HARDBODY News & Updates

Individual shots of the Ms. Olympia competitors are featured on IFBBpro.com.

Ms. Olympia - Iris Kyle

The fitness routines are always the most challenging and enjoyable to shoot. The Olympia presents a challenge when shooting the routines. The press pit is at a bit of a distance, which isn’t a huge issue until the routines go to the floor. The seasoned vets to this stage know to move to the front of the stage, where the best light is. The routines that get the most photographic coverage are those that are not on the ground and towards the front of the stage. The stage is elevated and when the routines are performed on the ground the photographers can only see the top of the competitor’s heads. That’s while you’ll see some routines have more images than others.

My favorite shot of the weekend is the one of Tanji Johnson in mid-air. Sometimes shots are perfectly framed and you’re able to capture the movement at the right time. It doesn’t happen often but these are the times that make photographing fun.

Tanji Johnson mid-flight at the Olympia.

Olympia champ, Jen Hendershott is also fun to shoot as she flies so high, she’s often out of the frame. As you shoot the competitors more, you learn who does what and how high they fly.

Jen Flying high at the Olympia.

Check out all the fitness routine photos on bodybuilding.com.

Check out the one and two piece photos on IFBBpro.com. J.M. Manion delivers photos from the Olympia prejudging.

Jen Hendershott - 2008 Ms. Fitness Olympia

IFBBpro.com has posted individual shots of the figure competitors. The shots come via JM Manion for both rounds.

Jen Gates & others in One Piece Round.

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

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)

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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!

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.

Check out the Olympia Preview on bodybuilding.com.

I caught up with the shortest competitor in the Figure Olympia… Huong Arcinas. Don’t let her height fool you though. Despite being 4′10″ and taking the stage at a whopping 94lbs, she more than holds her own. Yes, you read it right Huong tips the scales at 94lbs when she is on stage. This weekend’s Olympia will mark her sixth pro show of the year. This mother of two has battled her way into the top five and narrowly missed the Olympia until last Saturday. When I asked her how she continues to compete for so many show she told me, “I love to compete and I do it because I enjoy it. I don’t like when girls talk bad about the shows. Do it and have fun or don’t do it at all.” Good advice for most anything you choose to participate in. Huong’s goal for the Olympia is to finish in the top half of the pack but is truly happy to be going. She says, “there are so many beautiful girls who are competing and I’m happy to be on stage with them.”

Good Luck Huong and great job of showing persistence pays off.

A number of Olympia competitors have stopped by JM Manion’s studio for photo shoots. Here’s a sneak peak at some of the competitors you’ll see onstage this weekend. Check back tomorrow for more photos of other competitors…

Mary Lado looks to be in winning shape.

Gina looking to knock out the champ this week.

Felicia has sights on continuing her win streak.

Sonia’s exotic looks and new look proving to suit her well.

Ms Fitness Olympia is the only title Kim Scheideler has yet to notch in her impressive pro resume. She’s won the Fitness International two years in a row and has been the bridesmaid in the Olympia three years in a row. Will she keep her winning streak alive and make it two for two in show outings this year? Many feel it is a two person race between her and Jen Hendershott. The reigning champ Adela Garcia will be watching from the sidelines this year with an injury. This leaves the door open for a new champ in 2008.

Kim with her family backstage at the Arnold Classic.

Name: Kim Scheideler
Height: 5′ 2 1/2″

Olympia History:
2003 - 11th place
2004 - 4th place
2005, 2006, & 2007 - 2nd place

Who besides Jen Hendershott has a chance at the title? And don’t say everyone.
I’m sorry to say but it can be anyone. Whoever has the best overall package will be the winner and you never know who will look the best until the day of the show.

What are three reasons why you’ll be the next Fitness Olympia?
I don’t know of 3 reasons why I should be the next Fitness Olympia but I know that I work hard and all I do is my best and if my best is the day of the show than I will be the next Fitness Olympian. My goals were to win the Fitness International, which I have done 2 years in a row, and to win the Fitness Olympia. So this is my last goal to accomplish.

Has your personal life made it a distraction for this show or helped you focus more?
It has helped and it has hurt me. I have many ups and downs in my life right now which at times makes me push harder and than at times make it much harder to continue. So I am only doing my best with the situations I’m in.

What can we expect to see different from the Arnold out of you?
I’m hoping to look the same, physique wise but I have a new music and new routine that is just packed.

Any chance of you retiring if you win the O this year?
I have always taken one show at a time. So I will make that decision after the Olympia.

Thanks Kim and Good Luck this weekend.

Bodybuilding.com has announced the return of celebrity host Kim Lyons.  A former IFBB Fitness Professional, Lyons spent two seasons on the NBC hit show “The Biggest Loser” and has recently joined the Dr. Phil Show as a resident personal trainer.  Webcast Coordinator Dan Solomon explains, “Kim has emerged as one of the fitness community’s most high profile personalities. Through all of her success, she remains loyal to her IFBB family.  Kim’s talent and professionalism will add a great deal to the overall production.”

Kim Lyons, Russ DeLuca and Gunter backstage at the ‘07 Olympia.

Tune in on Friday and Saturday (6:30pm PT) as MuscleTech Presents Joe Weider’s 2008 Olympia Weekend – brought to you by Bodybuilding.com, the exclusive home of the Olympia worldwide webcast. For more information, visit www.Bodybuilding.com.

Check out some of the sizzling shots of IFBB Pro Nicole Wilkins. One of the best in the fitness photography biz, Terry Goodlad, has posted a few photos of the young super star on bodysport.com. Nicole will be heading into her first Olympia next week. She’s competing in the loaded figure division. Personally, I’d like to see in the fitness portion of the show as I think she has the makings of being one of the next super stars. I’ll catch up with her more next week and get the inside scoop on her future plans.

Nicole Wilkins sunning it up. Photo By Terry Goodlad.

Check out what Jen Hendershott and Tanji Johnson had to say when I put them on the spot with a few questions. The two showed some personality and a little bit of sarcasm along the way. Who does Tanji think the better dancer is… her or Jen? Check out the preview and interviews on FLEXonline.com.

It’s going to be a dance off next week.

IFBB Fitness star Julie Lohre checked in and shared a few photos days out from the Olympia. The photos below are from two weeks out. As you can see Julie will be in shape for the Fitness showdown.

Julie Lohre two weeks out.

Julie’s ready to rock two weeks out.

Julie has has some time off since last competing in the Arnold and will be bringing a new routine to the Olympia stage. She’s been keeping plenty busy by holding posing clinics and mock competitions. The photos below are from one of these clinics, which also include outdoor workouts. Julie tells me the camp had nearly 20 women in the last one.

Julie keeps a watchful eye on the group.

I asked Julie how she was feeling and she shared, “I am really feeling good about the Olympia and am in better condition (bodycomp/leaness) now than I was the day of the Arnold and 2 lbs heavier. It looks like the heavy back & leg training I did in the off season worked. My routines are ready and they will be harder than anything I have done before. I have to say, I am really looking forward to this show!”

Julie fine tunes things before heading to Vegas.

Good Luck Julie and we’ll be ready for the new routines. Look for Julie to be a contender for the top spot next week in Vegas.

There will be a few new faces on this year’s Figure Olympia stage. I caught up with two of the rookies today. Lenay Hernandez celebrated her birthday yesterday, well it was her birthday but will be celebrating in Vegas next week. The Florida beauty tells me she still can’t believe she is going to the Olympia and can’t wait. Her energy is hard to match, this little spit-fire is nothing but positive vibes and she’s a breath of fresh air to the line up. Lenay tells me she is, “I’m now a quarter of a century!” HA! All 25 years of her will be hitting the stage with one of the biggest smiles in Vegas.

Another rookie who is stoked to be going to the big show is Teresa Anthony. Teresa tells me she is ready and can’t wait to take the stage. She’ll be packing her bags this weekend and making the trip from the East Coast for her first Olympia. Teresa is also having trouble with the reality of going to the Olympia - not in a bad way but is still in shock she’ll be on the biggest figure stage soon.

Watch out for both of these rookies. They have killer physiques and will undoubtedly place higher than some of the veterans. I can see them both in the top 10 without much question. Good luck to both!