Bodybuilding Forum

Quoted

2010 OLYMPIA WOMEN'S PRE-JUDGING REPORT
Women’s bodybuilding, figure, fitness and bikini prejudging report and galleries

The 2010 Olympia Weekend women’s competitions kicked off as female bodybuilding, fitness, figure and bikini competitors took the stage at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. Here’s how it’s shaping up in each division.

FITNESS

Fourteen ladies took the stage and it included a few first time Olympians, a 4-time champion, and the first ever Fitness Olympia Champion Mia Finnegan. Four-time Fitness Olympia winner Adela Garcia stood above her peers once again and was quickly placed in the center of the first callout. The judges seem to have agreed on the top three as Garcia, Trish Warren, and Tanji Johnson were sent back from the first callout to watch the rest of the ladies battle it out. Warren displayed her great lines and conditioning while Johnson had a tiny waist and a bit softer look. Tonight these ladies will kick off the finals with their two-minute routines and things could change drastically.

BIKINI

History was made as the first ever Bikini Olympia pre-judging is in the books and the top 3 were right in line with all of the pre-show predictions. Nathalia Melo, Sonia Gonzales, and Nicole Nagrani are in a tight battle for first. All three have tight, compact physiques, but each has a strength the others don’t. Nagrani owned the stage with confidence and charm that surpass her 18 years of age; Gonzales won three shows this year and has a subtle beauty while Melo has the undeniable sex appeal. As these three came out for a final comparison, the judges were left with no easy task in selecting the first ever Bikini Olympia Champion. Rounding out the Top 6 is likely to be the curvy and beautiful Ali Rosen, bright smiled Jamie Baird, and the alluring Amanda Latona.

FIGURE

The Figure Olympia celebrated its 8th birthday this morning and in that short time has become the premier women’s physique event. Twenty-four ladies earned their way here, but in the end the two pre-show favorites were alone on stage for a historic comparison. Reigning champion Nicole Wilkins brought some new muscle to compliment her beautiful lines. Top challenger Erin Stern came with her statuesque and athletic physique that is always a crowd favorite. As was often said about Ronnie Coleman during his eight year reign as Mr. Olympia, you can’t just beat the champ; you have to knock him (her) out definitively. With the improvements Wilkins made, no one could deliver a knockout blow and the defending champion looks to be in a strong position for tomorrow night’s finals.

The rest of the placings are up for grabs and some new faces mixed it up with the known favorites. As expected, Heather Mae French and Kristal Richardson will make the top 5 with their similar tiny waists and striking beauty. Teresa Anthony finally nailed it and brought the conditioning befitting her amazing structure and the petite Felicia Romero also came in tight enough to be in the fight for 5th or 6th. Also watch out for Alicia Harris, who rose out of the second callout and could easily crack the top six. Two other impressive top 10 competitors are Terri Turner and Candice Keene; both these ladies had incredible seasons and should be rising up the Olympia ranks for years to come.

MS OLYMPIA

Last on stage this morning was the Ms. Olympia, or what quickly became the Iris Kyle show. Kyle hit her first pose and quickly served notice to all in attendance; then she turned around and put herself in a different league. Next to Kyle, the best physiques in the world look like amateurs - she’s that good. Kyle is undeniably the favorite to collect her sixth overall title (tying Cory Everson) and her seventh career Ms. Olympia title (one shy of Lenda Murray’s eight).

Following Kyle, Yaxeni Garcia-Oriquen was back to her champion form and Debi Laszewski had her best showing to date. Shelia Bleck also battled her way into the first callout with sharp conditioning and some added size from her IFBB debut at the NY Pro. The last of the top 5 will be a tough and close call between Heather Foster, Dayana Cadeau, and Cathy LeFrancois. While there were only 11 competitors on the Ms. Olympia stage, each one was spot on and helped to breathe some much needed life into women’s bodybuilding.

Quoted

MR. OLYMPIA PREJUDING REPORT: NAIL BITER!
Too close to call at the 2010 Mr. Olympia

In what will surely go down as one of the more dramatic finishes in Olympia history, Jay Cutler is fighting tooth and nail to defend his title against a strong field of contenders, lead by Phil Heath.

Based on the judges' callouts the top six could end up being Cutler, Heath, Branch Warren, Dexter Jackson, Dennis Wolf and Ronny Rockel, but it's anyone's guess at this point as to how the order will shake out tomorrow night. It would seem, however, that Jay and Phil could be fighting it out for top honors here at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas tomorrow night.

The arena crowd roared during the evening's first callout, which consisted of Cutler, Heath, Jackson and Warren. Each man brought his own set of strengths — Warren freaky mass and vascularity, Jackson classic lines, Heath a great blend of shape, size and conditioning and Cutler overwhelming size and zippered quads.

As impressive as Jay is, he's a bit off from his conditioning of last year, in which he set a new standard of excellence for himself. He's not far off, but possibly just enough to let Phil grab a Sandow of his own.

Phil brought an excellent physique to the stage tonight, and if he isn't as dry as we've seen him, his added size has given him a better shot at dethroning Cutler. Jay's still larger, to be sure, but Phil's lines help negate some of the difference. Both men have their contingent of supporters here and it's hard to argue with either side's arguments.

Branch Warren is on par with the physique that earned him second place last year and remains every bit the crowd pleaser. Look for a top four finish from him, as well as from "The Blade," Dexter Jackson. Although Dexter's legs are down from their peak, he looks the best we've seen him in a couple of years, and worthy of a top four spot.

The surprise of the evening has to be Kai Greene, who sunk back into the evening's second callout and who, despite great anticipation for a top three finish, could end up out of the top six tomorrow night.

As for a dark horse, give that title to Ronny Rockel, who could place as high as fifth.

Although the final placings may be up in the air, one thing that's guaranteed is an exciting show tomorrow night, highlighted not only by the crowning of the 2010 Mr. Olympia, but an onstage appearance by all 12 Mr. Olympia winners along with Mr. Olympia creator Joe Weider in a special 45th anniversary celebration. Be sure to check in right here at flexonline.com for a full report.

Quoted

2010 202 SHOWDOWN PREJUDING REPORT

Henry vs. English

The Olympia 202 Showdown is one Vegas event where all bets are off. Only three of the top six at the inaugural event in 2008 made the posedown last year, and with two of last year’s top six (Flex Lewis, Mark Dugdale) in the audience this year, we were guaranteed to shuffle the deck once again. And so it is. With the prejudging now complete, the title is up for grabs between 2008 winner David Henry and 2009 winner Kevin English. The two were brought out alone for the final comparison. In the third Olympia 202 Showdown, this is the third time Henry and English have been in the top two and battling for first. The former has sharper abs and greater back detail, while the latter is wider in the shoulders, lats and quads. It’s apple vs. orange, with one destined to become the first two-time 202 champ and establish himself as the best “little” big man of the 202 era.

A case could be made for Eduardo Correa winning the whole thing, as he has a more aesthetic physique than either of the top two. Instead, he was brought out for a one-on-one comparison with Jose Raymond. Correa seemed to win that easily, and should have the three spot on lock-down (the same placing he earned last year) with Raymond in fourth (he was sixth last year). Thick and balanced, Jason Arntz was in the first five-man comparison with Henry, English, Correa and Raymond, but he was also brought out later for a comparison with Stan McQuay, Jaroslav Horvath and Tricky Jackson that may allow one of those latter three to slip by him and land in the money. We’ll all find out tonight at the finals on the Orleans Arena stage as English and Henry duel again and those chasing them try to climb up the 202 ranks.

Quoted

QUADZILLA!
Jay Cutler makes it four Sandows

In a dramatic decision that had the capacity crowd at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas rocking and roaring, Jay Cutler was announced the winner of the 2010 Mr. Olympia. The win marked Iron Jay's fourth in five years.

Throughout the weekend speculation abounded that the contest would come down to Cutler and Phil Heath, with experts and fans alike being nearly equally divided as to who would prevail. In the end it was Jay's mass that trumped Phil's classical lines.

Taking third was a highly impressive Branch Warren, who slipped a notch from his runner-up placing of last year. The Texas Tornado squeaked by a near-peak form Dexter Jackson, who also fell one placing from his third place spot of last year.

In what has to be considered a victory of sorts, Dennis Wolf rose from a DNP last year to fifth place this, and rounding out the top six was the contest's dark horse, Ronny Rockel.

Seventh place went to Kai Greene, who was noticeably off from his best condition. Victor Martinez came back from a knee injury to take eighth (accompanied by the loudest boos of the evening). Toney Freeman finished in ninth and Hidetada Yamagishi took tenth.

In the 202 Showdown, Kevin English made it two in a row as he edged David Henry. Brazil's Eduardo Correa filled the third place spot, Jose Raymond took fourth, Jason Arntz was fifth and Jaroslav Horvath rounded out the top six.

In addition to the competitive history made in Vegas tonight, 11 of the 12 Mr. Olympia winners (Arnold Schwarzenegger being the exception) took the stage along with Mr. Olympia founder Joe Weider in celebration of the contest's 45th anniversary.

Be sure to look for a full report on the entire Olympia weekend in bodybuilding's #1 publication, FLEX, at a newsstand near you.