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/.
Friday, May 15, 2020
Friday, May 1, 2020
One Door Closes, Another Opens...Shine at Home Series Update and YouTube Annoucement
A couple of weeks ago, we attempted to launch a series called the Shine at Home Series, where we would give our account to female fitness personalities to do as they please. Two weeks ago, we were able to pull it off with IFBB Figure Pro Silvia Henry with great results. Last week, we tried to do it with NPC Nationally Qualified Figure Competitor Andrea Villalobos and things did NOT work out like we hoped. Too many technical issues on my end as far as Instagram goes. After thinking long and hard about this, I did not want to put anyone else through it so unfortunately I have decided to discontinue the Shine at Home Series on Instagram. But this did let me ponder on what I could do next. We are in crazy times right now, and I want to make FitGems Nation as active as I can during all of this.
For whatever reason, I remembered that in the very early days of FitGems Nation, I launched a Youtube channel (https://www.youtube.com/user/FitGemsNation). The channel only has four videos (a Skype interview I did with Diana Stanbeck and two mini-interviews I did with Nicole Duncan and Towanda Smith when I attended Wrestlemania 27) and I didn't fix it up in any way, shape, or form. I just posted the videos and went about my day. Remember..this was during the heydays of FitGems Nation.
A few days ago, I decided to fix it up and not let my channel look so plain. Not only did I updated the logo from the old school one to the current one, but I made playlists highlighting different aspects of the fitness world, including photoshoots, contests, interviews, and more, and of course made sure to have all the social media links on there. With that being said...I want to propose this to all of you: I want to make this channel a channel for YOU, as in I want to post YOUR content on here. If you have any videos you want on our channel (contest, photoshoots, behind-the-scenes, fun stuff, etc.) we will gladly host your material on our YouTube channel for free. I don't plan on monotenizeing it as I never created FitGems Nation for the money. This channel will be for exposure of your own brand.
If you would like to have your videos featured on our YouTube channel or have any questions about our channel and what we are doing, email us at fitgemsnation@gmail.com.
For whatever reason, I remembered that in the very early days of FitGems Nation, I launched a Youtube channel (https://www.youtube.com/user/FitGemsNation). The channel only has four videos (a Skype interview I did with Diana Stanbeck and two mini-interviews I did with Nicole Duncan and Towanda Smith when I attended Wrestlemania 27) and I didn't fix it up in any way, shape, or form. I just posted the videos and went about my day. Remember..this was during the heydays of FitGems Nation.
A few days ago, I decided to fix it up and not let my channel look so plain. Not only did I updated the logo from the old school one to the current one, but I made playlists highlighting different aspects of the fitness world, including photoshoots, contests, interviews, and more, and of course made sure to have all the social media links on there. With that being said...I want to propose this to all of you: I want to make this channel a channel for YOU, as in I want to post YOUR content on here. If you have any videos you want on our channel (contest, photoshoots, behind-the-scenes, fun stuff, etc.) we will gladly host your material on our YouTube channel for free. I don't plan on monotenizeing it as I never created FitGems Nation for the money. This channel will be for exposure of your own brand.
If you would like to have your videos featured on our YouTube channel or have any questions about our channel and what we are doing, email us at fitgemsnation@gmail.com.
Thursday, March 19, 2020
Trish Stratus: Stratusfaction Guaranteed
March 19, 2000
The world was introduced to a woman from Toronto, Ontario, Canada that would go on to change a profession forever. Her real name is Patricia Anne Stratigias, but the world knows her better as Trish Stratus.
Before WWE came a-knocking on her door, she was a renowned fitness model that was featured on many magazines, including American Muscle, MuscleMag International, and Oxygen Magazine. With her blonde hair, Hollywood looks, and toned figure, she had a look that emulated comic book heroines and in some ways put many comic book heroines to shame. In fact, Trish mentioned in various interviews that she was aiming for the comic book look during her days as a fitness model. Needless to say, she succeeded. Her look was attainable to many women, especially those who thought lifting would make them look like Arnold Schwarzenegger. However, her fitness career might have never happened if it wasn't for a strike at York University, where she studied biology and kinesiology and played soccer and field hockey. Because of the strike, she had to do something else, so she ended up working as a receptionist at a local gym. It was then when she was approached to do a test shoot for MuscleMag International. They liked it so much that she ended up on the cover of their May 1998 issue and was signed to a two-year contract. For the next six months, she worked on her body and transformed it into a literal work of art, showcasing an athletic, strong yet feminine body, landing her numerous magazine covers in the process. Even before joining WWE, she wasn't all just looks as she joined Big Daddy Donnie & Jeff Marek as the third host of Live Audio Wrestling on Toronto Sports Radio, The FAN 590. This was right up her alley being a wrestling fan evern since childhood, idolizing Hulk Hogan and "Macho Man" Randy Savage among others. Her modeling work caught the attention of WWE (then known as the WWF). In November 1999, she was signed to a multi-year contract with WWE. She trained with Ron Huchison at Sully's Gym, long before there was such a thing as the WWE Performance Center. Four months after signing her contract, she made her official television debut on Sunday Night Heat, scouting Test and Prince Albert and would form the stable known at T & A the following night on Raw.
While many saw this woman with a perfect body, very few knew that she wanted to be more than just that. While she spent most of 2000 and some of 2001 as a manager to Test, Albert, and Val Venus, she would eventually leave the manageral spotlight and begin to carve her name as a wrestler. During that time, women's wrestling was NOT taken as serious by the fans yet Trish didn't give up. She worked her ass off to show the fans that women could kick ass just as well as the guys could, and be sexy when they HAD to be and when they WANTED to be. It took some time, but eventually folks started to appreciate Trish for what she could do in the ring. However, the various photoshoots WWE had outside the ring definitely made sure people knew that Trish could bring the sexiness outside the ring just as well as she could bring the skills IN the ring. At Survivor Series 2001, Trish would go on to win the then-vacant WWE Women's Championship in a Six-Pack Challenge, which featured Jazz, Might Molly and fellow Hall-of-Famers Ivory, Jacqueline, and her bestie Lita. When Trish got done in WWE, she would go on to become a 7x WWE Women's Champion (a record that would stand for years until Charlotte Flair came around) and a one-time WWE Hardcore champion. She would acquired more accolades in her career, including Diva of the Decade, being the youngest female WWE Hall-of-Famer ever, being the first female Cauliflower Alley Club Iron Mike Award winner, and this summer will be inducted into the George/Lou Threz Professional Wrestling Hall-of-Famer by becoming the first female wrestler to receive the Lou Thesz Award.
Trish could have had a very good career with her looks alone and no one would have thought differently of her. Instead, she challenged the status quo and ushered her own STRATUS QUO and helped changed so much about the world: from how female athletes are viewed, how women's wrestling is looked at, how women with muscles are viewed...and all three for the better. Now, is there work to be done in all three? Definitely. But we have come so far from where we were back in Trish's arrival and we are still moving in the right direction. While her wrestling days are behind her, we know that Trish will continue to set an example for so many people around the world as a mother and a fitness icon. How much of an guarantee are we giving this?! How about 100% STRATUSFACTION GUARANTEED?! Doesn't get any better than that!
For more on Trish, make sure to follow her on her social media accounts:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trishstratuscom
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/trishstratuscom
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trishstratuscom
And make sure to check out her website at https://www.trishstratus.com
The world was introduced to a woman from Toronto, Ontario, Canada that would go on to change a profession forever. Her real name is Patricia Anne Stratigias, but the world knows her better as Trish Stratus.
 |
| March 19, 2000...the night Trish Stratus graced us with her presence Photo credit: WWE.com |
Before WWE came a-knocking on her door, she was a renowned fitness model that was featured on many magazines, including American Muscle, MuscleMag International, and Oxygen Magazine. With her blonde hair, Hollywood looks, and toned figure, she had a look that emulated comic book heroines and in some ways put many comic book heroines to shame. In fact, Trish mentioned in various interviews that she was aiming for the comic book look during her days as a fitness model. Needless to say, she succeeded. Her look was attainable to many women, especially those who thought lifting would make them look like Arnold Schwarzenegger. However, her fitness career might have never happened if it wasn't for a strike at York University, where she studied biology and kinesiology and played soccer and field hockey. Because of the strike, she had to do something else, so she ended up working as a receptionist at a local gym. It was then when she was approached to do a test shoot for MuscleMag International. They liked it so much that she ended up on the cover of their May 1998 issue and was signed to a two-year contract. For the next six months, she worked on her body and transformed it into a literal work of art, showcasing an athletic, strong yet feminine body, landing her numerous magazine covers in the process. Even before joining WWE, she wasn't all just looks as she joined Big Daddy Donnie & Jeff Marek as the third host of Live Audio Wrestling on Toronto Sports Radio, The FAN 590. This was right up her alley being a wrestling fan evern since childhood, idolizing Hulk Hogan and "Macho Man" Randy Savage among others. Her modeling work caught the attention of WWE (then known as the WWF). In November 1999, she was signed to a multi-year contract with WWE. She trained with Ron Huchison at Sully's Gym, long before there was such a thing as the WWE Performance Center. Four months after signing her contract, she made her official television debut on Sunday Night Heat, scouting Test and Prince Albert and would form the stable known at T & A the following night on Raw.
 |
| If she's not in your top five "best bodies in WWE history" list, you need to reevaluate your life. Just saying. Photo credit: WWE.com |
While many saw this woman with a perfect body, very few knew that she wanted to be more than just that. While she spent most of 2000 and some of 2001 as a manager to Test, Albert, and Val Venus, she would eventually leave the manageral spotlight and begin to carve her name as a wrestler. During that time, women's wrestling was NOT taken as serious by the fans yet Trish didn't give up. She worked her ass off to show the fans that women could kick ass just as well as the guys could, and be sexy when they HAD to be and when they WANTED to be. It took some time, but eventually folks started to appreciate Trish for what she could do in the ring. However, the various photoshoots WWE had outside the ring definitely made sure people knew that Trish could bring the sexiness outside the ring just as well as she could bring the skills IN the ring. At Survivor Series 2001, Trish would go on to win the then-vacant WWE Women's Championship in a Six-Pack Challenge, which featured Jazz, Might Molly and fellow Hall-of-Famers Ivory, Jacqueline, and her bestie Lita. When Trish got done in WWE, she would go on to become a 7x WWE Women's Champion (a record that would stand for years until Charlotte Flair came around) and a one-time WWE Hardcore champion. She would acquired more accolades in her career, including Diva of the Decade, being the youngest female WWE Hall-of-Famer ever, being the first female Cauliflower Alley Club Iron Mike Award winner, and this summer will be inducted into the George/Lou Threz Professional Wrestling Hall-of-Famer by becoming the first female wrestler to receive the Lou Thesz Award.
Trish could have had a very good career with her looks alone and no one would have thought differently of her. Instead, she challenged the status quo and ushered her own STRATUS QUO and helped changed so much about the world: from how female athletes are viewed, how women's wrestling is looked at, how women with muscles are viewed...and all three for the better. Now, is there work to be done in all three? Definitely. But we have come so far from where we were back in Trish's arrival and we are still moving in the right direction. While her wrestling days are behind her, we know that Trish will continue to set an example for so many people around the world as a mother and a fitness icon. How much of an guarantee are we giving this?! How about 100% STRATUSFACTION GUARANTEED?! Doesn't get any better than that!
 |
| Physical perfection Photo credit: WWE.com |
For more on Trish, make sure to follow her on her social media accounts:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trishstratuscom
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/trishstratuscom
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trishstratuscom
And make sure to check out her website at https://www.trishstratus.com
Thursday, March 5, 2020
2020 Arnold IFBB Predictions
As you all know, the Arnold went through some MAJOR changes this year due to the coronavirus going around. Whether the moves were the right moves or not will be debated for a good bit, and quite honestly I see both sides. However, the IFBB shows WILL go on as planned, even though the preliminaries will be viewed by only families and only spectators can come tomorrow and Saturday night. We will talk about how the Arnold should move forward in 2021 and beyond in a different post, but for now, we are going to focus on the pro competitions taking place tomorrow and Saturday night.
Women's Physique International (Friday)
I say this with no disrespect to the women's physique competitors on the list...but everyone else (with the exception of one) is fighting for 2nd place with Natalia Coelho on the list. Like Shanique Grant, Natalia is a one-of-a-kind athlete who is only going to get better and she's already considered one of the best competitors in the history of the women's physique division. Unlike most, Natalia actually dreampt about being in the bodybuilding world since childhood. That is rare to hear about. Most go into the sport after usually college or in their adulthood. Natalia has wanted to do this SINCE CHILDHOOD. When you have that kind of mindset, the only designation for someone like Natalia is to be among the best to ever do it. Natalia will be hard to beat, but it can be done. Only three have ever done it and two of them (Shanique Grant and Sarah Villegas) are prepping for the upcoming Olympia. The other one IS competing at the Arnold, and that would be Penpraghai Tiangngok. She defeated Natalia at the 2019 Rising Phoenix Arizona Pro, proving that she has the formula to beat her. But it won't be easy, and I feel Natalia will know what to do this time around, being a student of the game. I see Natalia capturing her 2nd Women's Physique International title, but not without a fight from Pepraghai. For the rest of the top six, I have Jennifer Taylor in 3rd, Valentina Mishina in 4th, Laura Richards in 5th, Rulying Bin rounding out the top six and my dark horse is Desunka Dawson.
My Predictions:
1. Natalia Abraham Coelho
2. Penpraghai Tiangngok
3. Jennifer Taylor
4. Valentina Mishina
5. Laura Richards
6. Rulyin Bin
Dark Horse: Desunka Dawson
Fitness International (Friday)
With no Whitney Jones or Oksana Grishina until the Olympia, this looks to be the show that Missy Truscott FINALLY wins one of the big ones. She has been inching closer and closer to the top of the fitness rankings for quite sometimes with a complete physique and entertaining routines. She nearly became Fitness Olympia champion last year but ended up as the runner-up to Whitney Jones. As far as who will be her biggest competition...that one isn't so easy to figure out. Tiffany Chandler has been a consistent top performer the last few years and 2020 could be her breakout year. While it's been a while, Jenny Worth HAS won the Fitness International title before and ever since the late 2010s, she has continued one of the most inspiring comebacks in this sport's history. In fact, the second she steps on stage she will make history as being one of the few competitors (maybe the only female) to compete as an IFBB Pro in FOUR DIFFERENT DECADES (1990s, 2000s, 2010s, 2020s)! That alone is an incredible feat worthy of it's own reward! After an injury, Ariel Khadr makes her much-anticipated return to the fitness stage, hoping to return to where she was before her injury..right in the discussion for the top fitness competitor post-Oksana Grishina. Sara Kovach has improved her physique immensely and to me is right in the thick of things when it comes to contending for the Fitness International title. With that all being said, I got Missy winning, followed by Tiffany, Sarah, Jenny, Kate Errington, and Ariel in that order. My dark horse is Derina Wilson.
My Predictions:
1. Missy Truscott
2. Tiffany Chandler
3. Sara Kovach
4. Jenny Worth
5. Kate Errington
6. Ariel Khadr
Dark Horse: Derina Wilson
Figure International (Friday)
Oh...THIS is gonna be a fun one. No Latorya Watts, no Cydney Gillon, no Nadia Wyatt. It is pretty damn wide open to the naked eye. There are three people that have amazing size and shape that has more than held their own with the three I've mentioned earlier: Jessica Reyes Padilla, Bojana Vasiljevic, and Sandra Grajales. Jessica has amazing muscularity and a majestic look about her that is hard to ignore. She is a competitor that is a threat to any show she competes in. Bojana is someone who I've praised time and time about about her shape and presentation. when it comes to that, she's practically unbeatable. You have to be on your A-game and hope Bojana is not if you truly want to best her. Sandra has clearly put on more muscle since the Olympia and could be her biggest yet at the Arnold, but she carries herself with such poise that it's nearly unfair to many competitors. I will say among all the female divisions, this one has the most uncertainty as far as what look they will reward with the top three at last year's Olympia not competing at the Arnold. I'll go on the record saying that my predictions for the Figure International this year might be the worst-ever, but I'm going to throw caution to the win here. I have Jessica winning her first Figure International title, with Sandra as the runner-up, Bojana in 3rd, Martina Yabekova in 4th, Natalia Soltero in 5th, and Ashley Soto rounding out the top six, with Tiffani Lapoint as my dark horse. Again, I have no clue how the figure division will pan out at the Arnold. This is merely me throwing something to the wall and seeing if it sticks.
My Predictions:
1. Jessica Reyes Padilla
2. Sandra Grajales
3. Bojana Vasiljevic
4. Marina Yabekova
5. Natalia Soltero
6. Ashley Soto
Dark Horse: Tiffani Lapoint
Bikini International (Saturday)
Janet Layug finally won one of the big bikini titles when she won the 2019 Bikini International. She would love nothing more than to repeat as Bikini International Champion in 2020. To do that, she will have to beat another tough, deep lineup in the bikini division, which includes Angelica Teixera (a former 2x Bikini International Champion and Bikini Olympia champion) and Elisa Pecini (the current Bikini Olympia champion). We were hoping to see Ashley Kaltwasser compete in her own state in Ohio, but she had a few setbacks (including eye surgery) that kept her from being ready for this weekend. Get well soon, Ashley! This division is never easy to pick but winning the Olympia usually puts you at an all-time high as you go into your next contest. For that reason, I'm going to go with Elisa to win this year's Bikini International with Janet placing 2nd and Angelica at 3rd. As far as the rest of the top six is concerned, I'm going to go with Jennifer Ronzitti in 4th, Justine Munro in 5th and rounding out the top six will be Romina Basualdo. My dark horse for this year's Bikini International goes to Marcia Goncalves.
My Predictions:
1. Elisa Pecini
2. Janet Layug
3. Angelica Teixeira
4. Jennifer Ronzitti
5. Justine Munro
6. Romina Basualdo
Dark Horse: Marcia Goncalves
On a personal note, I want to comment everyone pro and amateur who decided to come to Ohio with so much uncertainty in how the Arnold would play out. The Arnold committee did everything they could to try and salvage as much of the event as possible and I think they did a good job with what they were given. As mentioned before, we will discuss our thoughts about it and how we feel the Arnold need to move forward in 2021 and beyond. Until then, make sure to watch the Arnold livestream present by REDCON1 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28oAUrqSMNA) and if you are in the Columbus area tomorrow and Saturday night, make sure to go to the Finals and support these hard-working and deserving athletes.
Women's Physique International (Friday)
I say this with no disrespect to the women's physique competitors on the list...but everyone else (with the exception of one) is fighting for 2nd place with Natalia Coelho on the list. Like Shanique Grant, Natalia is a one-of-a-kind athlete who is only going to get better and she's already considered one of the best competitors in the history of the women's physique division. Unlike most, Natalia actually dreampt about being in the bodybuilding world since childhood. That is rare to hear about. Most go into the sport after usually college or in their adulthood. Natalia has wanted to do this SINCE CHILDHOOD. When you have that kind of mindset, the only designation for someone like Natalia is to be among the best to ever do it. Natalia will be hard to beat, but it can be done. Only three have ever done it and two of them (Shanique Grant and Sarah Villegas) are prepping for the upcoming Olympia. The other one IS competing at the Arnold, and that would be Penpraghai Tiangngok. She defeated Natalia at the 2019 Rising Phoenix Arizona Pro, proving that she has the formula to beat her. But it won't be easy, and I feel Natalia will know what to do this time around, being a student of the game. I see Natalia capturing her 2nd Women's Physique International title, but not without a fight from Pepraghai. For the rest of the top six, I have Jennifer Taylor in 3rd, Valentina Mishina in 4th, Laura Richards in 5th, Rulying Bin rounding out the top six and my dark horse is Desunka Dawson.
My Predictions:
1. Natalia Abraham Coelho
2. Penpraghai Tiangngok
3. Jennifer Taylor
4. Valentina Mishina
5. Laura Richards
6. Rulyin Bin
Dark Horse: Desunka Dawson
Fitness International (Friday)
With no Whitney Jones or Oksana Grishina until the Olympia, this looks to be the show that Missy Truscott FINALLY wins one of the big ones. She has been inching closer and closer to the top of the fitness rankings for quite sometimes with a complete physique and entertaining routines. She nearly became Fitness Olympia champion last year but ended up as the runner-up to Whitney Jones. As far as who will be her biggest competition...that one isn't so easy to figure out. Tiffany Chandler has been a consistent top performer the last few years and 2020 could be her breakout year. While it's been a while, Jenny Worth HAS won the Fitness International title before and ever since the late 2010s, she has continued one of the most inspiring comebacks in this sport's history. In fact, the second she steps on stage she will make history as being one of the few competitors (maybe the only female) to compete as an IFBB Pro in FOUR DIFFERENT DECADES (1990s, 2000s, 2010s, 2020s)! That alone is an incredible feat worthy of it's own reward! After an injury, Ariel Khadr makes her much-anticipated return to the fitness stage, hoping to return to where she was before her injury..right in the discussion for the top fitness competitor post-Oksana Grishina. Sara Kovach has improved her physique immensely and to me is right in the thick of things when it comes to contending for the Fitness International title. With that all being said, I got Missy winning, followed by Tiffany, Sarah, Jenny, Kate Errington, and Ariel in that order. My dark horse is Derina Wilson.
My Predictions:
1. Missy Truscott
2. Tiffany Chandler
3. Sara Kovach
4. Jenny Worth
5. Kate Errington
6. Ariel Khadr
Dark Horse: Derina Wilson
Figure International (Friday)
Oh...THIS is gonna be a fun one. No Latorya Watts, no Cydney Gillon, no Nadia Wyatt. It is pretty damn wide open to the naked eye. There are three people that have amazing size and shape that has more than held their own with the three I've mentioned earlier: Jessica Reyes Padilla, Bojana Vasiljevic, and Sandra Grajales. Jessica has amazing muscularity and a majestic look about her that is hard to ignore. She is a competitor that is a threat to any show she competes in. Bojana is someone who I've praised time and time about about her shape and presentation. when it comes to that, she's practically unbeatable. You have to be on your A-game and hope Bojana is not if you truly want to best her. Sandra has clearly put on more muscle since the Olympia and could be her biggest yet at the Arnold, but she carries herself with such poise that it's nearly unfair to many competitors. I will say among all the female divisions, this one has the most uncertainty as far as what look they will reward with the top three at last year's Olympia not competing at the Arnold. I'll go on the record saying that my predictions for the Figure International this year might be the worst-ever, but I'm going to throw caution to the win here. I have Jessica winning her first Figure International title, with Sandra as the runner-up, Bojana in 3rd, Martina Yabekova in 4th, Natalia Soltero in 5th, and Ashley Soto rounding out the top six, with Tiffani Lapoint as my dark horse. Again, I have no clue how the figure division will pan out at the Arnold. This is merely me throwing something to the wall and seeing if it sticks.
My Predictions:
1. Jessica Reyes Padilla
2. Sandra Grajales
3. Bojana Vasiljevic
4. Marina Yabekova
5. Natalia Soltero
6. Ashley Soto
Dark Horse: Tiffani Lapoint
Bikini International (Saturday)
Janet Layug finally won one of the big bikini titles when she won the 2019 Bikini International. She would love nothing more than to repeat as Bikini International Champion in 2020. To do that, she will have to beat another tough, deep lineup in the bikini division, which includes Angelica Teixera (a former 2x Bikini International Champion and Bikini Olympia champion) and Elisa Pecini (the current Bikini Olympia champion). We were hoping to see Ashley Kaltwasser compete in her own state in Ohio, but she had a few setbacks (including eye surgery) that kept her from being ready for this weekend. Get well soon, Ashley! This division is never easy to pick but winning the Olympia usually puts you at an all-time high as you go into your next contest. For that reason, I'm going to go with Elisa to win this year's Bikini International with Janet placing 2nd and Angelica at 3rd. As far as the rest of the top six is concerned, I'm going to go with Jennifer Ronzitti in 4th, Justine Munro in 5th and rounding out the top six will be Romina Basualdo. My dark horse for this year's Bikini International goes to Marcia Goncalves.
My Predictions:
1. Elisa Pecini
2. Janet Layug
3. Angelica Teixeira
4. Jennifer Ronzitti
5. Justine Munro
6. Romina Basualdo
Dark Horse: Marcia Goncalves
On a personal note, I want to comment everyone pro and amateur who decided to come to Ohio with so much uncertainty in how the Arnold would play out. The Arnold committee did everything they could to try and salvage as much of the event as possible and I think they did a good job with what they were given. As mentioned before, we will discuss our thoughts about it and how we feel the Arnold need to move forward in 2021 and beyond. Until then, make sure to watch the Arnold livestream present by REDCON1 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28oAUrqSMNA) and if you are in the Columbus area tomorrow and Saturday night, make sure to go to the Finals and support these hard-working and deserving athletes.
Friday, January 17, 2020
WWE's Newest Pitbull
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| Credit WWE.com |
On Tuesday, WWE announced their latest class of Performance Center recruits, their first class of 2020 and their first class of the new decade. The highlight of the class for most fans is Mercedez Martinez, a 19-year veteran of the ring who has fought her heart out to be part of the WWE. She has competed in WWE a few times in dark matches and more recently to fans as part of the Mae Young Classic. While there are a lot of articles bring written about Mercedes and rightfully so...we are going to focus on someone that wrestling fans MIGHT not be too familiar with right now but will get to know sooner than later: Emily Andzulis.
Nickname "The Pitbull", Emily is from Knoxville, TN, who thrives on competition, as shown via her mixed martial arts (MMA) background and as a contestant on NBC's Titan Games, where she was crowned the first female Titan. MMA was only part of her background, as she also worked as a massage therapist in the Knoxville area. Her life is dedicated to making her sister Sharon Shepard, a bone cancer suvivor, proud. In fact, Sharon was the one that convinced Emily to try out for the Titan Games in the first place. It was clear from the get-go that the people in charge liked Emily a lot as she was featured predominantly in their promotions and throughout the show, even though she didn't end up being the overall champion.Check out her Herculean Pull and Mount Olympus runs here from the first episode of Titan Games. Most also said during the show that Emily was on the verge of going to bigger things down the line, maybe even Hollywood. Well...WWE seems like a pretty big deal, doesn't it?!
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| Photo credit: Emily's Facebook |
It seemed like WWE was a future step for Emily as she was chosen to be part of the April 2019 WWE Performance Center tryouts. The wrestling bug bit her good as she enrolled in the Jacobs-Pritchard Wrestling Academy (JP Wrestling Academy or JPWA for short) shortly after. When you enroll in a school owned and taught by Dr. Tom Pritchard and Glenn Jacobs ake Kane, you know you are serious about wrestling and want to learn as much as you can from two of the greatest minds in the business. Emily proved to be a fast learner as she was able to have a match within a few months of training, against local indy star and fellow JPWA graduate Kenzie Paige Henry. This one match showed how dangerous she can potentially be in NXT or even on Raw or Smackdown. Apparently WWE officials paid attention as she was signed to a developmental contract, making her the first graduate (male or female) from the school to join WWE.
Now...why are WE saying to keep an eye on The Pitbull in WWE? Well...for one, LOOK AT HER PHYSIQUE!!! The woman is carved out of stone! Despite her height, she is downright intimidating by her looks alone. But what can you expect when you do two-a-day workouts that consists of weight training, Crossfit, boxing, and jiu-jitsu. Based off the Titan Games and her workouts she post on her social media accounts, her strength is off the charts, which matches well alongside fellow fitness stars Dana Brooke, Mandy Rose, and fellow Knoxvillian Bianca Belair, among others. Her MMA background will match with women such as Ronda Rousey, Shayna Baszler, and Sonya Deville. Her dedication to making her sister proud can make her an easy face to get behind, but she showed in her debut wrestling match that she is more than capable of being a heel. Besides the obvious backing of The Rock, Kane, and Dr. Tom Pritchard, she also has the backing of current WWE Superstar Natalya. When you consider everything she has and what she can improve on going forward, the only person that is going to stop Emily Andzulis from being a top WWE Superstar...is Emily Andzulis. We have seen what she can do in different platforms, and we are excited to see the NeXT chapter in the life and career of The Pitbull. Good luck Emily!
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| Photo Credit: Emily's Instagram |
For more on The Pitbull, make sure to follow her on her social media accounts, and be on the lookout for her coming to a television near you!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EmilyAndzulis75/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/emily_andzulis
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emily_andzulis
Thursday, January 16, 2020
Bodybuilding Fatheads?!
As we all know one of the key aspect of the bodybuilding industry is to SEE the physiques on stage and across various platforms, especially with how social media is. But for some reason, I never thought of the idea of Fatheads for bodybuilders. For those that don't know, Fatheads are the number one brand of life-size decals for walls, among other things. NFL, NBA, MLB, MLS, and WWE (among other sports companies) have licensed Fatheads that sell really well. Now, I like I said before, for whatever reason, I never considered bodybuilders having Fatheads...until THIS photo of top IFBB Figure Pro Ivana Ivusic was posted on her Instagram a couple of weeks ago:
More times than now when Ivana posts photos of her physique (as is the case with every female in the industry) many likes and comments follow. The comment that inspired me to do this blog post came from 1parks1 on Instagram when he commented on the above photo and said, "I need this as a far head wall poster!" That comment hit me like a brick wall. Why are there not any bodybuilding Fatheads in existence? I personally feel they would be big sellers. Imagine this...athletes can buy their favorite IFBB Fatheads as daily inspiration. Imagine waking up and the first thing you see is your favorite bodybuilder on the wall. If that isn't inspiring, I don't know what is. Also, fans can buy Fatheads to have their favorite bodybuilders with them every day. It will be as close to the real thing as they can get in the event they are unable to meet them in person.
So you can get a feel for how a bodybuilding Fathead would look, I took it upon myself to make some concept work of how bodybuilding Fatheads would look. Again, this is concept work, so this isn't real...yet. And of course, this is a female muscle site, so I did all female muscle personalities for the concept work.
Now...tell me in a straight face why this wouldn't work after seeing those concept works. My personal hope is that one day the IFBB will team up with Fathead to make this a reality someday. Or maybe photographers can strike deals with Fathead or similar companies to sell their works into life-size wallpapers/decals. Until then, if you want bodybuilding Fatheads, you CAN have your own made by Fathard by this link: https://www.fathead.com/custom/. BTW, if the photos don't belong to you, don't send them to Fathead.
What do YOU think about bodybuilding Fatheads? Comment below or let us know on our social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram).
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| Photo credit: Ivana's Instagram (https://instagram.com/ivanaivusic) Photographer: Darren Burns (https://www.instagram.com/dburns_photoflex) |
More times than now when Ivana posts photos of her physique (as is the case with every female in the industry) many likes and comments follow. The comment that inspired me to do this blog post came from 1parks1 on Instagram when he commented on the above photo and said, "I need this as a far head wall poster!" That comment hit me like a brick wall. Why are there not any bodybuilding Fatheads in existence? I personally feel they would be big sellers. Imagine this...athletes can buy their favorite IFBB Fatheads as daily inspiration. Imagine waking up and the first thing you see is your favorite bodybuilder on the wall. If that isn't inspiring, I don't know what is. Also, fans can buy Fatheads to have their favorite bodybuilders with them every day. It will be as close to the real thing as they can get in the event they are unable to meet them in person.
So you can get a feel for how a bodybuilding Fathead would look, I took it upon myself to make some concept work of how bodybuilding Fatheads would look. Again, this is concept work, so this isn't real...yet. And of course, this is a female muscle site, so I did all female muscle personalities for the concept work.
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| Ivana Ivusic |
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| Natalia Coelho |
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| Christine Pomponio |
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| Nicole Wilkins, Natalia Coelho, and Juliana Malacarne |
Now...tell me in a straight face why this wouldn't work after seeing those concept works. My personal hope is that one day the IFBB will team up with Fathead to make this a reality someday. Or maybe photographers can strike deals with Fathead or similar companies to sell their works into life-size wallpapers/decals. Until then, if you want bodybuilding Fatheads, you CAN have your own made by Fathard by this link: https://www.fathead.com/custom/. BTW, if the photos don't belong to you, don't send them to Fathead.
What do YOU think about bodybuilding Fatheads? Comment below or let us know on our social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram).
Wednesday, January 15, 2020
11th Annual FitGems Awards Winners
ONCE AGAIN...records were shattered in FitGems Awards voting! Here's the full list of the winners and runner-ups for each category of the 11th Annual FitGems Awards, as well as the top ten finishers of the 2019 FitGems Nation Woman of the Year. Check out our social media accounts (Facebook and Instagram) to view photos of the winners and the top 10 Woman of the Year votegetters. Once again, congrats to all the winners, runner-ups, and nominees!
PRO CATEGORIES
Pro Female Bodybuilder of the Year
Helle Trevino
Theresa Ivancik (runner-up)
Pro Women's Physique Competitor of the Year
Valentina Mishina
Shanique Grant (runner-up)
Pro Fitness Competitor of the Year
Whitney Jones
Tiffany Chandler (runner-up)
Pro Figure Competitor of the Year
Sandra Grajales
Cydney Gillon (runner-up)
Pro Bikini Competitor of the Year
Elisa Pecini
Angelica Texieria (runner-up)
Most Improved Pro Female Bodybuilder of the Year
Aleesha Young
Maria Flores (runner-up)
Most Improved Pro Women's Physique Competitor of the Year
Brittany Watts
Patricia Gosseln (runner-up)
Most Improved Pro Fitness Competitor of the Year
Sara Kovach
Toni Wheeler (runner-up)
Most Improved Pro Figure Competitor of the Year
Ashley Soto
Lola Montez (runner-up)
Most Improved Pro Bikini Competitor of the Year
Beatriz Biscaia
Monica Ellis (runner-up)
Rookie Pro Women's Bodybuilder of the Year
Tina Williams
Barbara Carita (runner-up)
Rookie Pro Women's Physique Competitor of the Year
Dana Shemesh
Sheila Bleck (runner-up)
Rookie Pro Fitness Competitor of the Year
Anna Adams
Terra Plum (runner-up)
Rookie Pro Figure Competitor of the Year
Ashley Jones
Gabrielle Williams (runner-up)
Rookie Pro Bikini Competitor of the Year
Etila Santiago Santos
Hannah Ranfranz (runner-up)
Most Underrated Pro Female Bodybuilder of the Year
Susanna Jacobs
Kristina Mendoza (runner-up)
Most Underrated Pro Women's Physique Competitor of the Year
Ivie Rhein
Heather Grace (runner-up)
Most Underrated Pro Fitness Competitor of the Year
Michelle Gales
Minna Pajulabti (runner-up)
Most Underrated Pro Figure Competitor of the Year
Stacy Fujarski
Michelle Lindsay (runner-up)
Most Underrated Pro Bikini Competitor of the Year Breena Martinez
Eli Fernandez (runner-up)
AMATEUR CATEGORIES
Amateur Female Bodybuilder of the Year
Brittany Nicole Larson
Erica Hartman (runner-up)
Amateur Women's Physique Competitor of the Year
Justine Albert
Yarelis Ramos Perez (runner-up)
Amateur Fitness Competitor of the Year
Abby Bolton
Molly Prather (runner-up)
Amateur Figure Competitor of the Year
Rita Villarreal
Bernice Higgins (runner-up)
Amateur Bikini Competitor of the Year
Daraja Hill
Ashley Parker (runner-up)
Breakout Amateur Female Bodybuilder of the Year
Donna Jones
Takeela Reddrick (runner-up)
Breakout Amateur Women’s Physique Competitor of the Year
Jessica Martin
Christina Specos (runner-up)
Breakout Amateur Fitness Competitor of the Year
Andrea Larkins
Emilee Clark (runner-up)
Breakout Amateur Figure Competitor of the Year
Cherish Richardson
Charlotte Quillen (runner-up)
Breakout Amateur Bikini Competitor of the Year
Hope Harper
Gina Scafoglio (runner-up)
Most Underrated Amateur Female Bodybuilder of the Year
Robin Hartman
Jenn Schmidt (runner-up)
Most Underrated Amateur Women’s Physique Competitor of the Year
Hannah Hussein
Hayley Townsend (runner-up)
Most Underrated Amateur Fitness Competitor of the Year
Meghan Cassidy
Amanda Reed (runner-up)
Most Underrated Amateur Figure Competitor of the Year
Mandy Harbin
Tricia Mowatt (runner-up)
Most Underrated Amateur Bikini Competitor of the Year
Nicole Desmond
Veronica Garza (runner-up)
MISC. CATEGORIES
Fitness Model of the Year
Wendy Fortino
Yarshina Ayala (runner-up)
Fitness Ambassador of the Year
Whitney Jones
Nicole Wilkins (runner-up)
Social Media Star of the Year
Yarishna Ayala
Ivana Ivusic (runner-up)
Moment of the Year
The announcement of the return of Ms. Olympia in 2020
Simone Biles becoming the most decorated gymnast of all time, male or female (runner-up)
Photographer of the Year
J.M. Manion
Will Wittmann (runner-up)
Fit Celebrity of the Year
Charly Caruso/Arnolt (WWE Raw/ESPN)
Paige Davis (Trading Spaces) (runner-up)
Female Sports Athlete of the Year
Simone Biles
Serena Williams (runner-up)
Female Crossfit Athlete of the Year
Katrin Davidsdottir
Tia-Clair Toomey (runner-up)
Fittest Female WWE Superstar of the Year (Raw/Smackdown)
Dana Brooke
Charlotte Flair (runner-up)
Fittest Female NXT Superstar of the Year
Rhea Ripley
Xia Li (runner-up)
Fittest Female Mainstream Wrestler of the Year
Tessa Blanchard (Impact)
Jordynne Grace (Impact) (runner-up)
Fittest Female Independent Wrestler of the Year
Amber Nova
Big Swole (runner-up)
Famale Physique Paysite of the Year
HDPhysiques/Preminum Physiques
HerBicepsPlus (runner-up)
Physique Paysite Model of the Year
Brooke Walker
Cris Goy (runner-up)
Promoter(s) of the Year
Tim Garnder
Chris Minnes (runner-up)
Fitness Clothing Line of the Year
Flag Nor Fail
Booty Queen Apparel (runner-up)
Team of the Year
Underrated Muscle
Cyberbodyshop (runner-up)
Male Trainer of the Year
Matt Allen
Dave Palumbo (runner-up)
Female Trainer of the Year
Wendy Fortino
Whitney Jones (runner-up)
2019 FitGems Nation Woman of the Year
PRO CATEGORIES
Pro Female Bodybuilder of the Year
Helle Trevino
Theresa Ivancik (runner-up)
Pro Women's Physique Competitor of the Year
Valentina Mishina
Shanique Grant (runner-up)
Pro Fitness Competitor of the Year
Whitney Jones
Tiffany Chandler (runner-up)
Pro Figure Competitor of the Year
Sandra Grajales
Cydney Gillon (runner-up)
Pro Bikini Competitor of the Year
Elisa Pecini
Angelica Texieria (runner-up)
Most Improved Pro Female Bodybuilder of the Year
Aleesha Young
Maria Flores (runner-up)
Most Improved Pro Women's Physique Competitor of the Year
Brittany Watts
Patricia Gosseln (runner-up)
Most Improved Pro Fitness Competitor of the Year
Sara Kovach
Toni Wheeler (runner-up)
Most Improved Pro Figure Competitor of the Year
Ashley Soto
Lola Montez (runner-up)
Most Improved Pro Bikini Competitor of the Year
Beatriz Biscaia
Monica Ellis (runner-up)
Rookie Pro Women's Bodybuilder of the Year
Tina Williams
Barbara Carita (runner-up)
Rookie Pro Women's Physique Competitor of the Year
Dana Shemesh
Sheila Bleck (runner-up)
Rookie Pro Fitness Competitor of the Year
Anna Adams
Terra Plum (runner-up)
Rookie Pro Figure Competitor of the Year
Ashley Jones
Gabrielle Williams (runner-up)
Rookie Pro Bikini Competitor of the Year
Etila Santiago Santos
Hannah Ranfranz (runner-up)
Most Underrated Pro Female Bodybuilder of the Year
Susanna Jacobs
Kristina Mendoza (runner-up)
Most Underrated Pro Women's Physique Competitor of the Year
Ivie Rhein
Heather Grace (runner-up)
Most Underrated Pro Fitness Competitor of the Year
Michelle Gales
Minna Pajulabti (runner-up)
Most Underrated Pro Figure Competitor of the Year
Stacy Fujarski
Michelle Lindsay (runner-up)
Most Underrated Pro Bikini Competitor of the Year Breena Martinez
Eli Fernandez (runner-up)
AMATEUR CATEGORIES
Amateur Female Bodybuilder of the Year
Brittany Nicole Larson
Erica Hartman (runner-up)
Amateur Women's Physique Competitor of the Year
Justine Albert
Yarelis Ramos Perez (runner-up)
Amateur Fitness Competitor of the Year
Abby Bolton
Molly Prather (runner-up)
Amateur Figure Competitor of the Year
Rita Villarreal
Bernice Higgins (runner-up)
Amateur Bikini Competitor of the Year
Daraja Hill
Ashley Parker (runner-up)
Breakout Amateur Female Bodybuilder of the Year
Donna Jones
Takeela Reddrick (runner-up)
Breakout Amateur Women’s Physique Competitor of the Year
Jessica Martin
Christina Specos (runner-up)
Breakout Amateur Fitness Competitor of the Year
Andrea Larkins
Emilee Clark (runner-up)
Breakout Amateur Figure Competitor of the Year
Cherish Richardson
Charlotte Quillen (runner-up)
Breakout Amateur Bikini Competitor of the Year
Hope Harper
Gina Scafoglio (runner-up)
Most Underrated Amateur Female Bodybuilder of the Year
Robin Hartman
Jenn Schmidt (runner-up)
Most Underrated Amateur Women’s Physique Competitor of the Year
Hannah Hussein
Hayley Townsend (runner-up)
Most Underrated Amateur Fitness Competitor of the Year
Meghan Cassidy
Amanda Reed (runner-up)
Most Underrated Amateur Figure Competitor of the Year
Mandy Harbin
Tricia Mowatt (runner-up)
Most Underrated Amateur Bikini Competitor of the Year
Nicole Desmond
Veronica Garza (runner-up)
MISC. CATEGORIES
Fitness Model of the Year
Wendy Fortino
Yarshina Ayala (runner-up)
Fitness Ambassador of the Year
Whitney Jones
Nicole Wilkins (runner-up)
Social Media Star of the Year
Yarishna Ayala
Ivana Ivusic (runner-up)
Moment of the Year
The announcement of the return of Ms. Olympia in 2020
Simone Biles becoming the most decorated gymnast of all time, male or female (runner-up)
Photographer of the Year
J.M. Manion
Will Wittmann (runner-up)
Fit Celebrity of the Year
Charly Caruso/Arnolt (WWE Raw/ESPN)
Paige Davis (Trading Spaces) (runner-up)
Female Sports Athlete of the Year
Simone Biles
Serena Williams (runner-up)
Female Crossfit Athlete of the Year
Katrin Davidsdottir
Tia-Clair Toomey (runner-up)
Fittest Female WWE Superstar of the Year (Raw/Smackdown)
Dana Brooke
Charlotte Flair (runner-up)
Fittest Female NXT Superstar of the Year
Rhea Ripley
Xia Li (runner-up)
Fittest Female Mainstream Wrestler of the Year
Tessa Blanchard (Impact)
Jordynne Grace (Impact) (runner-up)
Fittest Female Independent Wrestler of the Year
Amber Nova
Big Swole (runner-up)
Famale Physique Paysite of the Year
HDPhysiques/Preminum Physiques
HerBicepsPlus (runner-up)
Physique Paysite Model of the Year
Brooke Walker
Cris Goy (runner-up)
Promoter(s) of the Year
Tim Garnder
Chris Minnes (runner-up)
Fitness Clothing Line of the Year
Flag Nor Fail
Booty Queen Apparel (runner-up)
Team of the Year
Underrated Muscle
Cyberbodyshop (runner-up)
Male Trainer of the Year
Matt Allen
Dave Palumbo (runner-up)
Female Trainer of the Year
Wendy Fortino
Whitney Jones (runner-up)
2019 FitGems Nation Woman of the Year
- Simone Biles
- Sandra Grajales
- Helle Trevino
- Natalia Coelho
- Whitney Jones
- Bojana Vasiljevic
- Shanique Grant
- Nadia Wyatt
- Missy Truscott
- Megan Rapinoe
Wednesday, December 18, 2019
11th Annual FitGems Nation Ballot is LIVE
Our poll is LIVE! As always, you don't have to vote for each category, but it would nice to vote for as many as possible. You can vote once per day from now until January 1st at 11:59pm Eastern time. At that time, all polls will be closed. Have a wonderful rest of 2019, congrats once again to all the FitGems Award nominees, and best of luck to each and every one of you!
PRO CATEGORIES
AMATEUR CATEGORIES
MISC. CATEGORIES
And our big one...the 2019 FitGems Nation Woman of the Year!!!
Follow the conversation about this year's FitGems Awards by using the hashtag #FitGemsAwards on Twitter and Instagram. Post your predictions on who you think will win...as well as any questions you may have about any of the categories and nominees, or anyone you think got snubbed. Good luck to all!
PRO CATEGORIES
AMATEUR CATEGORIES
MISC. CATEGORIES
And our big one...the 2019 FitGems Nation Woman of the Year!!!
Follow the conversation about this year's FitGems Awards by using the hashtag #FitGemsAwards on Twitter and Instagram. Post your predictions on who you think will win...as well as any questions you may have about any of the categories and nominees, or anyone you think got snubbed. Good luck to all!
Tuesday, December 17, 2019
11th Annual FitGems Awards Nominees
Our 11th Annual FitGems Awards are FINALLY here! Things are going to be a tad different. First off, I want to explain how the categories will work. For all the pro categories, nominees will be selected from Olympia to Olympia going forward, as the end of the Olympia usually signals a "new year" for the IFBB, so everyone that competed in a pro contest after the 2018 Olympia ARE eligible for FitGems Award contention while those that competed after the 2019 Olympia will NOT count until next year. For the amateur categories and miscellaneous categories, it will be judged from January 1st to the conclusion of NPC Nationals, which will be the cutoff for award contention. And this goes without saying...wellness will not be part of our awards until next year.
Some categories have been removed this year (Strength Athlete, Super League) due to not being as visible this year, but those awards could make a comeback in 2020. One HUGE change we made is turning the Fit Female Wrestler of the Year into four different categories: Fittest Female WWE Superstar of the Year (the fittest woman on Raw or Smackdown), Fittest Female NXT Superstar of the year (the fittest woman on the NXT and the NXT UK roster), Fittest Female Mainstream Wrestler of the Year (the fittest mainsteam female wrestler that is NOT under WWE contract), and Fittest Independent Wrestler of the Year (the fittest female wrestler on the independent circuit). With as many female wrestlers as there are now in various locations and federations, just doing one category to narrow them down is an insult to them and to the awards. The awards are still prestigious but now it's more of an even playing field as there are those that only follow certain forms of wrestling.
Voting will begin sometime on Wednesday (December 18th) and will end on January 1st at around 11:59PM. While the poll won't be available to vote for several more hours, here's a look at the categories and nominees for this year's awards:
PRO CATEGORIES
Pro Female Bodybuilder of the Year
Helle Trevino
Margie Martin
Irene Andersen
Nicki Chartrand
Monique Jones
Theresa Ivancik
Pro Women's Physique Competitor of the Year
Shanique Grant
Sarah Villegas
Natalia Coelho
Valentina Mishina
Danielly Castilho
Laura Pintado Chinchilla
Some categories have been removed this year (Strength Athlete, Super League) due to not being as visible this year, but those awards could make a comeback in 2020. One HUGE change we made is turning the Fit Female Wrestler of the Year into four different categories: Fittest Female WWE Superstar of the Year (the fittest woman on Raw or Smackdown), Fittest Female NXT Superstar of the year (the fittest woman on the NXT and the NXT UK roster), Fittest Female Mainstream Wrestler of the Year (the fittest mainsteam female wrestler that is NOT under WWE contract), and Fittest Independent Wrestler of the Year (the fittest female wrestler on the independent circuit). With as many female wrestlers as there are now in various locations and federations, just doing one category to narrow them down is an insult to them and to the awards. The awards are still prestigious but now it's more of an even playing field as there are those that only follow certain forms of wrestling.
Voting will begin sometime on Wednesday (December 18th) and will end on January 1st at around 11:59PM. While the poll won't be available to vote for several more hours, here's a look at the categories and nominees for this year's awards:
PRO CATEGORIES
Pro Female Bodybuilder of the Year
Helle Trevino
Margie Martin
Irene Andersen
Nicki Chartrand
Monique Jones
Theresa Ivancik
Pro Women's Physique Competitor of the Year
Shanique Grant
Sarah Villegas
Natalia Coelho
Valentina Mishina
Danielly Castilho
Laura Pintado Chinchilla
Pro Fitness Competitor
of the Year
Whitney
Jones
Missy
Truscott
Ryal
Graber
Jaclyn
Baker
Tiffany
Chandler
Jennie
Taddeo
Pro Figure Competitor
of the Year
Cydney
Gillon
Nadia
Wyatt
Sandra
Grajales
Bojana
Vasiljevic
Ivana
Ivusic
Jessica
Reyes Padilla
Pro Bikini Competitor
of the Year
Elisa
Pecini
Janet
Layug
Angelica
Texieria
Lauralie
Chapados
Jennifer
Dorie
Ashley
Kaltwasser
Most Improved Pro
Female Bodybuilder of the Year
Janeen
Lankowski
Aleesha
Young
Susanna
Jacobs
LaDawn
Mcday
Angela
Rayburn
Maria
Flores
Most Improved Pro
Women's Physique Competitor of the Year
Brittany
Watts
Jeannie
Feldman
Patricia
Gosseln
Anne
Lorraine Mohn
Laura
Hays
Reshanna
Boswell
Most Improved Pro
Fitness Competitor of the Year
Tamara
Vahn
Liudmila
Somkina
Marta
Aguiar
Sara
Kovach
Toni
Wheeler
Alison
Burns
Most Improved Pro
Figure Competitor of the Year
Tiffani
Lapoint
Martina
Yabekova
Tanya
Chartrand
Lola
Montez
Laurelle
Martineau
Ashley
Soto
Most Improved Pro
Bikini Competitor of the Year
Jennifer
Ronzitti
Maureen
Blanquisco
Camile
Periat
Monica
Ellis
Monica
Goncalves
Beatriz
Biscaia
Rookie Pro Women's
Bodybuilder of the Year
Tina
Williams
Andrea
Shaw
Jessica
Martin
Barbara
Carita
Mona
Poursaleh
Marla-Maria
Merrithew
Rookie Pro Women's
Physique Competitor of the Year
Kimberly
Rieck
Sheila
Bleck
Sheikha
Nguyen
Dana
Shemesh
Kayla
Murphy
Jacqueline
Estrada
Rookie
Pro Fitness Competitor of the Year
Terra
Plum
Stephanie
Jones
Anna
Adams
Ashley
Packard
Kristy
Fenster-Avery
Lauren
Carre
Rookie Pro Figure
Competitor of the Year
Ashley
Jones
Silvia
Henry
Autumn
Cleveland
Heidi
Larson
Gabrielle
Williams
Amanda
Welch
Rookie Pro Bikini
Competitor of the Year
Etila
Santiago Santos
Alexandria
Ross
Hannah
Ranfranz
Allison
Yaeth
Calysta
Upperman
Celeste
Shaffer
Most Underrated Pro
Female Bodybuilder of the Year
Kim
Buck
Pauline
Nelson
Kristina
Mendoza
Donna
Salib
Cris
Goy
Susanna
Jacobs
Most Underrated Pro
Women's Physique Competitor of the Year
Heather
Grace
Lauren
Rutan
Ivie
Rhein
Stephanie
Waggoner
Diana
Schnaidt
Trisha
Vezirian
Most Underrated Pro
Fitness Competitor of the Year
Minna
Pajulahti
Shannon
Siemer
Cong
Mou
Viko
Newman
Valentina
Maria Rodriquez
Michelle
Gales
Most Underrated Pro
Figure Competitor of the Year
An Da
Jeong
Michelle
Lindsay
Brittany
Campbell
Tiffany
Boyer
Dawn
Reichley
Stacy
Fujarski
Most Underrated Pro
Bikini Competitor of the Year
Jasmine Williams
Breena Martinez
Eli Fernandez
Francesca Stoico
Jourdanne Lee
Mariella Pellegrino
AMATEUR
CATEGORIES
Amateur Female
Bodybuilder of the Year
Erica
Hartman
Dee
Joseph
Brittany
Nicole Larson
Danielle
Willis
Rachelle
Cannon
Jeri
Bradley
Amateur Women's
Physique Competitor of the Year
Lorraine
Gonzalez
Justine
Albert
Kathrine
McLaurin
Yarelis
Ramos Perez
Macey
Toney
Kimberly
Smith
Amateur Fitness
Competitor of the Year
Anna
Adams
Molly
Prather
Missy
Khasawneh
Stephanie
Jones
Abby
Bolton
Kristen
Morby
Amateur Figure
Competitor of the Year
Rachel
Shoemake
Bernice
Higgins
Ajanel
Williams
Sabah
Syed
Julia
Champlin
Rita
Villarreal
Amateur Bikini
Competitor of the Year
Ariana
Brothers
Ashley
Parker
Cristal
Medina
Mercedes
Fernandez
Daraja
Hill
Angela
White
Breakout Amateur Female
Bodybuilder of the Year
Takeela
Reddrick
Kelly
Lefevre
Brenda
Beitia
Helen
Davis
Donna
Jones
Nancy
Porter
Breakout Amateur
Women’s Physique Competitor of the Year
Jacqueline
Estrada
Jessica
Martin
Danhne
Villanueva
Christina
Specos
Jada
Beverly
Evon
Pennington
Breakout Amateur
Fitness Competitor of the Year
Shayla
Jacobs
Emilee
Clark
Haley
Lisenba
Corina
Harkelroad
Kimberley
Baliutavicius
Andrea
Larkins
Breakout Amateur Figure
Competitor of the Year
Yahda
Daniels
Melody
Zita
Lisa
Krause
Charlotte
Quillen
Cherish
Richardson
Natalia
Marrero
Breakout Amateur Bikini
Competitor of the Year
Charisse
Briguera
Krystal
Monteiro
Bryanna
Barcelo
Hope
Harper
Gina
Scafoglio
Chantel
Hall
Most Underrated Amateur
Female Bodybuilder of the Year
Leann
George
Robin
Hartman
Kathlee
Rutkowski
Janelle
Gallo-Riegger
Stephanie
Castelluccio
Jenn
Schmidt
Most Underrated Amateur
Women’s Physique Competitor of the Year
Patti
Hanson
Hayley
Townsend
Hannah
Hussein
Shannon
Applegate-Smith
Rachel
Newman
Rebecca
Libby
Most Underrated Amateur
Fitness Competitor of the Year
Amanda
Reed
Pamela
Bartock
Crystal
Parrett
Landra
Tieman
Meghan
Cassidy
Lena
Squarciafico
Most Underrated Amateur
Figure Competitor of the Year
Tricia
Mowatt
Mandy
Harbin
Nikki
Nozano
Cassandra
Bailey
Jen
Mezzetti
Ana
Melissa Cardenas
Most Underrated Amateur
Bikini Competitor of the Year
Veronica
Garza
Laura
Lee Musson
Shannon
McClead
Corissa
Lorimer
Nicole
Desmond
Samantha
McIntyre
MISC.
CATEGORIES
Fitness Model of the
Year
Yarshina
Ayala
Wendy
Fortino
Tina
(Nguyen) Middleton
Mandy
Rose
Erin
Stern
Ivana
Ivusic
Fitness Ambassador of
the Year
Mandy
Rose
Lauren
Rutan
Whitney
Jones
Trish
Warren
Wendy
Fortino
Nicole
Wilkins
Social Media Star of
the Year (Instagram/Twitter/Facebook/Snapchat, etc.)
Yarshina
Ayala
Brittney
Terry
Melissa
Pearo
Denise
Masino
Ivana
Ivusic
Trish
Warren
Moment of the Year
Becky
Lynch, Charlotte Flair, and Ronda Rousey becoming the first women to
main-event Wrestlemania
Erin
Stern returning to the IFBB
Latorya
Watts's return to the Olympia after over a year's absence
The
announcement of the return of Ms. Olympia in 2020
The
announcement of the addition of the NPC/IFBB Wellness division in
2020
Simone
Biles becoming the most decorated gymnast of all time, male or female
Photographer of the
Year
Joe
Bayer
George
Kontaxis
Will
Wittmann
J.M.
Manion
Dustin
Raymond
Lou
Krivda
Fit Celebrity of the
Year
Caroline
Pearce (Premier Fighting League/ESPN)
Jenna
Wolfe (First Things First)
Charly
Caruso/Arnolt (WWE Raw/ESPN)
Paige
Davis (Trading Spaces)
Denise
Matenopoulo (Home and Family)
Tiffany
Coyle (Let's Make a Deal)
Female Sports Athlete
of the Year
Simone
Biles
Alex
Morgan
Megan
Rapinoe
Julie
Ertz
Amanda
Nunes
Serena
Williams
Crossfit Athlete of the
Year
Tia-Clair
Toomey
Kristin
Holte
Jamie
Greene
Katrin
Davidsdottir
Karisa
Pearce
Hailey
Adams
Fittest Female WWE
Superstar of the Year (Raw/Smackdown)
Becky
Lynch
Mandy
Rose
Charlotte
Flair
Dana
Brooke
Alexa
Bliss
Sasha
Banks
Fittest Female NXT
Superstar of the Year (this also includes NXT UK)
Bianca
Belair
Toni
Storm
Rhea
Ripley
Candice
LaRae
Xia
Li
Taynara
Conti
Fittest Female
Mainstream Wrestler of the Year
Tessa
Blanchard (Impact)
Taya
Valkerie (Impact)
Britt
Baker (AEW)
Tenielle
Dashwood (Impact)
Sadie
Gibbs (AEW)
Jordynne
Grace (Impact)
Fittest Independent
Wrestler of the Year
Katie
Forbes
Kamille
Amber
Nova
Indi
Hartwell
Heidi
Katrina
Big
Swole
Physique Paysite of the
Year
HDPhysiques/Preminum
Physiques
HerBicepsPlus
FemaleCityFlex
FitVids
UK
Muscletease
Kriv
Studios
Physique Paysite Model
of the Year
Stephanie
Marie
Carli
Teperka
Brooke
Walker
Cris
Goy
Katie
Lee
Taylor
Smuck
Promoter(s) of the Year
Branch
and Trish Warren
Tim
Garnder
Chris
Minnes
Robin
Chang
Gary
Udit
Jack
and Ann Titone
Fitness Clothing Line
of the Year
Tapout
Fitness
NPC
Active Wear
Booty
Queen Apparel
Flag
Nor Fail
Vanquish
Fitness
Nicole
Wilkins Collection
Team of the Year
Cyberbodyshop
Underrated
Muscle
Team
Williams Fitness
Worth
It Fitness
Sexy-Strong
Fitness
Mafia
Male Trainer of the
Year
Matt
Allen
Pete
Ciccone
Noel
Fuller
Justin
Miller
Dave
Palumbo
Sean
Hayes
Female Trainer of the
Year
Jennifer
Worth
Meriza
Deguzman-Ciccone
Whitney
Jones
Wendy
Fortino
Lauren
Rutan
Torrie
Wilson
FitGems
Nation Woman of the Year
(the fitness personality that had the most impact for the industry in 2019)
(the fitness personality that had the most impact for the industry in 2019)
NOTE: Once you win this award, you
will AUTOMATICALLY sit out the following year as a way of keeping
this particular award’s winners as fresh as possible, even if the
following year is their best one in their career up to that point.
This means last year’s winner, Cydney Gillon, must sit out this
year
- Whitney Jones
- Missy Truscott
- Ryall Graber
- Shanique Grant
- Nadia Wyatt
- Becky Lynch
- Charlotte Flair
- Tessa Blanchard
- Mandy Rose
- Dana Brooke
- Charly Arnolt/Caruso
- Simone Biles
- Alex Morgan
- Megan Rapinoe
- Julie Ertz
- Sandra Grajales
- Bojana Vasiljevic
- Lauren Rutan
- Helle Trevino
- Natalia Coelho
Oh...heads up...we will be doing our own Decade Awards in the coming days. Yes, you will get to vote on the best in female muscle from 2010 to now. More details on THAT this weekend!
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