Olympia 2025 Predictions

Welcome to the biggest week on the bodybuilding calendar, Olympia Week! A lot will do down this week as far as photoshoots and expos are concerned, but the main events will take place on Friday and Saturday as the best competitors of the year come together to see who is THE best of the best. And with this being the 60th anniversary of this event, ANYTHING and EVERYTHING can happen. As always, here's our predictions for the female categories as we will do top 5 and a wildcard.

Ms. Olympia

14 women will be competing for the top prize in the women's bodybuilding division, and to be honest with you, this looks like this is gonna be a battle for 2nd place as Andrea Shaw came in to the Rising Phoenix a few weeks ago looking downright unbeatable. Her biggest competitor Natalia Kovaleva was indeed bigger than Andrea at this event but Andrea's conditioning was too good to ignore. I see Andrea winning once again, which will make it her six straight Olympia title, tying the legendary Cory Everson. 2nd and 3rd is a tossup for me between Angela Yeo and Ashley Jones. Ashley had an awesome Ms. Olympia debut and I can see her as a future Ms. O but Yeo is no slouch either and I feel could potentially challenge Shaw as well. In what I feel will be a great rookie debut, I'm gonna give my 4th place spot to Melissa Teich. She looks RIDICULOUS and I feel could shake up the lineup. 5th place I'll go with Natalia Kovaleva. I have a feeling she is going to surpass her Rising Phoenix look big time. My wildcard is the 2025 Masters Ms. Olympia Tiana Flex. I expect the top masters women's bodybuilding competitor to pull out all the stops and find her way to the top 5 of the open division. But no matter what, Tiana will make history the second she steps on stage as she will be the first South African competitor EVER on the Olympia stage.

PREDICTIONS:

1. Andrea Shaw
2. Andrea Yeo
3. Ashley Jones
4. Melissa Teich
5. Natalia Kovaleva

Wildcard: Tiana Flex

All competitors (In order):

1. Alcione Santos Barreto 
2. Leyvina Barro
3. Nadia Capotosto
4. Chelsea Dion
5. Tiana Flex
6. Selyka Givan
7. Hunter Henderson
8. Ashley Lynnette Jones
9. Anastasia Korableva
10. Natalia Kovaleva
11. Martina Lopez
12. Andrea Shaw
13. Melissa Teich
14. Angela Yeo

Women's Physique Olympia

We have 18 women fighting for women's physique top honor. For a while, women's physique has been a two-women show between Sarah Villegas and Natalia Coelho, and for this year, I don't see that changing. Since 2019, they have been in the top 3 every year with them fighting for the top TWO spots since 2020. Sarah has gotten the better of Natalia every year except for 2022. One thing about Sarah, once she loses, she will fight like hell to make sure she doesn't do that again, which is a big reason for her success and I see her nabbing another title this weekend with Natalia falling to her once again. Should that be the case, Sarah will becoming the winninest Ms. Women's Physique Olympia ever, surpassing Juliana Malacarne, which just might close the women's physique GOAT case once and for all. The rest of the top 5 might be intriguing to you all. I'm gonna go with Zama Benta for 3rd, and the woman that pushed her to the brink at the Tampa Pro, Meghan Morrison (fka Santa Barbera) placing 4th (she might be the talk of the Olympia with her Amazonian height and weight, dwarfing the women's physique competitors...our one to watch over all the competitors regardless of division), with Barbara Menage rounding out the top 5. Our wildcard is Paula Ranta. Her social media has seen her put in INSANE work and I have a feeling she is going to do her best to make her presence known in Vegas.

PREDICTIONS:

1. Sarah Villegas
2. Natalia Coelho
3. Zama Benta
4. Meghan Morrison
5. Barbara Menage

Wildcard: Paula Ranta

All competitors (in order):

1. Natalia Abraham Coelho
2. Birgit Andersch
3. Elena Aviles Romero
4. Zama Benta
5. Sarah Crail
6. Julia Glazycheva
7. Sheronica Henton
8. Brittany Herrera
9. Amanda Machado
10. Robyn Mays
11. Barbara Menage
12. Meghan Morrison
13. Evon Pennington
14. Trisha Pollydore
15. Paula Ranta
16. Nana Silva
17. Karla Melissa Torres Cruz
18. Sarah Villegas

Fitness Olympia

11 women will fight for fitness's top prize and I'm very intrigued on how this one is gonna go down with no Missy Truscott, Whitney Jones, Oksana Grishina, and Ariel Khadr in the mix. Looking at the list, on paper, Jaclyn Baker seems to be the favorite to win at the reigning Miss Fitness International but Tamara Vahn has proven that she is fine wine in the fitness world. Jenny Worth is going into the Olympia as the reigning Masters Olympia Fitness Champion and would nothing more than to win the one title she's never won and cap off one of the greatest careers the fitness division has ever seen. Taylor Learmont might not be the biggest or most conditioned on stage, but she more than makes up for her with her routines, which may I remind you is 2/3rds of the overall score in fitness. Michelle Fredua-Mensah has been making serious strides in the fitness division with her physique and routines, so I easily see her in the top five. My wildcard for fitness goes to Amber Steffen. I could see her shaking up the top 5.

PREDICTIONS:

1. Jaclyn Baker
2. Tamara Vahn
3. Taylor Learmont
4. Michelle Fredua-Mensah
5. Jenny Worth

Wildcard: Amber Steffen

All competitors (in order):

1. Jaclyn Baker
2. Anna Fomina
3. Michelle Fredua-Mensah
4. Andrea Glass
5. Amy Hamilton
6. Allison Kramer
7. Taylor Learmont
8. Amber Steffen
9. Tamara Vahn
10. Jenny Worth
11. Jessica Zehr

Figure Olympia

OH BOY...this one is gonna be THE one to watch for the women...which is something I've not been able to say for the past eight years. That is NOT a diss to Cydney Gillion though. In fact, that is a testament to her dominance over the division for nearly a decade winning eight straight Olympia titles, solidifying her as arguably the greatest figure competitor of all time. The figure division is now in the post-Cydney era and it is WIDE OPEN. 28 women have a chance to write a new chapter in the figure division. Jessica Reyes Padilla, the defending Masters Figure Olympia champion, has been runner-up at the Olympia for the past three years, and with no Cydney to deal with hopes that 2025 is FINALLY the year she breaks through. But her new biggest threat to the title is a former FITNESS Olympia champion who looks to make history as the first-ever two division Olympia Champion. I'm talking about Missy Truscott. In her first two shows in figure since leaving the fitness division, she has smoked the competition and is looking to take the figure division by the throat and putting in in a chokehold much like she did in fitness. I see Lola Montez and Nicole Zenobia Graham taking 3rd and 4th while Denise Zwinger-Tynek, who I felt was the best international competitor in the figure division this year, rounds out the top 5. My wildcard for this one is the returning Sandra Grajales. She returned to the stage after many years away and didn't miss a beat, dare I say better than ever. Wouldn't surprise me one bit to see her get a high placing. Figure fans have been wanting a competitive Olympia for a while...and this year, you're finally gonna get your wish! 

PREDICTIONS:

1. Jessica Reyes Padilla
2. Missy Truscott
3. Lola Montex
4. Nicole Zenobia Graham
5. Denise Zwinger-Tynek

Wildcard: Sandra Grajales

All competitors (in order): 

1. Dorethane Agathina
2. Ayra Bahar
3. Kristina Bodnariuk
4. Anna Borin
5. Thais Cabrices Werner
6. Sherlyn Chee
7. Maria Diaz
8. Rhea Gayle
9. Rejoice Godwin
10. Nicole Zenobia Graham
11. Sandra Grajales
12. Nadine Claudia Huber
13. Sophie Jenkins
14. Manuella Lima
15. Tamera Malone
16. Lola Montez
17. Chelsea Mooney
18. Ericka Morgan
19. Adela Ondrejovicova
20. Lena Ramsteiner
21. Jessica Reyes Padilla
22. Taylor Santucci
23. Natalia Soltero
24. Missy Truscott
25. Aksana Yukhno
26. Helen Zavitsanou
27. Jennifer Zienert
28. Denise Zwinger-Tynek

Bikini Olympia

A staggering SIXTY EIGHT WOMEN will be fighting for this year's Bikini Olympia title. SIXTY EIGHT. Good Lord...that number is downright ridiculous for the biggest show of the year, and that is NOT a compliment. No wonder there are changes being made for the bikini divison (and a few others) because that is entirely too many people for one category. Many open shows don't have that many people competing with MULTIPLE divisions!!! Anywhos...back to the competition itself. Lauralie Chapados is aiming to defend her title and Ashley Kaltwasser is aiming to add another Olympia title to her already Hall-of-Fame worthy resume. Ashley is a 3-time Miss Bikini Olympia champion but she has not won the title since 2015. As much as I think Lauralie is gonna bring enough to repeat ac champion, I think Ashley could do just enough to win her first Olympia title in over a decade. She's not the winningest IFBB competitor of all time for nothing, you know. For 3rd place, I'm going with the current Bikini International Champion Vania Auguste, followed by Amiee Delgado in 4th and Jasmine Gonzalez in 5th. My wildcard is definitely a wildcard with the amount of women on here but I'll going to go with the 2022 Ms. Bikini Olympia Champion Maureen Blanquisco, who returned to the stage this year after taking 2024 off. 

PREDICTIONS:

1. Ashley Kaltwasser
2. Lauralie Chapados
3. Vania Auguste
4. Amiee Delgado
5. Jasmine Gonzalez

Wildcard: Maureen Blanquisco

All competitors (in order): 

1. Maria Acosta
2. Vania Auguste
3. Iulia Baba
4. Uyanga Bataa
5. Wu Bi
6. Liang Bin
7. Maureen Blanquisco
8. Jordan Brannon
9. Ariana Brothers
10. Nivea Campos
11. Kate Carroll
12. Lauralie Chapados
13. Xinyi Chen
14. Sara Choi
15. Lu Corzo Argentina
16. Taylor Crowell
17. Viktoria Csicsayova
18. Deanna Dang
19. Aimee Delgado
20. Wenjun Duan
21. Marie-Eve Duchesneau
22. Lawna Dunbar
23. Ivanna Escandar
24. Valeria Fedorenko
25. Jess Feeney
26. Brittany Gillespie
27. Jasmine Gonzalez
28. Gulsah Gorgulu
29. Tara Grier
30. Ashley Hampton
31. Kerryne Henich
32. Chantal Hill
33. Dahye Jeon
34. Adrianna Kaczmarek
35. Ashley Kaltwasser
36. Sally-Anne Kato
37. Nittaya Kongthun
38. Lauren Kralovec
39. Yume Kurokawa
40. Jourdanne Lee
41. Adair Libbrecht
42. Ashlyn Little
43. Jessica Liu
44. Alice Marchisio
45. Zsofia Molnar
46. Ndeye Ndour
47. Yurika Noda
48. Cristobalina Pajares Torres
49. Hye-Yeon Park
50. Ji Bin Park
51. Reyna Perez Mecalco
52. Sara Punzetti
53. Sharon Ramos
54. Lisa Reith
55. Alice Rocha
56. Lacy Rutland
57. Jil Meret Schmitz
58. Anna Setlak
59. Kerry Sexton
60. Eugenia Shatova
61. Li Shuai
62. Allison Testu
63. Patrizia Vaccaro
64. Ally Vatthauer
65. Savannah Watchman
66. Tianna Weymouth
67. Jessica Wilson
68. Mengru Zhang

Wellness Olympia

If it hasn't been obvious yet, this has become THE female division fans have been paying the most attention to these days, and can you blame them? The talent that has come through has been off-the-charts. But there is a big change for this year's event. Last year, Isabella Nunes shocked the world defeating previously unbeaten and inaugural Miss Wellness Olympia champion Francielle Mattos to win the title. As much as folks would love to see a rematch between them, that will have to wait as Francielle will not be competing this year, marking the first time since the Wellness Olympia was created that she will not be competing in this event. HOWEVER, we are going to get a rematch from earlier this year as the reigning Wellness International champion Eduarda Bezerra defeated Isabelle to win the Arnold crown and she would love nothing more than to do it again but this time capture the biggest title in wellness. I have a feeling Isabelle will be ready for Eduarda so I'm going to say AND STILL for Isabelle, but it won't be easy. For 3rd place, I'm going with an improved Rayane Fogal, who has seemingly nailed the wellness look, no longer looking like borderline figure anymore. For 4th place, I'm going to go with Shanique Grant, who (like Missy Truscott) has the opportunity to become a history-making two-division Olympia champion, with Kassandra Gillis rounding out the top 5. My wildcard for the wellness division is Tefani-Sam Genadi Razhi. The fact that Tefani was able to nail her look to win a pro show this year, when some say her look was TOO MUCH for the division, has me thinking she could shake things up. 

PREDICTIONS:

1. Isabelle Nunes
2. Eduarda Bezerra
3. Rayane Fogal
4. Shanique Grant
5. Kassandra Gillis

Wildcard: Tefani-Sam Genadi Razhi

All competitors (in order):

1. Elisa Alcantara
2. Emily Azzarello
3. Eduarda Bezerra
4. Karol Borrero
5. Leonida Ciobu
6. Jade Cristaldo
7. Klaudia Vanessza Csuri
8. Raeli Dias
9. Rayane Fogal
10. Kassandra Gillis
11. Shanique Grant
12. Michelle Ibata
13. Liza Kazanina
14. Valquiria Lopes
15. Camile Luz
16. Giselle Machado
17. Lisa Meiswinkel
18. Daniele Mendonca
19. Lilian Nava
20. Alexis Nicole
21. Isabelle Nunes
22. Maria Rita Penteado
23. Tefani-Sam Genadi Razhi
24. Rosemary Rodriguez
25. Alicia Romero
26. Nicole Salazar
27. Isamara Santos
28. Renata Soares Guaraciaba
29. Sina Maria Teresa
30. Danai Theodoropoulou

And there you have it...my Olympia predictions for this year. I've been hit and miss for the most past these past couple of years and I see this year being no exception. They all are special, but on paper, the fitness and figure divisions will definitely be the most much-anticipated as we are guaranteed new champions in both divisions. Everyone who is stepping on stage this weekend has earned that right to be on there, but only one in each division can call themselves THE ABSOUTE BEST IN THE WORLD. Who will it be? We will all find out this weekend! 

For all things Olympia (interviews, behind-the-scenes, webcast purchasing, etc.), go to https://www.olympiaproductions.com/.

Our 2022 Olympia Recap

Your 2022 Olympia Champions!
Photo credit: NPC News Online

Literally the largest Olympia in history has officially come and gone with new champions crowned and current ones retaining their crowns. Here’s my take on each division as well as who made the top 5 in each female category.

MS. OLYMPIA

Ever since the return of the Ms. Olympia competition in 2020, Andrea Shaw has proven that she is the new standard of women’s bodybuilding. This was no different this year as Andrea left Vegas as a 3x Champion, putting herself in dynasty mode with the likes of Cory Everson, Lenda Murray, and Iris Kyle. Outside of winning, Angela Yeo couldn’t have had a better Olympia debut, as she placed 2nd. I would not be suprised if Angela is the one to dethrone Andrea down the line…maybe as early as next year! Helle Trevino placed 3rd with her incredible physique. Margie Martin places 4th in her final show, and considering her career, that’s not a bad way to go being one of the top five female bodybuilders in the world. Branka Njegovec, who NO ONE (including yours truly) had in their predictions, rounded out the top 5.

Ms. Olympia Top 5:

1. Andrea Shaw
2. Angela Yeo
3. Helle Trevino
4. Margin Martin
5. Branka Njegovec

WOMEN’S PHYSIQUE OLYMPIA

“Be so good they can’t ignore you”. That’s one hell of a quote that is oh so true. After spending nearly half a decade being the bridesmaid at the Olympia, this year she FINALLY breaks through the glass ceiling and can finally add Women’s Physique Olympia champion to her incredible lists of accolades. She had to be perfect to win the title and it was clear from prejudging that she could not be denied any longer. Sarah Villegas, the now-former champion, was the talk of the town at the Olympia Press conference due to showing off her outstanding legs, and folks said that a third title was in the bag. But one day can change everything and that’s exactly what happened. Natalia was better in every way, shape, and form this year and it resulted in a new champion. But Sarah will NOT go down that easily, and I’m already awaiting a rematch between them in 2023. Brooke Walker finished 3rd once again, but came in with a better package and might disrupt Natalia and/or Sarah next year if she keeps this up. Barbara Menage (who many say should be a Masters Olympia favorite next year) placed 4th and Ivie Rhein rounded out the top 5.

Women’s Physique Olympia Top 5:

1. Natalia Abraham Coelho
2. Sarah Villegas 
3. Brooke Walker
4. Barbara Menage 
5. Ivie Rhein

FITNESS OLYMPIA

A new champion was guaranteed due to Whitney Jones sitting out due to health concerns. When Missy Truscott walked on stage during prejudging, it was made painfully clear that it was hers to lose. Missy was head and shoulders above everyone else this year. How appropriate that her routine was her being a shark smelling blood in the water. It was fitting as she walked away with her 2nd Fitness Olympia title in 3 years. Jaclyn Baker brought a much improved physique and routine which made her runner-up and her highest Olympia placement yet. Ariel Khadr, this year’s Fitness International Champion, placed 3rd with her Terminator routine and her physique, which was impressive but a bit softer than at the Arnold, which might have hurt her at the Olympia. Sarah Kovach placed 4th and rounding out the top five was Michelle Freda-Mensah in her Olympia debut, and capping off a huge first year for her as a pro.

Fitness Olympia Top 5:

1. Missy Truscott
2. Jaclyn Baker
3. Ariel Khadr
4. Sarah Kovach
5. Michelle Freda-Mensah

FIGURE OLYMPIA

Tell me if you’ve heard this before: “Cydney Gillon is Miss Figure Olympia.” Since 2017, she has won every Olympia. Her last loss came in 2018 at the Arnold Classic Australia, where she placed 2nd. At this point, the only two ways Cydney will lose the title is 1) she retires, making way for a new champion or 2) the person that can beat her has yet to step on an Olympia stage. But there is no denying that Cydney will go down as the greatest figure competitor of all time. Jessica Reyes Padilla, who had an amazing 2022, placed 2nd to cap off her big year. Lola Montez, who had a banner 2022 herself, made HUGE strides to place 3rd. Jossie Becerra placed 4th in her Olympia debut, and Natalia Soltero rounded out the top five.

Figure Olympia Top 5:

1. Cydney GIllon
2. Jessica Reyes Padilla
3. Lola Montez
4. Jossie Becerra
5. Natalia Soltero

BIKINI OLYMPIA

The one thing that’s for sure about the Bikini Olympia…is nothing’s for sure. In what to me was the surprise of the weekend, Maureen Blanquisco took home the Bikini Olympia title, ending a big year for her. Last year’s champ Jennifer Dorie would end up in the runner-up spot. Ashley Kaltwasser, while winning more shows than anyone in IFBB history hasn’t won the big one since 2015, will have to wait another year to capture the gold once again as she placed 3rd. Daraja Hill, who is quickly becoming a star in the bikini division, placed 4th and Lauralie Chapados, after placing runner-up last year, rounds out the top 5.

Bikini Olympia Top 5:

1. Maureen Blanquisco
2. Jennifer Dorie
3. Ashley Kaltwasser
4. Daraja Hill
5. Lauralie Chapados

WELLNESS OLYMPIA

Last year, Francielle Mattos made history by becoming the first-ever Miss Wellness Olympia. This year, with a even better physique, Francielle made sure she was the ONLY one who could call herself Miss Wellness Olympia as she successfully defended her title against a much bigger field of competitors. The first-ever Wellness International Champion Isabelle Nunes placed in the runner-up spot, meaning we will have to wait a bit longer for our first-ever Undisupted Wellness Champion (Arnold and Olympia in the same season) to be crowned. She switched places with Angela Borges, who placed 3rd this year after being the runner-up last year. Kassandra Gillis made a HUGE jump from last year right out of the top 10 (11th) to placing in the top five at number 4. Rounding out the top five was Rayane Santana, who many feel could be a future Wellness Olympia champion sooner rather than later. 

Wellness Olympia Top 5:

1. Francielle Mattos 
2. Isabelle Nunes 
3. Angela Borges 
4. Kassandra Gillis 
5. Rayane Santana

While the Olympia in Vegas brought back plenty of memories and nostalgia, next year’s event goes back to Orlando and it will take place the first week of November, so a bit earlier than this year. For everything Olympia, including photos and placings of ALL the competitors, go to https://www.mrolympia.com as well as the NPC News Online Olympia Recap.

2022 Olympia Predictions

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, ya filthy animals! This is the best time of the year…and no, I’m not just talking about the holidays…I’m talking about the Olympia, which is BACK in Vegas for the first time since the pandemic moved the event to Florida in 2020. This weekend, we will determine the best of the best of all divisions. To make it to this stage is vindication of you as a competitor. It shows that you are among the best in the world at what you do. 196 women will step on the biggest stage in bodybuilding, more than any time in HISTORY. Only 6 can call themselves THE absolute best. Below are my predictions on what I THINK will happen, and nothing more. Please remember that as you read through them. I picked my top six in each category as well as a dark horse (or two). Enjoy!

MS. OLYMPIA

21 women are in this year’s Ms. Olympia contest, including current champion Andrea Shaw. When the Ms. Olympia made its return in 2020, Andrea has represented what I feel most want women’s bodybuilding to be: incredible size, shape, and condition with plenty of feminine qualities, and Andrea has it all and then some. Margie Martin has shown that she is among one of the best in the world and has given Andrea a run for her money ever since the Ms. Olympia resurgence. Helle Trevino has wowed folks for quite some time and has what it takes to do it again. Angela Yeo has some of the biggest buzz I’ve seen for a pro female bodybuilder in some time and when you look at her, it’s not hard to see why. Theresa Ivancik has returned to bodybuilding after a stint in women’s physique and I feel she is in the right division for her, and she will show that this weekend. I also feel MayLa Ash is going to turn some heads as well with her incredible physique. For the Ms. O, I got Andrea remaining queen of bodybuilding and Margie as runner-up. For the rest of the top 6, I have Angela in 3rd, Helle in 4th, Theresa in 5th, and MayLa in 6th. My dark horse is Irene Anderson.

PREDICTIONS FOR 2022 MS. OLYMPIA:

1. Andrea Shaw
2. Margie Martin
3. Angela Yeo
4. Helle Trevino
5. Theresa Ivancik
6. MayLa Ash (Dark horse: Irene Anderson)

WOMEN’S PHYSIQUE OLYMPIA

24 women will compete for the honor of calling themselves the best women’s physique competitor in the world. Last year, Sarah Villegas proved that her win in 2020 over Shanique Grant was no fluke when she successfully retained her title. I know I shouldn’t beat against Sarah given her track record but this year’s crop of ladies is INSANE. Brooke Walker put folks on notice last year with a 3rd place finish. Anne Mohn is the current Arnold UK Champion and is looking incredible. Natalia Coelho has fought and fought and fought for the last few Olympias and would love to FINALLY taste Olympia gold rather than silver for the first time in her career. We finally get to see Ashley Jones make her much-anticipated Olympia debut and I feel that woman is gonna turn some heads this weekend. With that being said, I just don’t see Sarah giving up the title just yet, so I see a 3-peat in her future. I got Anne Mohn in the runner-up spot, followed by Ashley Jones in 3rd (yes, I have her that high for her first Olympia), then Natalia in 4th, Brooke in 5th, and Melissa Teich to round out the top six. My dark horse is Evon Pennington.

PREDICTIONS FOR 2022 WOMEN’S PHYSIQUE OLYMPIA:

1. Sarah Villegas
2. Anne Mohn
3. Ashley Jones
4. Natalia Coelho
5. Brooke Walker
6. Melissa Teich (Dark horse: Evon Pennington)

FITNESS OLYMPIA

At least one division will have a new champion as Whitney Jones will not be defending her title due to health issues she’s working on. She will be having other roles at the Olympia this weekend. 20 fitness women (as of this writing) are set to compete this weekend. To me this is going to come down to three ladies: current Fitness International Champion Ariel Khadr, and former Fitness Olympia Champions Missy Truscott and Oksana Grishina. All three come in with crazy physiques and insane routines that have wowed the crowd for quite some time. My pick to win goes to Ariel slightly because she has tasted winning one of the big ones in the form of the Fitness International title and she would love nothing more but to leave Vegas as the UNDISPUTED Queen of Fitness. Missy wants to come back with a vengeance after losing her title in 2021, but I feel she will be runner-up again…but it will be by a very slight margin. As far as the rest of the top 6, I have Oksana in 3rd, Tamara in 4th, Jaclyn in 5th, and Minna in 6th, with my dark horse being Sarah Kovach.

PREDICTIONS FOR 2022 FITNESS OLYMPIA:

1. Ariel Khadr
2. Missy Truscott 
3. Oksana Grishina
4. Tamara Vahn
5. Jaclyn Baker
6. Minna Pajulahti (Dark Horse: Sarah Kovach)

FIGURE OLYMPIA

39 women are set to compete for figure’s top prize, which for the last few years has been dominated by one woman…Cydney Gillon. Since 2017, Cydney has been the standard for the figure division. Last year, she arguably became the greatest figure competitor of all time by winning her fifth-straight title. She will look to continue to put herself in the history books by winning an sixth-straight Olympia title. VERY few have done that, but if anyone can do it, It’s her. HOWEVER…it won’t be easy. Jessica Reyes Padilla has had one of the most impressive winning records this year of any figure competitor, and to me will be the one woman that keeps Cydney from winning title number six. But big time players always show up in big time moments, hence why I’m going to give the notch to Cydney but barely. I have Jessica as runner-up, followed by Nicole Zenobia Graham in 3rd, Lola Montez in 4th, Natalia Soltero in 5th and Bojana rounding out the top six. I’m going to pick TWO dark horses for figure: Wendy Fortino (who has went a WHOLE new level this year) and Angelita Lopez (who I feel is going to shock many folks this weekend)

PREDICTIONS FOR 2022 FIGURE OLYMPIA:

1. Cydney Gillon
2. Jessica Reyes Padilla
3. Nicole Zenobia Graham
4. Lola Montez
5. Natalia Soltero
6. Bojana Vasiljevic (Dark horses: Wendy Fortino and Angelita Lopez)

BIKINI OLYMPIA

Bikini’s top honor will be contested by 54 women….54 WOMEN!!! BRUH! That’s a lot of women to judge in one division. EASILY the biggest category of the weekend, male or female. Last year, Jennifer Dorie won the Bikini Olympia for the first time in her career, and honestly…I don’t see her wanting to give it up that easily. But at the same time, I can see Ashley Kaltwasser (the most winningest champion in IFBB history) want to win the Olympia again (she hasn’t won it since 2015) to add to her impressive resume. And then there’s Erin Stern, who has made quite the amazing transition from figure star to bikini star who I feel has finally found her footing in bikini. Janet Layng would love to be Bikini Olympia champion once more. With that being said, I’m going go with Jennifer repeating, with Erin as the runner-up, then Ashley in 3rd, Janet in 4th, Elisa in 5th, and rounding out the top 6 with Daraja. My dark horse is India Paulino, a woman that is NO stranger to being a top bikini star.

PREDICTIONS FOR 2022 BIKINI OLYMPIA:

1. Jennifer Dorie
2. Erin Stern
3. Ashley Kaltwasser
4. Janet Layug
5. Elisa Pecini 
6. Daraja Hill (Dark horse: India Paulino)

WELLNESS OLYMPIA

Last year, history was made with the first-ever Wellness Olympia. This year, we have 38 women looking to add their name to the list…or technically 37 women to add their name to the list and only one to make sure she IS the list…the current champion Francielle Mattos. Once all the ladies made their Wellness walks last year, it was clear that Francielle would be the one to make history. She looks to keep it going this weekend as she has VASLEY improved on her physique, which some folks will say her winning again is a foregone conclusion. The first-ever Wellness International Champion Isabelle Nunes will have something to say about this, as she looks to become the first-ever Undisputed Wellness Queen (winning both the Arnold AND Olympia Wellness titles). Yarishna Ayala did not come in at her best at last year’s Olympia. I have a feel she will right that wrong and MAYBE witness her dream of becoming an Olympia champion. The Andrews sisters are going to bring it like very few can, especially Dr. Sunny, who has continued WOW fans all over. Jacqueline Rios and Rayane Fogal are two ladies that many folks say will turn the Wellness Olympia on its head should they come in. Kassandra Gillis has made an incredible transition from figure to wellness and has proven she belongs on the big stage. Amanda Burnett and Maria Paulette have made folks speechless with their social media content. I have a feeling that will translate well into the Olympia. I can’t front, this is a crapshoot for me to make predictions but here we go anyways: I have Isabelle winning the show, following by Francielle as runner-up, then Rayane in 3rd, Kassandra in 4th, Yarishna in 5th, and Dr. Sunny in 6th, with Maria Paulette as my dark horse. This is the category that I have the LEAST amount of confidence in picking, so please don’t place bets on this one. LOL.

PREDICTIONS FOR 2022 WELLNESS OLYMPIA:

1. Isabella Nunes
2. Francielle Mattos
3. Rayane Fogal de Souza Santana
4. Kassandra Gillis
5. Yarishna Ayala
6. Dr. Sunny Andrews (Dark horse: Maria Paulette Aranguren)

There you have it. My predictions for quite LITERALLY the biggest Olympia in history. We are in for a special weekend before Christmas, and Santa Claus is gonna give a few competitors a Christmas present they will never forget in the form of calling themselves Olympia Champions. To everyone in Vegas competing, good luck to you all! To everyone in Vegas that is competing or just there for the festivities, please be safe and have fun! For everything Olympia, including the full list of all competitors and how to order the PPV, go to https://www.mrolympia.com. Also make sure to follow our Instagram as we hope to have some exclusive content from various folks that will be in Vegas. 

2020 Olympia Predictions

We're here at last! 
Photo credit to the original owner

This year has been crazy, but somehow...someway, we are getting an Olympia. By the time this weekend is over, we will crown the best of the muscle world. Obviously, since this is a female muscle site, we will be focusing on the female muscle side of things. The big story without a doubt is the return of Ms. Olympia, but all the divisions are loaded. Will we see new champions crowned? Will returning favorites return to glory? Will any new faces shock the world? Chcck out our predictions on what many are calling the biggest Olympia...EVER. 

Women's Physique Olympia

For the last couple of years, Shanique Grant has dominated women's physique with an iron fist. Other than Juliana Malacarne, no one has owned the divison quite like Shanique. She might be on her way to being the best to ever do it, and a win this weekend will definitely strenthen her case as the GOAT. I feel Natalia Coelho is in the same boat as Shanique but is not talked about NEARLY enough despite being a 2x (and current) Women's Physique International Champion, but I'll in a future blog post after the holidays. Sarah suprised me with her runner-up placing last year, which she will do her best to show everyone that that runner-up placing was no fluke and she's legit. Valentina brings a great physique at the biggest shows and after what she felt was a disappointment in an earlier show this year, she will look to rebound from it with a big showing at the biggest show of the year. Rulying Bian brought an incredibe physique in Arizona, and I think she will carry that momentum to Orlando in her Olympia debut. Tanya Chartrand came from the same group of competitors as Shanique and Natalia in crossing over from figure to women's physique and having immediate success. I think with a full year of women's physique training under her belt, Tanya is going to do SERIOUS damage in the women's physique division, and we will get a nice taste of that at this year's O. As far as a wildcard is concerned, I'm going to go with Laura Richards on this one. I feel she has what it takes to crack the top 6 if she comes in nicely. 

WOMEN'S PHYSIQUE OLYMPIA TOP 6 PREDICTIONS AND WILDCARD:

1. Shanique Grant
2. Natalia Coelho
3. Sarah Villegas
4. Valentina Mishina
5. Rulying Bian
6. Tanya Chartrand
WILDCARD Laura Richards

Fitness Olympia

There have been stacked line-ups, and honestly, I feel this is the most stacked Fitness Olympia lineup EVER, and this is despite not having Adela Garcia in the mix. She was originally scheduled to come out of retirement, however she didn't feel she was up to par with how she wanted to present herself, the fitness division, and the IFBB as a whole. With that being said, she opted to hold off on coming out of retirement for now, be we hope to see her return at some point. It doesn't make this year's event any less epic, though. Whitney Jones, the defending champion, is in for the defesne of her career and one of the rare times I will call her an underdog. The fact that I feel she's an underdog this year speaks volumnes on the competition she has this year. Ariel Khadr is under new training and is coming in crazier than ever before in her career. Missy Truscott has been WOWing folks with that many are calling her best physique ever (and that's saying something considering she has brought one of the best physiques in the fitness division the last few years) and she has promised a routine that is going to WOW the audience this year. If they both click like they have in the past, we could see a new champion. And oh yeah...OKSANA FREAKING GRISHINA IS BAAAAAAACCCCCCK!!!! From 2014-2017, she ran the fitness diviison with an iron fist, with many considering the best pure athlete to ever compete in the fitness division. Her routines were works of art, and there's no telling how she's going to grace us in her return, but if it's anything like her previous performances...we are in for a SHOW this weekend! I see Tiffany Chandler and Derina Wilson having Top 6 perforamces with my wildcard being Minna Pajulahti. 

FITNESS OLYMPIA TOP 6 PREDICTIONS AND WILDCARD:

1. Missy Truscott
2. Oksana Grishina
3. Whitney Jones
4. Ariel Khadr
5. Tiffany Chandler
6. Derina Wilson
WILDCARD: Minna Pajulahti

Figure Olympia

History is on the line for the current Figure Olympia champion Cydney Gillon. She currently has 3 titles. If she wins this weekend, she will tie with Nicole Wilkins, who has the most Figure Olympia titles with four. If Cydney wins, it's time to put her in the conversation of GOAT in the figure division. But it won't be easy. Latorya Watts is a former Miss Figure Olympia in her own right and she looked she could have potentially beatedn Cydney last year. Nadia has showned that she is just a big of a threat to a major title as anyone and I can see her right in the mix. Bojana is another one who is hard to ignore and I feel she has one of the best shapes of any woman in the figure division. I personally don't know what else she needs to do to get over the hump but I think if she continues to bring it, it's going to be downright impossible to ignore her. Jessica is in the same boat to me as Bojana in terms of shape and conditioning. Jessica has that hard-to-ignore look about her that has made her a top figure competitor. BTW, how cool would it be to be crowned Miss Figure Olympia ON HER BIRTHDAY?! (Yes, her birthday is the same day as this year's Figure Olympia). I also see the current Figure International champion Natalia Soltero making some noise in this year's event. The rest of the field looks pretty awesome, but the newcomer I have my eye on is Samantha Jerring. She has developed quite the following for a couple of years and in one weekend, she competed for a pro card and won the right to compete in the Olympia. She might be new to the States as a competitor (her first show in the United States will be the freaking Olympia) but her physique could be too good to ignore. We predict Samantha is going to be someone folks are gonna talk about a LOT when this weekend is over. 

FIGURE OLYMPIA TOP 6 PREDICTIONS AND WILDCARD:

1. Cydney Gillon
2. Latorya Watts
3. Nadia Wyatt
4. Bojana Vasiljevic
5. Jessica Reyes Padilla
6. Natalia Soltero
WILDCARD: Samantha Jerring

Bikini Olympia

This division is never easy to predict for me. It definitely wasn't until Ashley Kaltwasser became champion in 2013. She would go on a 3-year winning streak until she was dethroned by Courtney King in 2016. Angelica Teixeria would win the title in 2017 and 2018 and Elisa Pecini won last year. Three of the last four champions are competing which right there makes one of the toughest divisions to judges even tougher. And oh yeah...this is without a doubt the biggest line-up in ANY division this year. There was nearly 45 QUALIFIED competitors, which is more than double of most other divisions! Now, you can argue that is a BIG too many for the most prestigious show of the year, but we'll talk about that another day if anyone wishes to hear about it. But it doesn't change the fact that this is a deep division that is one of the hardest to judge. The crowning of this year's champion is very important because of the imcoming Wellness Olympia next year, so the look of the Bikini Olympia needs to remain as far apart of the inargual Wellness Olympia look as possible. I know Elisa is the defending champion, but Ashley has been on an absoulte hot streak this year, officially cementing herself as the most winningest bikini champion of all time. Despite it being a bit since she's won the Bikini Olympia title, I'm going with Ashley to win her first Bikini Olympia title since 2015, followed by Elisa, Angelica, Janet, Jennifer R., and Monica. And honestly, I'm just choosing at random for  a wild card here, so I'm going with Jennifer Dorie.

BIKINI OLYMPIA TOP 6 PREDICTIONS AND WILDCARD:

1. Ashley Kaltwasser
2. Elisa Pecini
3. Angelica Teixeira
4. Janet Layug
5. Jennifer Ronzitti
6. Monica Ellis
WILD CARD: Jennifer Dorie

Ms. Olympia

We have not has a Ms. Olympia since 2014, which is a damn shame in our book because this was the reason there are even any female Olympias in the first place in any division. But with new ownership, a big wrong was righted and the Ms. Olympia is finally back, as we will embark on a new era in the sport with the crowning of the first Ms. Olympia since 2014. I have no idea what direction they are going to go with as far as who will be the new face of women's bodybuilding, but my guess will be that it will be someone who has done well in shows post-2014 like Margie Martin and Helle Trevino. Yaxeni Oriquen is a former Ms. Olympia so that automatically makes her an instant contender. Iris Kyle is arguably the most dominating female bodybuilder of all time with 10 Ms. Olympia titles (2004, 2006-2014). That ALONE makes her a favorite to kick off the new era as Ms. Olympia. However, I feel they will go with a different look to kick off the new era and it HAS been a minute since Iris has stepped on stage, otherwise I would have her winning this weekend. (Same reason why I don't have Oksana winning the Fitness Olympia as well). With that being said, I'm doing with Margie Martin to usher in the new era of women's bodybuilding as the new Ms. Olympia with Iris taking 2nd place, followed by Helle, Monique, Asha, and Andrea, with Theresa as my wildcard. Either way, the real winners this weekend are fans of women's bodybuilding because the Ms. Olympia competition is BACK! Now we need to get the Ms. International to return in 2021. Your move, Arnold...

MS. OLYMPIA TOP 6 PREDICTIONS AND WILD CARD:

1. Margie Martin
2. Iris Kyle
3. Helle Trevino
4. Monique Jones
5. Asha Hadley
6. Andrea Shaw
WILDCARD: Theresa Ivancik

This weekend will be one to remember for so many reasons, and you can view it all via pay-per-view. Go to OlympiaProductions.com for more on how to order the PPV, which you can watch on any device, as well as watch some free content from this weekend. To everyone that was able to get this together despite how this year has went, my hats off to all of you. To everyone that is competing and were able to get it done despite how this year has went, my hats off to you as well. Here to one hell of a weekend for everyone, whether you are in Orlando or watching from the comforts of home. 

2020 Olympia: The Show WILL Go On!

Well...you all know what's going on in the world right now, so I don't need to speak on it no more than I need to. So all I'll speak on is how the Olympia will be done this year with everything that is going on right now.

This Monday, it was announced that the Olympia WILL be a go, and it will happen December 16-20. Yes, you heard that correct, folks. The Olympia is taking place during the holidays! But that's not the only big change happening for the Olympia. Beginning this year, it will be move from the Las Vegas Convention Center to Planet Hollywood right in the center of the Las Vegas Strip. That is MASSIVE because Las Vegas is the city that never sleeps (outside of right now, obviously) and to move it to the center of the Strip puts more eyes on it than ever before, and it gives more of a fan-friendly feel to it, which is something that Jake Wood, the new owner of the Olympia, wanted to go: give the Olympia back to the fans as best as he can, and these changes (and more to come in the months ahead) seem to indicate just that. Tickets for all the Olympia festivities will go on sale May 25th (Memorial Day). If you have purchased Olympia tickets prior to the changes, you should receive a full refund. If you haven't, make sure to check with Ticketmaster. No, your previous purchase will NOT be transferred over to the new dates/locations. You must purchase new tickets when they go on sale May 25th.

With the new dates and location established...now lies the following: When is the last day to qualify for the Olympia and what shows are even taking place this year?! Today, NPC News Online announced that Sunday October 18th will be the last day to qualify for the Olympia. Here's a list of all the competitions that are set to go on to qualify for the 2020 Olympia:

Women's Bodybuilding (BTW, so glad Ms. Olympia is BACK!!!)

2020 IFBB MR. BIG EVOLUTION PRO WOMEN'S BODYBUILDING on 07/12/20 in Lisbon, Portugal
2020 IFBB OMAHA PRO WOMEN'S BODYBUILDING on 7/18/2020 in Omaha, Nebraska
2020 WINGS OF STRENGTH IFBB PRO LEAGUE YAMAMOTO NUTRITION CUP TAMPA WOMEN'S BODYBUILDING in 07-31/08-01/2020 on Tampa, Florida
2020 IFBB SAVANNAH PRO WOMEN'S BODYBUILDING on 8/29/2020 in Savannah, Georgia
2020 WINGS OF STRENGTH IFBB PRO LEAGUE YAMAMOTO NUTRITION PUERTO RICO WOMEN'S BODYBUILDING on 8/29/2020 in San Juan, Puerto Rico
2020 IFBB NEW YORK PRO WOMEN'S BODYBUILDING on 9/5/2020 in Teaneck, New Jersey
2020 IFBB PITTSBURGH MASTERS WOMEN'S BODYBUILDING Over 35 on 09/02-05/2020 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
2020 IFBB PRO LEAGUE WINGS OF STRENGTH RISING PHOENIX WOMEN'S BODYBUILDING on 9/5/2020 in Phoenix, Arizona
2020 IFBB EVLS PRAGUE PRO WOMEN'S BODYBUILDING on 9/26/2020 in Czech Republic
2020 IFBB PRO LEAGUE WINGS OF STRENGTH CHICAGO PRO WOMEN'S BODYBUILDING on 10/16-17/20 in Chicago, Illinois

Women's Fitness

2020 WINGS OF STRENGTH IFBB PRO LEAGUE YAMAMOTO NUTRITION CUP TAMPA FITNESS on 07-31/08-01/2020 in Tampa, Florida
2020 WINGS OF STRENGTH IFBB PRO LEAGUE YAMAMOTO NUTRITION PUERTO RICO FITNESS on 8/29/2020 in San Juan, Puerto Rico
2020 IFBB PRO LEAGUE WINGS OF STRENGTH ARIZONA PRO FITNESS on 9/5/2020 in Phoenix, Arizona
2020 IFBB PRO LEAGUE BEN WEIDER NATURAL PRO FITNESS on 9/19/2020 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
2020 IFBB PRO FITNESS on 10/10/2020 in Atlanta, Georgia
2020 IFBB PRO LEAGUE WINGS OF STRENGTH CHICAGO PRO FITNESS on 10/16-17/20 in Chicago, Illinois

Women's Figure

2020 IFBB ZHANNA ROTAR CLASSIC PRO FIGURE on 7/18/2020 in Los Angeles, California
2020 WINGS OF STRENGTH IFBB PRO LEAGUE YAMAMOTO NUTRITION CUP TAMPA FIGURE on 07/31-08/01/2020 in Tampa, Florida
2020 IFBB MONSTERZYM KOREA PRO FIGURE on 08-22-23/2020 in South Korea
2020 IFBB SAVANNAH PRO FIGURE on 8/29/2020 in Savannah, Georgia
2020 WINGS OF STRENGTH IFBB PRO LEAGUE YAMAMOTO NUTRITION PUERTO RICO FIGURE on 8/29/2020 in San Juan, Puerto Rico
2020 IFBB PITTSBURGH MASTERS FIGURE on 09/02-05/2020 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
2020 IFBB PRO LEAGUE WINGS OF STRENGTH ARIZONA PRO FIGURE on 9/5/2020 in Phoenix, Arizona
2020 IFBB NEW YORK PRO FIGURE on 9/5/2020 in Teaneck, New Jersey
2020 IFBB PRO LEAGUE BEN WEIDER NATURAL PRO FIGURE on 9/19/2020 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
2020 IFBB PRO LEAGUE KY MUSCLE FIGURE OPEN on 09/19/20 in Louisville, Kentucky
2020 IFBB TITANS PRO FIGURE on 10/3/2020 in San Diego, California
2020 IFBB BATTLE IN THE DESERT PRO FIGURE on 10/03/20 in Las Vegas, Nevada
2020 IFBB PRO FIGURE on 10/10/2020 in Atlanta, Georgia
2020 IFBB MONSTERZYM PRO FIGURE on 10/10/20 in Seoul, South Korea
2020 IFBB PRO LEAGUE WINGS OF STRENGTH CHICAGO PRO FIGURE on 10/16-17/20 in Chicago, Illinois

Women's Bikini

2020 IFBB BATTLE AT THE FALLS PRO BIKINI on 5/9/2020 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota
2020 IFBB PATRIOTS CHALLENGE BIKINI on 7/11/2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada
2020 IFBB NORTHERN CALIFORNIA PRO BIKINI on 07/11/20 in Sacramento, California
2020 IFBB VANCOUVER PRO BIKINI on 07/11-12/20 in Vancouver, Canada
2020 IFBB WASATCH WARRIOR PRO BIKINI on 7/11/2020 in Salt Lake City, Utah
2020 IFBB MR. BIG EVOLUTION PRO BIKINI on 07/12/20 in Lisbon, Portugal Sandra Ferreira
2020 WINGS OF STRENGTH IFBB PRO LEAGUE YAMAMOTO NUTRITION CUP TAMPA BIKINI on 07/31-08/01/2020 in Tampa, Florida T
2020 IFBB MUSCLECONTEST BRAZIL BIKINI on 8/1/2020 in Sao Paulo, Brazil
2020 IFBB BRITISH PRO BIKINI on 8/2/2020 in Watford, United Kingdom
2020 WINGS OF STRENGTH IFBB PRO LEAGUE YAMAMOTO NUTRTIION SAN ANTONIO PRO BIKINI on 8/8/2020 in San Antonio, Texas
2020 IFBB PACIFIC USA XXII BIKINI on 8/8/2020 in San Diego, California
2020 TAHOE PRO BIKINI on 8/8/2020
2020 IFBB GOLDEN STATE PRO BIKINI on 08/22/20 in Sacramento, California
2020 IFBB WORLD KLASH PRO BIKINI on 8/22/2020 in Port Charlotte, FL
2020 IFBB MONSTERZYM KOREA PRO BIKINI on 08/22-23/2020 in South Korea
2020 IFBB OPTIMUM CLASSIC PRO BIKINI OPEN on 08/29/20 in Shreveport, Louisiana
2020 WINGS OF STRENGTH IFBB PRO LEAGUE YAMAMOTO NUTRITION PUERTO RICO BIKINI on 8/29/2020 in San Juan, Puerto Rico
2020 IFBB PITTSBURGH MASTERS BIKINI on 09/02-05/2020 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
2020 IFBB PRO LEAGUE WINGS OF STRENGTH ARIZONA PRO BIKINI on 9/5/2020 in Phoenix, Arizona
2020 IFBB NEW YORK PRO BIKINI on 9/5/2020 in Teaneck, New Jersey
2020 WINGS OF STRENGTH IFBB PRO LEAGUE HOT SPOT TANNING HURRICANE PRO BIKINI on 9/19/2020 in St. Petersburg, Florida
2020 IFBB PRO LEAGUE BEN WEIDER NATURAL PRO BIKINI on 9/19/2020 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
2020 ASIAN GRAND PRIX PRO BIKINI on 9/20/2020 in Seoul, Korea
2020 IFBB EVLS PRAGUE PRO BIKINI on 9/26/2020 in Czech Republic
2020 IFBB MUSCLECONTEST VIETNAM BIKINI on 9/26/2020 in Vietnam
2020 IFBB POWERHOUSE CLASSIC PRO BIKINI on 9/26/20 in Ypsilanti, Michigan
2020 IFBB MUSCLECONTEST PHILIPPINES BIKINI on 10/3/2020 in Subic Bay, Philippines
2020 IFBB MINNEAPOLIS OPEN BIKINI on 10/3/2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota
2020 IFBB PRO BIKINI on 10/10/2020 in Atlanta, Georgia
2020 IFBB MONSTERZYM PRO BIKINI on 10/10/20 in Seoul, South Korea
2020 IFBB PRO LEAGUE WINGS OF STRENGTH CHICAGO PRO BIKINI on 10/16-17/20 in Chicago, Illinois
2020 AUCKLAND PRO BIKINI on 10/17/2020 in Auckland, New Zealand
2020 IFBB SACRAMENTO PRO BIKINI on 10/17/20 in Sacramento, California
2020 IFBB FITPARADE PRO BIKINI on 10/18/2020 in Budapest, Hungary

(WOW...on the final weekend of Olympia qualifying there will be four shows for the bikini division! SHEESH!)

Women's Physique

2020 IFBB OMAHA PRO WOMEN'S PHYSIQUE on 7/18/2020 in Omaha, Nebraska
2020 IFBB PRESTIGE CRYSTAL CUP PRO WOMEN'S PHYSIQUE on 7/25/2020 in Boca Raton, Florida
2020 WINGS OF STRENGTH IFBB PRO LEAGUE YAMAMOTO NUTRITION CUP TAMPA WOMEN'S PHYSIQUE on 07-31/08-01/2020 in Tampa, Florida
2020 IFBB EUROPA PHOENIX PRO WOMEN'S PHYSIQUE on 08/08-09/2020 in Phoenix, Arizona
2020 IFBB OPTIMUM CLASSIC PRO WOMEN'S PHYSIQUE Open on 08/29/20 in Shreveport, Louisiana
2020 WINGS OF STRENGTH IFBB PRO LEAGUE YAMAMOTO NUTRITION PUERTO RICO WOMEN'S PHYSIQUE on 8/29/2020 in San Juan, Puerto Rico
2020 IFBB PITTSBURGH MASTERS WOMEN'S PHYSIQUE on 09/02-05/2020 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
2020 IFBB PRO LEAGUE WINGS OF STRENGTH ARIZONA PRO WOMEN'S PHYSIQUE on 9/5/2020 in Phoenix, Arizona
2020 IFBB PRO LEAGUE BEN WEIDER NATURAL PRO WOMEN'S PHYSIQUE on 9/19/2020 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
2020 IFBB PRO WOMEN'S PHYSIQUE on 10/10/2020 in Atlanta, Georgia
2020 IFBB PRO LEAGUE WINGS OF STRENGTH CHICAGO PRO WOMEN'S PHYSIQUE on 10/16-17/2020 in Chicago, Illinois

To view all shows past the Olympia qualification dates, including the first official pro wellness shows (they will not be represented at the Olympia this year), check out the PDF here: http://www.ifbbpro.com/wp-content/uploads/image/2020/calendar/calendar.pdf. For the 2020 Olympia Qualification Systems rules, check them out at http://www.ifbbpro.com/all-categories/news/2020-olympia-qualification-system-2/. If you want to see who has already qualified for the Olympia and is on their way to qualifying, check out the current rankings at http://www.ifbbpro.com/all-categories/oqs/2020-olympia-qualified-athletes-and-point-standings/.

I do want to mention that things can change at anytime so be weary of that. However, I do find it good that the IFBB has worked their butts off to try and get a competition season going for the athletes during one of the most unprecedented times in our world's history. To all of you competing, good luck to you all. To those waiting it out on competing until 2021, FitGems Nation fully respect your decision as well. It has been quite the year for everyone. To all of you out there...STAY SAFE AND USE SOME COMMON SENSE NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO. Take care, everyone!

For more on the Olympia including tickets and the latest up-to-date information, check out their website at https://mrolympia.com/.

2018 Olympia Predictions

It's here. The Olympia has arrived!
Credit to the original owner

Super Bowl.
NBA Finals.
Stanley Cup Finals.
World Series.
Wrestlemania.

You haven't "made it" until you have competed in the biggest event of your profession. This weekend, the best physique athletes in the world compete in the Super Bowl of bodybuilding, The Olympia. Usually people have a good idea of who exactly will take home the titles but this year, there is a lot of mystery, especially with Oksana Grishina retiring from competing in fitness and Juliana Malacarne not defending her title this year. While this hasn't been brought up more than it has, but Nicole Wilkins for the first time in years will NOT be stepping on stage as well. Regaine Da Silva, a top fitness competitor, is also not competing at the Olympia this year.

Women's Physique Olympia
The world was shocked when Juliana Malacarne, arguably the greatest women's physique competitor of all time, decided a few weeks ago that she would not be defending her title at the Olympia, meaning we are guaranteed a new champion. Her reasons for not competing are very respectable, and as we mentioned, the direction of this division will be decided by who will walk away with the title this weekend. As of now, it seems to look like two women are the front-runners for becoming the next Ms. Physique Olympia: Shanique Grant and Natalia Coelho. Shanique will be entering her first Olympia, but this is her third time qualifying for the event. She was set to compete in 2016 but thugs not only cost her to be on the shelf for a while, but were close to ending her life. She also qualified to compete last year but she had to step out due to eye issues, thus delaying her Olympia debut. Now after winning this year's Physique International and no other obstacles in her way, she is set to make her much-anticipated Olympia debut and a huge favorite to win the biggest title in the industry. Many say it's already won...and it would be true, if Natalia wasn't competing. Natalia, like Shanique, is a competitor that has no equal. This will be her third Olympia but her first as a women's physique competitor. Mere weeks after competing at the Olympia in figure, she decided to do women's physique (with no training specifically for the division) and SMOKED the competition on the word go, qualifying her for this year's Physique Olympia event. In fact, the only contest she lost as a women's physique competitor thus far has been when she faced Shanique at the Physique International earlier this year (she placed 2nd in a close race). I'll be honest with you all, there are two showdowns here: Shanique vs Natalia for who will be the next champ and who will be runner-up, and everyone else fighting for the rest of the spots. The rest of the field is definitely not bad, it's just that Shanique and Natalia are just too damn good right now, and they have yet to reach their peak as competitors. PONDER ON THAT.

MY TOP SIX PREDICTIONS AND DARK HORSE:
1. Shanique Grant
2. Natalia Coelho
(You can easily flip these two. That's how close it will be)
3. Jennifer Taylor
4. Michalea Aycock
5. Melissa Pearo
6. Autumn Swansen
DARK HORSE: Penpraghai Tiangngok

Fitness Olympia
This is one division where, to me, there is no ONE clear-cut favorite at all, as Oksana has retired from competing. First, you got Myriam Capes, who will be entering her 10th Olympia (yes her TENTH appearance at the big one!) and will be looking to secure her spot at the best fitness competitor on the planet. She has already secured her spot at the best Canadian fitness competitor of all time with over 40 shows (which includes multiple Arnolds and Olympias) but I think she would want the Best in the World title just a bit more. Then you have Bethany Wagner, who has one of the best physiques in the fitness division as well some very entertaining routines. Ariel Khadr is considered a prodigy who has honed her physique to match (and at times surpass) her more-experienced competitors and her routines have been the highlight of many shows, and she plans on unveiling a new one this year that I'm pretty sure will steal the show, if her past routines are any indication. Jenny Worth will be returning to the Olympia stage for the first time since 2003, and she is looking better than ever before. Over the last couple of years, she has shown that she's still got it, and how big will this be to see her return to the biggest stage in the industry in nearly FIFTEEN YEARS and win it?! Kate Errington shocked the world earlier this year by coming out of nowhere and placing 2nd at the Fitness International and following that up with winning the Arnold Australia Fitness title. And speaking of the Fitness International...what about Whitney Freaking Jones, ladies and gentleman?! She won the Fitness International title practically on one leg (torn ACL/MCL) after coming back from neck fusion surgery. If you don't have her as a threat, you're crazy. The fact that someone is about to win their first Fitness Olympia title this year is gonna make the fitness division must-see this weekend. Hold on to your hats, folks, and get ready to see why competitive fitness is more alive than ever before.

MY TOP SIX PREDICTIONS AND DARK HORSE:
1. Myriam Capes
2. Whitney Jones
3. Kate Errington
4. Bethany Wagner
5. Ariel Khadr
6. Jennifer Worth
DARK HORSE: Missy Farrell

Figure Olympia
For the last couple of years, this division has been run by three women: Candice Lewis-Carter, Latorya Watts, and the current champion Cydney Gillon. This year, things are gonna be significantly different as Latorya will be at the Olympia but she will not be competing due to medical issues. She is hoping to return to the stage at some point next year. Also not competing is 4x Figure Olympia Champion Nicole Wilkins, who decided to take the entire year off of competing on stage to focus on competing in triathlons. One would assume that it will be a two-person battle between current champion Cydney and Candice, who many consider to the best to not (as of yet) win the biggest championship in pro figure. But Heather Dees MIGHT have something to say about that. Heather has come into her own over the last couple of years and has been the only woman to currently give the three ladies a run for their money. From what I have seen, I definitely see a top three finish for Heather. Ivana Ivusic is another one who is coming into her own as a competitor and could be a force to be reckoned with this weekend. Bojana (your choice for Figure Competitor of the Year) has impeccable shape and will fighting for a top 5 spot. Two newcomers I'm definitely think will turn some heads at the Olympia will be Alexia Sullivan and Felisha Livezey. Those two women have legs for days with some of the best conditioning, shape, and size I've seen on figure competitor in quite some time barring Tina Nguyen(Another one being Stacy Fujarski, who I predict will step on the Olympia stage sometime next year). And it we truly want to focus on shape, I feel Wendy Fortino SHOULD be in the top ten, but I'm not too sure how her lack of size (in comparison of most competitors) will pan out on the sport's biggest stage.

MY TOP SIX PREDICTIONS AND DARK HORSE:
1. Cydney Gillon
2. Candice Lewis-Carter
3. Heather Dees
4. Bojana Vasiljevic
5. Ivana Ivusic
6. Maria Baeza Diaz
DARK HORSE: Alexia Sullivan


Bikini Olympia
Angelica Teixeria is one of the best young athletes in the bikini division and will look to repeat as champion this weekend. Everyone that placed in the top 5 last yeat will be back to do better than they did with Angelica being the exception, as she wants to leave Vegas as a two-time champion. But two returning competitors are going to give all five of these ladies a run for their money. First up, India Paulino. After missing the Olympia stage last year due to motherhood, she has returned right where she left off, being a top star in the bikini scene and looking to win her first-ever Bikini Olympia title. Also returning is arguably THE greatest bikini competitor of all time, Ashley Kaltwasser. A 3x Bikini Olympia, she returned to the stage after taking some time off last year and is more dominant than ever before, winning all her shows that she entered in this year. While Angelica is an amazing competitor, with how India and Ashley have been able to return better than they were before, Angelica has got to be at her all-time best if she is to retain her title this weekend...and even then, I'm not sure it will be enough to stop them.

MY TOP SIX PREDICTIONS AND DARK HORSE:
1. Ashley Kaltwasser
2. Angelica Teixeria
3. India Paulino
4. Jennifer Ronzitti
5. Romina Basualdo
6. Narmin Assria
DARK HORSE: Stacy McCloud

So there you have it, my predictions for what I think will go down this weekend at the biggest show of the year for this industry. The way things have went down this year, there's a good chance that my predictions will look like garbage compared to the actual results, but honestly, I wouldn't mind that one bit. Unpredictability in life, especially in this industry, is a good and necessary thing. Competition is a great thing. And with at the very least two new champions being crowned, new stars making their debuts, and returning stars aiming to return to top form, we might be in for one of the most exciting and thrilling Olympia weekends in recent memory, at least on the female side of things. We at FitGems Nation wish every single competitor the best of luck and hope all of them bring their A-game!

This year iHerb will be sponsoring the Olympia webcast, and like it's been for the last several years, it's FREE to watch! Go to https://iherb.com/olympia for the webcast and times to watch the events. To see the list of everyone competing, go to http://www.ifbbpro.com/events/2018-joe-weiders-fitness-performance-weekend/.

2012 Olympia, From the Judges' Table

On the NPC News Online website, the IFBB Women's Head Judge for the Olympia posted critiques of the top six in each of the divisions. After reading them do you agree?

Ms. Olympia

Fitness Olympia

Figure Olympia

Bikini Olympia

As I've mentioned sometime before, I think it's nice to see the NPC/IFBB post their critiques of the top competitors after a show. It gives competitors something to look at and study to make them better competitors. Will everyone agree? No, of course not, but that's the nature of the beast. This is a SUBJECTIVE sport, and honestly, when it comes to competing, you are only competing against yourself when you think about it. You can't control how others look, but you damn sure can control how YOU look.

To judge for yourself and see photos of the top six from each division, as well as every other competitor from the Olympia, go to http://www.npcnewsonline.com.

Bodybuilding.com to Provide Free 2012 Olympia Webcast

Not everyone can make it to Las Vegas for the Olympia, so Bodybuilding.com will once again provide the Olympia for free via webcast on their site. This has been done ever since 2006 (that year, it was a paid webcast. It became free the following year), and with the way viewing on the Internet has change since then (iPhone, iPad, Android, tablet), you can pretty much watch the Olympia from pratically any internet-enabled device you want to.

2011 Olympia Champions. Who will successfully retain their title in 2012?
Photo credit: Mr. Olympia website

Here's the press release from Bodybuilding.com:

Boise, ID – August 24, 2012 – Bodybuilding.com, the Internet’s most-visited bodybuilding and fitness site and largest online retailer of nutritional supplements, will once again offer a free worldwide webcast of Joe Weider’s 2012 Olympia Weekend, presented by MuscleTech.

With one of the best lineups of athletes in the contest’s 46-year history and more than $1 million in prize money, the 2012 Olympia is a must-see event. Thanks to the live webcast, everyone can tune in!

Bodybuilding.com will webcast live September 28-29, 2012, from the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada beginning at 6:30 p.m. Pacific Time (9:30 ET) both Friday and Saturday nights.

The webcast kicks off Friday with an insightful pre-show discussion from industry expert Dr. Layne Norton and veteran bodybuilding commentator Larry Pepe. Training experts Neil Hill and Kris Gethin will also make cameo appearances to provide additional insight and commentary.

The competition begins with the beautiful ladies, featuring: Fitness Olympia, Ms. Olympia, and Bikini Olympia finals, followed by the Mr. Olympia Open Judging round.

Co-hosts Carla Sanchez (professional IFBB Fitness competitor and coach) and Dina Al-Sabah (professional IFBB Figure & Bikini Competitor and fitness model) will announce the women’s competitions.

The winners of the 2012 Bodybuilding.com Supplement Awards (24 different awards, including Brand of the Year, Supplement of the Year, etc.) will be announced during the webcasts. The Bodybuilding.com Supplement Awards have set the standard for recognition of the best products and brands in the fitness and supplement industry for the past eight years.

On Saturday, September 29th, the webcast coverage will culminate with bodybuilding’s biggest annual show: The Mr. Olympia Finals. Reigning champion Phil Heath will battle to defend his title against fierce challengers, including the formidable Kai Greene and the reigning Arnold Classic Champion, Branch Warren.

The Saturday coverage will also include the beautifully sculpted women of the Figure Olympia and the men’s 212 Showdown (men’s bodybuilding lighter weight division).

Stay tuned for details and more 2012 Olympia Weekend coverage available soon at Bodybuilding.com!

Bodybuilding.com offers more than 13,000+ health & fitness supplements and accessories to help more than 10 million people every month achieve their health, fitness and appearance goals, as well as more than 35,000 pages of FREE information, including more than 20,000 articles and videos, expert online trainers, and new content added daily!

With this being the first Olympia under the new guidelines (Olympia Qualification Series), expect history to be made in all of the divisions. This could make things very tough for Adela Garcia, Nicole Nagrani, Nicole Wilkins, and Iris Kyle in their title defenses. Who do YOU think will walk out with Olympia immortality next month? For those that can't be there live, the next best thing will be the free Bodybuilding.com webcast! 

Olympia Qualification Series Announced

Just announced today, the IFBB is launching an Olympia Qualification Series! What the heck is that, you ask? Take a look at this:

PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, March 13, 2012 - The IFBB Pro League, in conjunction with Joe Weider’s Olympia Weekend, announced the creation of the IFBB Pro Olympia Qualification Series, a points-based system that will help determine qualifiers for all six IFBB Pro Olympia divisions.


The IFBB Pro Olympia Qualification Series will award points to competitors placing in the top 2 to 5 of all Pro League events. At the end of the Olympia qualifying season, the five (5) competitors with the highest points totals in the IFBB Pro Olympia Qualification Series will qualify to compete at Olympia Weekend.

Since the winner of each competition automatically qualifies, no points will be awarded for first place. Additionally, competitors placing in the top 5 at the Olympia automatically qualify for the following year.

The IFBB Pro Olympia Qualification Series will be effective immediately, and point totals for all 2012 contests will be included.


“We think this is a great way to expand the number of Olympia qualifiers beyond those who win contests and to build excitement for all IFBB Pro League events throughout the course of the year,” IFBB Pro League Chairman Jim Manion said. “It ensures that the best of the best will be competing on the Olympia stage.”


Points and qualifications in the IFBB Pro Olympia Qualification Series will be awarded as follows:


TIER 1 – ARNOLD CLASSIC
2nd – 8 Points
3rd – 7 Points
4th – 6 Points
5th – 5 Points

TIER 2 – SHERU CLASSIC, ARNOLD CLASSIC EUROPE
2nd – 6 Points
3rd – 5 Points
4th – 4 Points
5th – 3 Points

TIER 3 – NEW YORK PRO
2nd – 5 Points
3rd – 4 Points
4th – 3 Points
5th – 2 Points

TIER 4 – ALL OTHER IFBB PRO LEAGUE COMPETITIONS
2nd – 4 Points
3rd – 3 Points
4th – 2 Points
5th – 1 Point

To view the IFBB Pro Olympia Qualification Series standings, as well as the current qualifiers for Olympia weekend, click on the links below.

Men’s Bodybuilding 

212 Showdown
Women’s Bodybuilding
Figure
Fitness
Bikini
Any questions regarding IFBB Pro Olympia Qualification Series should be directed to the Olympia office via email at rchang@weiderpub.com.

Source: http://npcnewsonline.com/olympia-qualification-series-announced/9768/

Seriously...how freaking awesome is this!! This is effective immediately, so the importance of doing well in the St. Louis Pro and Australian Pro this weekend (as well as the remaining contest of 2012) just went up a BIG notch just like that. I have a feeling there's gonna be a few more competitors entering contests now with this new qualification series. Kudos to the IFBB on getting this together.
 

New Olympia Qualifications for 2012 and Beyond

For those unaware, the 2012 Olympia is aiming to be more elite with some new changes. Here's the official IFBB Advisory Notice on Olympia qualifications, beginning next year:

Photo credit: IFBB Pro

When you stop to think about it, it's a great way to make the Olympia more special then it already is. Yes, this does mean there will be LESS competitors on the Olympia stage from this point forward, but the Olympia is supposed to represent the absolute BEST of this industry, right? I have no problem with it. Besides, For those divisions that might lack a few competitors, invites could be issued. So placing in the top 3 in ANY competition is still important, as it can do a long way in possibly seeing yourself on the Olympia stage beginning next year and the years to come. Also, there's men's and women's physique that's going to be part of the Olympia soon. The rest of this year's shows are NOT affected by this rule. This will take place at the start of the 2012 season.

What are YOUR thoughts on the new Olympia qualifications? Post your responses below or send us a tweet to our Twitter at FitGemsNation.

2011 Olympia Webcast Details

The good folks at Bodybuilding.com will once again be providing a free webcast of the Olympia, taking place this weekend. Here's the direct link to the Olympia webcast:

http://streaming.bodybuilding.com/2011-olympia-webcast/

Mr Olympia prejudging, Ms Olympia Finals, Fitness Olympia Finals & Bikini Olympia Finals will take place on Friday evening. with the finals of Mr Olympia & Figure Olympia taking place on Saturday evening.Women's prejudging will not be live via Webcast, however the prejudging is usually taped by Bodybuilding.com, so they will probably post the video a few days after the Olympia has concluded.