the IFBB stage this year was Bridgette Murray. I caught up with Bridgette to see what she’d been up to and where the heck she’s been. She tells me she had planned to compete in the Europa Super show and the Atlantic City Pro but suffered an injury. Bridgette broke her foot one week from the Europa show which knocked her out for the season. She suffered the injury practicing her routine and recently got out of her cast. If that wasn’t troublesome enough for the fitness star she’ll have to undergo another surgery on her other foot in November for an old injury that didn’t heal properly.
Bridgette has plans to make a full recovery over the next few months and return to the fitness stage in 2009.
Bridgette at the 2007 Europa Super Show.
Shannon Meteraud Out but not Down
I heard from Shannon Meteraud today and she gave me the skinny on her status. She tells me, “I severely bruised my patella tendon plus fractured my tibia and have a partial tear of acl!” Shannon qualified for the Olympia in Houston where she made her return to the fitness stage. Due to the injury was forced to switch to figure in the Europa Super show and will unfortunately have to sit out the Olympia this year.
So does this mean retirement for Shannon?
“Nope not yet, I can’t retire after just one comeback fitness show. That’s lame,” says Shannon.
Look for her to make another return to the stage in 2009. Best wishes in the recovery!
Olympia Updates
The competitors are currently in their athlete’s meeting. They will be briefed on the weekend of events, receive their Olympia warm-ups and have their questions answered.
Jen Hendershott arrived this morning and said she is feeling great.
Tracey Greenwood tells me she has a new routine that isn’t like anything she’s done before. It will be something people won’t expect from her and feels ready to go. She said her practices have went well and is prepared for her best Olympia showing yet.
Rick and Julie Lohre touched down this morning and are in Vegas ready to go.
Jenn Gates arrived early this morning in Sin City and has been relaxing all day. She tells me she’s never felt better and it will definitely be the best she’s looked. Her training has involved more cardio, running stairs and inclines this year.
If anyone needs makeup for the bikini model search, competition, photo shoots or booth work… contact Laurie St. Michael. Laurie will be doing a number of the pros make up this weekend and will be helping me out on Sunday with a couple photo shoots.
Olympia Competitor Paola Almerico - Newest FLEX Bodyshop Profile
The newest issue of FLEX magazine features IFBB Figure Pro Paola Almerico on the cover as well as the Bodyshop Profile. Paola is set to make her Olympia debut this weekend. Congrats to Paola on the feature and the hot photos shot by Terry Goodlad. Fans can meet Paola at the Meet the Olympians on Thursday night.
Paola Almerico featured in the newest Flex magazine.
It’s about to be a Girl Fight!
Ron Avidan caught Desha Rodriquez and Sonia Adcock battling over who’s pink phone was the coolest. No word on who won the throwdown but you can see both of them at the GNC booth this weekend.
Desha and Sonia put up their dukes.
Desha tries a leg kick on Sonia.
Olympia Expo Map
Attending the Olympia Expo this year and wondering where to find a specific booth? Now you can with an interactive map and floor plan of the expo. Every booth is listed on the right side and shows you where in the expo hall it will be located. Check it out!
IRON SIRENS hits Mid-Ohio-Con 2008
Indie publisher JM Productions will have a booth at Mid-Ohio-Con 2008 showcasing their comic book Iron Sirens, which features the adventures and exploits of heroes and villains based on real competitors from the IFBB. The event will take place October 4-5, 2008 in Columbus, Ohio.
From MOC-BLOG:
Indie publisher JM Productions will have a booth at Mid-Ohio-Con 2008 showcasing their title Iron Sirens, a new comic book series featuring the adventures and exploits of heroes and villains based on real competitors from the IFBB. Appearing at the JM Productions booth will be the heroines of Iron Sirens issues 1, 2, and 3: Jenny Lynn, the two-time IFBB Figure Olympia champion and three-time IFBB Figure International champion, and Adela Garcia, the three-time IFBB Fitness Olympia champion and two-time IFBB Fitness International champion. Joining them will be the villains of Iron Sirens issues 2 and 3: Sonia Adcock, the 2007 IFBB Pittsburgh and California Pro Figure champion, and Jenn Gates, the 2007 IFBB Motor City Pro Figure champion and second place 2008 IFBB Figure International. All four women will be appearing in character as their comic book alter egos.
Jenn Gates showing her fierce side.
Jenny Lynn strikes a pose at the booth.
Jenny attempts to choke out Jenn.
A sketch of Jenn Gates’ character.
A sneak peak at one of the characters in issue #4
The first three issues are available for purchase here.
Heather Armbrust Heads to Vegas
Heather and Dylan Armbrust headed out this morning to Las Vegas. Dylan tells me Heather is ready and looking good. She’s looking to shake things up in the Ms. Olympia contest this year. Heather has taken the year off from competition and put the time to good use. Colorado could and most likely will have two top five competitors with Heather and Phil Heath.
More Olympia coverage here on hardbody.com throughout the week.
2008 Olympia Schedule of Events
Don’t miss any of the action this weekend in Vegas. If you’re unable to attend the event - visit Bodybuilding.com for the Webcast as well as videos that will be posted throughout the weekend.
Thursday: September 25
* 1:00 PM - Olympia Press Conference
* 7:00 PM - Meet the Olympians (VIP Ticketholders)
* 8:00 PM - Meet the Olympians (Open to public)
Friday: September 26
* 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM - Olympia Expo
* 11:00 AM - Women’s Judging: Fitness, Figure, Ms. Olympia
* 7:00 PM - Fitness Olympia Finals, Ms. Olympia Finals and Mr. Olympia Judging Orleans Arena
Webcast Coverage Begins At 6:30pm PT (9:30pm ET) - Watch Here!
• Mr. Olympia Pre-Judging
• Ms. Olympia Finals
• Fitness Olympia Finals
Saturday: September 27
* 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM - Olympia Expo
* 10:00 AM - Olympia Sport Martial Arts Championships - Judging
* 10:30 AM - Olympia: 202 Showdown
* 11:00 AM - Olympia’s Boot Camp Challenge
* 12:30 PM - Bodybuilding.com Supplement Awards
* 1:00 PM - FLEX Magazine’s Bikini Model Search - Finals
* 3:00 PM - Olympia’s Powerlifting Super Show
* 7:00 PM - Figure Olympia Finals and Mr. Olympia Finals
* 11:00 PM - Olympia Victory Gala
Webcast Coverage Begins At 6:30pm PT (9:30pm ET) - Watch Here!
• Mr. Olympia Finals
• Figure Olympia Finals
Sunday: September 28
* 11:00 AM - Olympia Superstar Seminar
Olympia Competitor Preview Photos Part 2
Yesterday you got a look at some a couple of the competitors in this weekend’s contest. Today you get a few more. Props go to JM Manion for the pics.
Kristal Richardson makes her way to the Olympia for the first time.
Defending Champ looks to retain her crown this weekend.
Nicole Wilkins will debut on the Olympia stage in Figure.
Kim showing the body that will most likely win the physique rounds.
Who will win the Figure Olympia?
We know there will be a new Fitness Olympia champ with Adela Garcia out but what about the figure? This year’s Figure Olympia is one of the most competitive line-ups in years. I’ll go so far as to say this is the most competitive line up since the inception of the figure. Who will win the title this year?
Can Jenny Lynn repeat as the champ? She’s had a full year off and adopted new training methods in her off-season. There’s a lot of momentum for Gina Aliotti going into this show. She was the Figure International Champ this year, but should be noted without Jenny Lynn in the lineup. She won the TOC last weekend and carries that win into this show. Jenn Gates is at her all-time best and won the Atlantic City show two weeks ago. Jenn will be much shorter than those she’ll get compared to but her tremendous shape will more than help her hold her own. Don’t forget about Mary Lado who won in Florida and looks to be on track for this show. Could someone else sneak in and upset all of these women? I don’t think so but never say never.
Will Jenny Lynn repeat as the Figure Olympia Champ?
Figure Olympia Final Competitor List:
1. Jelena Abbou, Serbia
2. Sonia Adcock, USA
3. Gina Aliotti, USA
4. Paola Almerico, USA
5. Teresa Anthony, USA
6. Huong Arcinas, USA
7. Jane Awad, Canada
8. Darlina Brown, USA
9. Heather Mae French, USA
10. Amy Fry, USA
11. Bernadette Galvan, USA
12. Jennifer Gates, USA
13. Lenay Hernandez, Cuba
14. Julie Ann Kulla, USA
15. Mary Elizabeth Lado, USA
16. Jenny Lynn, USA
17. Hazal Nelson, Turkey
18. Jessica Paxson-Putnam, USA
19. Zivile Raudoniene, Lithuania
20. Kristal Richardson, USA
21. Felicia Romero, USA
22. Chastity Slone, USA
23. Brenda Marie Smith, USA
24. Kristi Tauti, USA
25. Latisha Wilder, USA
26. Nicole Wilkins, USA
Fitness/Figure Reality Show?
Rumors have been circulating and lots of speculation on there being a reality show featured around fitness and figure competitors. There’s been a couple attempts at this in the past without much luck. I confirmed with IFBB Pro Jane Awad that there is in fact a show in the works. When I caught up with Jane she tells me that she is the co-executive producer for the show. It is with Warner Bros, Hand Picked Films and Destiny Productions. Casting will be taking place at the Olympia and eight lucky women will be chosen for the show.
The show is being tentatively called “Pumping Divas”. Once casting is complete, a pilot will be filmed. The final step in the process is selling the show to a network. Everyone involved has very high hopes because Tony Romano (a renowned filmmaker who produced movies such as “I Robot” and “Catch Me If You Can”), David Krieff and Mark Wolper of Warner Bros. Studios. If all goes as planned the show will be seen on a network in 2009.
** The casting call is not an open call. The participants have already been selected and it will be narrowed down from the ones invited to attend the casting. If the show is picked up there will be an opportunity for others in the future.
BodySpace Olympia Ticket Blowout
Calling all Bodybuilding.com BodySpace Members! Make sure to visit the Bodybuilding.com Booth at the 2008 Olympia Expo for your chance to receive FREE tickets to the Olympia Finals on Friday or Saturday night. All you have to do is print off a copy of your BodySpace account and bring it to the Bodybuilding.com booth.
If you haven’t made a BodySpace account yet, it’s not too late! Make one NOW by going to http://bodyspace.bodybuilding.com. We will be giving out a limited amount of tickets both Friday and Saturday at the Expo. Get there early so you don’t miss out!
Olympia Figure & Fitness Preview
These are only my opinions and have no bearing on the outcome of the show. Will I be right? Who knows. I’ll most likely be wrong on more than I am right. The only people happy with my predictions are the ones I have in first. If you’re not on the list or lower than you think don’t take it personally. I predicted Jenn Gates 4th at the Arnold earlier this year and she made me eat my words.
Do you agree with these predictions
News from Fitness Management Group
I received word from Fitness Management Group (FMG) that there were a number of things happening with their group.
Endorsement Contracts:
• IFBB Pro Felicia Romero signed a 2 year contract with German American Technologies (GAT).
• Defending Figure Olympia Champ, Jenny Lynn signed a 2 year contract with Ultimate Nutrition.
Recently signed to FMG:
• Julie Ann Kulla - She was signed after placing 2nd in the NYC Pro Figure. Look for Julie Ann to add a very exclusive members-only section to her website that will be photographed Olympia weekend.
• Kristin Nunn - She will be making her pro debut at the 2008 IFBB Sacramento Pro Figure.
• Jamie Marie Ford - She will also be making her pro debut at the 2008 IFBB Sacramento Pro Figure plus she will be preparing a members-only website that will be photographed Olympia weekend. Jamie & Julie Ann are scheduled to shoot at the same time. Could we see some hot photos of them together?
• Zivile Raudoniene - Like Julie Ann, she approached the company after winning the NYC Pro Figure & they came to an agreement and signed her.
Congratulations to FMG for adding a number of impressive women to their roster as well as to the women for picking up the new management.