This is a big win for Jones, perhaps as big as her 2021 Texas Pro win. Jones now looks forward to the Olympia to see how she will compare with the best of the best. It was Isamara Santos’ superb physique that landed her the win in this division. After just turning pro last year with her win of the 2021 NPC Worldwide Empro Classic, Santos has a bright future ahead of her. Jessica Wilson racked up the win in part to her amazing shape and stage presence.
The average time that goes into a contest prep is three months – all for three minutes of glory in front of the fans and judges. Whether they win or lose, they then walk offstage and start the process over again, or they try to take advantage of other opportunities that are ahead. With three competitions in one, this two-day show gives away over $77,000 in prize money. Competitors who are competing at the highest level of their sport are also eligible to enter. Going into the event, many fans had their eyes on Peter Castella. Castella competed at the 2021 Indy Pro and turned in an 11th place performance.
Earning a qualification to Olympia as a result of this victory, he placed second at the Kentucky Muscle Pro before placing 16th at 2021 Olympia. Ronnie Coleman won the Mr. Olympia competition eight consecutive times, tying the record set by Lee Haney. Coleman, nicknamed “The King”, is widely regarded as the greatest bodybuilder in Olympia history and began the mass monster era. Coleman came in fourth place and announced his retirement from competition, ending one of the biggest rivalries in the competition’s history. Fourteen Women’s Physique athletes from nine states and one competitor from China will pose side by side with Schnaidt while having the same goal she does – winning and moving on to the Olympia.
Schwarzenegger (who was supposedly training for his “Conan” movie) had been a late entry into the competition, and his competitors did not know of his intentions to compete. Several athletes vowed to boycott the contest the following year, and Mentzer retired for good. There are a total of 13 athletes competing at the Chicago Pro in the Men’s Open division this weekend. Canada’s Antoine Vaillant is back in action after placing second to Iain Valliere at the 2022 Vancouver Pro.
As the clock ticks, Sgt. David Hamptonfurr prepares to take the stage; he lifts weights and eats his last rice cake to pump up his muscles before making his professional debut. Competitor’s must have reached their 35th/40th/50th/60th or 70th birthday by date of show and must provide proof of age with a birth certificate, driver’s license or state ID. Those competing in the Teen Men category must have reached their 13th birthday, but not their 20th birthday by date of show. To compete in the Novice Men & Women categories, athletes cannot have won their class at a previous NPC contest. NPC athletes competing the Men’s Classic Physique category must meet the NPC specific height and weight requirements. Tommy Clark is a well-known figure in the IFBB’s Classic Physique division.
The top three finishers will also move on to the Olympia at the end of the season. Antoine Valliant won gold at the end of the competition, earning him an entry to the Olympics later this year. Muzi brought his greatest package to the Toronto Pro Supershow a week later and finished third. Muzi has been busy this year, finishing second at the 2022 Mr. Big Evolution show in Portugal. Muzi will almost certainly qualify for Olympia if he continues to rack up points by placing high at numerous shows. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies.
Burton had been a 212 competitor early in his young career, but he also opted to jump into Open shows this year. Even though Vaillant was the clear winner, the judges had Burton as the solid second-place finisher in both rounds of judging. That means he could beat 30 or even 40 pounds heavier competitors. If he chooses to jump into another Open show, the other athletes know he’s a true contender.
This event is open to all athletes, ages 18 and up, who are currently competing in their first or second division of the NPC National Bodybuilding and Fitness Championship. Fred Smalls’ what does 300 grams of protein look like big jump from 4th to 2nd was followed by Atoyan’s even bigger leap from 10th to 4th in a week’s time. This event was rookie An Nguyen’s debut in a pro bodybuilding contest.