I was asked by a few people, “why did you leave Nathalia out of your Bikini Olympia predictions?” Well, Nathalia is a very good competitor but it will be tough for her to win her second Olympia title when she’s watching from the audience. I’ve read a variety of comments speculating why Nathalia isn’t competing this year so I decided to go straight to the champ herself and find out what’s up. Check out what Nathalia had to say about sitting out the Olympia, retirement chatter and more. As always, Nathalia is shows her humorous side and why she’s one of the most popular women in the industry whether she’s on stage or not.

Nathalia Melo on Sitting Out the Bikini Olympia

Where ya living these days?
In planes and airports. LOL… Just kidding I am living in Belfas-Northern Ireland.

How often do you travel?
At least twice a month, and since mid-August until a week before Christmas I will be on the road every weekend working for my sponsors, Nutrex Research and Better Bodies. Plus I’m doing my “Nathalia Melo Stage Ready Seminars” and “Melofit Camps”.

Some rumors floating around about you not competing in the Olympia this year. Let’s tackle those…

Are you pregnant?
No… no babies here. Well… I did get a dog, if he can count as a baby. =)

HA! Good one. Are you out of shape and not able to pull it together?
Yup! Been living on cake and ice cream for the past few months. Hahaha… just joking! I better stop it before people think it is true. But, on a serious note now when you are in this industry it is vital that you stay in shape, not necessarily contest shape but at least photo shoot ready. I have been doing shoots for my sponsors and have a few photoshoots lined up for the Olympia weekend. So, no… I didn’t get morbidly obese.

You’ve got jokes.

My decision to not do the Olympia this year started when I had a very bad injury on my back, which was around the time I had to make de decision whether or not I was going to compete at the Olympia. Plus, I have been super busy with my seminars and camps so I am trying to focus more them (I have done seminars and camps in nearly 20 different countries). And to top it all off, I am also planning my wedding. So, with so much going on I thought it would be best to sit out of this one.

You’re planning a wedding soon?
I am wedding planning at the moment. MADNESS!!

So you retired?
No. I am not ready to play Bingo on a daily basis, yet.

HAHA! Now that we got those out of the way…

Will you be at the Olympia and if so where can people see The leader of the Melo Mafia?
I wouldn’t miss the Olympia weekend for anything! I surely will be there! I will be at Nutrex Research and Better Bodies booth on both days, and at Bodybuilding.com booth on Friday.

You’ve been doing lots of seminars. Any of those planned after the Olympia?
Yes. Many of them planned for after the Olympia. In Russia, England, Italy and the U.S. to name a few places.

You’re also part of a book coming out with other champions. What can people expect to find in your profile?
I am pretty freaking excited to be put in a book with so many women who I admire and all the female legends of the Bodybuilding. In my profile I share my workouts, diet and a few tips on things I have learned over the years.

Lastly, what bit of advice would you have for the rookies competing in the Olympia for the first time?
Enjoy the ride, the moment and be very very very proud of yourself for stepping on that stage. Regardless of your placing, always remember that not many can say that have competed at the Olympia. Oh… and take LOOOOOOADS of pictures backstage, they are such great memories!!

Thanks Nathalia! Follow Nathalia on instagram, Facebook and twitter.

Bethany’s Hardbody Climb to The Olympia
The 2014 Fitness Olympia is quickly approaching and one of the favorites in the contest is Bethany Wagner-Cisternino. The Jersey girl always brings one of the best physiques to the stage and with her always-improving routines, she has a chance to take top honors. Bethany stopped by to give an update heading into this year’s big show in Las Vegas plus she shares a sample workout. Check it out.

Hello Hardbody peeps! I hope everyone had relaxing and successful summer! I wanted to give everyone a quick update on my personal “Climb to the Olympia.” I switched it up from Road to the Olympia, because I began my contest by running Red Rocks and climbing Mount Quandary in Colorado with my good friend Camala Rodriguez-McClure. I believe “the climb” describes my training and preparation more accurately! I challenge myself everyday to get stronger physically and mentally. I’m always moving upward and onward.

I have said this before and I’ll share it again… I learn something new about myself every contest prep. I am learning what “stronger everyday” means to me. I ask myself “how do I put that into action?” For me, it is to focus on my inner voice and truly “listen to my heart.” I want to improve in all roles of my life: a daughter, sister, aunt, wife, friend, teacher, coach, and fitness competitor. I am learning and practicing the value of compassion. Compassion is my new favorite VERB and you should “exercise” it with others and with YOURSELF! It is not as easy as it sounds. Slowly but surely I am climbing to be a more mindful and compassionate person (especially with myself).

Inside the gym is so much easier to achieve “stronger everyday”. I can accomplish “hardbody.” So, for you I have included a back and bicep workout I recently tackled. Back training is a longer day because there are so many muscles of the back! I try to vary wide and close grip exercises. As a general rule I always do one warm-up set and then 3 working sets. Depending on the pump I may drop set the last set to really squeeze and feel the muscle(s) being worked.

BETHANY’S SAMPLE WORKOUT:
1. Seated close grip cable row super-set with wide grip pull ups (unassisted to failure)
2. Barbell T-Bar Row super-set with hammer strength (dual grip) one arm row machine (high/wide grip)
3. Reverse grip lat pull down with no weight low back hyperextensions
4. Close- grip lat pull down (use two separate hand

les) with cable bicep curl
5. DB bicep curl (twist at the top) – 3 drop sets

“Live your Dream. Show Compassion. Create your own Happiness. Follow your Heart.”

See you in 2 weeks!!!

~B

The 50th Olympia is quickly approaching and it promises to be one of the biggest and best yet. The best of the best will compete for the coveted Olympia title on September 18-21, in Las Vegas. This year’s contest has a number of seasoned veterans and a few rookies looking to shake things up. The lists below are for who qualified to compete in the 2014 Olympia but not necessarily who will compete. Look for a couple BIG names to NOT be competing this year. The final lists won’t be out until the week of the Olympia, so check back to see who will be stepping on stage.

2014 MS OLYMPIA
Iris Kyle, USA
Alina Popa, Romania
Debi Laszewski, USA
Yaxeni Oriquen-Garcia, Venezuela
Brigita Brezovac, Slovenia
Simone Oliveira, Brazil
Anne Freitas, Brazil
Rita Bello, Argentina
Sheila Bleck, USA

QUALIFIED VIA THE OLYMPIA POINT SERIES
Margie Martin, USA, 6
Christine Envall, Australia, 6
Alana Shipp, USA, 5
Lisa Giesbrecht, Canada, 5
Jennifer Sedia, USA, 4

2014 FITNESS OLYMPIA
Adela Garcia, USA
Oksana Grishina, Russia
Tanji Johnson, USA
Myriam Capes, Canada
Bethany Cisternino, USA
Marta Aquiar, Uruguay
Fiona Harris, Canada

QUALIFIED VIA THE OLYMPIA POINT SERIES
Regiane Da Silva, Germany, 18
Danielle Ruban, Canada, 12
Whitney Jones, USA, 9
Trish Warren, USA, 8
Amanda Hatfield, USA, 5
Somkina Liudmila, Russia, 5

2014 FIGURE OLYMPIA
Nicole Wilkins, USA
Erin Stern, USA
Candice Keene, USA
Heather Dees, USA
Mallory Haldeman, USA
Camala Rodriguez, USA
Alicia Coates, USA
Candice Lewis, USA
Jessica Graham, USA
Dana Ambrose, USA
Natalia Revajova Lenartova, Slovakia
Ann Titone, USA
Zsuzsanna Toldi, Hungary
Gennifer Strobo, USA
Cydney Gillon, USA
Karina Grau, Paraguay
Latorya Watts, USA
Julie Mayer, USA

QUALIFIED VIA THE OLYMPIA POINT SERIES
Allison Frahn, USA, 17
Andrea Calhoun, USA, 13
Sasha Brown, USA, 12
Wendy Fortino, USA, 12
Krista Dunn, USA, 11

2014 BIKINI OLYMPIA
Ashley Kaltwasser, USA
Yeshaira Robles, USA
Stacey Alexander, USA
Nathalia Melo, Brazil
India Paulino, USA
Lacey DeLuca, USA
Vladmira Krasova, Czech Republic
Jennifer Andrews, USA
Narmin Assria, USA
Amanda Latona, USA
Taylor Methany Bentson, USA
Crystal Matthews, USA
Christie Marquez, USA
Sarah LeBlanc, USA
Noy Alexander, USA
Janet Layug, USA
Sandi Forsythe, USA
Christina Strom Fjaere, Norway
Jenee Leger, USA
Angela Marquez, USA
Stephanie Mahoe, USA
Tawna Eubanks, USA
Brittany Taylor, USA

QUALIFIED VIA THE OLYMPIA POINT SERIES
Jessica Arevalo, USA, 17
Dayna Maleton, USA, 14
Candice Conroy, USA, 13
Kelsie Clark, USA, 12
Nicola Weiterova, Slovakia, 11
Noemi Olah, USA, 11

2014 OLYMPIA WOMEN’S PHYSIQUE SHOWDOWN
Dana Linn Bailey, USA
Tycie Coppett, USA
Sara Hurrle, USA
Toni West, USA
Patricia Mello, Brazil
Sabrina Taylor, USA
Jennifer Robinson, USA
Frances Mendez, USA
Nathalie Falk, Germany
Juliana Malacarne, Brazil
Samantha Hill, USA
Mindi O’Brien, Canada
Tamee Marie, USA
Leila Thompson, USA
La’Drissa Bonivel, USA
Karin Hobbs, USA
Heather Grace, USA

QUALIFIED VIA THE OLYMPIA POINT SERIES
Rachel Baker, USA, 11
Karina Nascimento, USA, 10
Olga Beliakova, Russia, 8
Roxie Beckles, USA, 7
Jacklyn Sutton-Abrams, USA, 7
Sandra Lombardo, USA, 7
Jillian Reville, USA, 7

2014 MR. OLYMPIA
Phil Heath, USA
Kai Greene, USA
Dennis Wolf, Germany
Shawn Rhoden, USA
Dexter Jackson, USA
Ibrahim Sami Fahim, Egypt
Justin Compton, USA
Steve Kuclo, USA
Branch Warren, USA
Mamdouh Elssbiay, Egypt
Juan Morel, USA
Roelly Winklaar, Curacao
William Bonac, Netherlands
Victor Martinez, Dominican Republic

QUALIFIED VIA THE OLYMPIA POINT SERIES
Jonathan Delarosa, USA, 16
Evan Centopani, USA, 8
Lionel Beyeke, France, 8
Cedric McMillan, USA, 7
Fred Smalls, USA, 7
Johnnie Jackson, USA, 7
Jojo Ntiforo, USA, 7
Essa Obaid, UAE, 7

2014 OLYMPIA 212 SHOWDOWN
James Lewis, UK
David Henry, USA
Kevin English, USA
Jose Raymond, USA
Eduardo Correa, Brazil
Sami Al Haddad, Bahrain
Guy Cisternino, USA
Aaron Clark, USA
Charles Dixon, USA
Hidetada Yamagishi, Japan

QUALIFIED VIA THE OLYMPIA POINT SERIES
Mark Dugdale, USA, 12
Raul Carrasco Jimenez, Spain, 11
Ahmad Ahmad, Sweden, 9
Baito Abbaspour, Iran, 8
Mboya Edwards, Canada, 7

2014 OLYMPIA MEN’S PHYSIQUE SHOWDOWN
Mark Anthony Wingson, USA
Jeremy Buendia, USA
Matthew Acton, USA
Sadik Hadzovic, USA
Jason Poston, USA
Tyler Anderson, USA
Tory Woodward, USA
Michael Anderson, USA
German Pacheco, USA
Arya Saffaie, USA
Anton Antipov, USA
Steve Cook, USA

QUALIFIED VIA THE OLYMPIA POINT SERIES
Jonathan Sebastian, USA, 15
Xavisus Gayden, USA, 12
Felipe Franco, Brazil, 10
Jeff Seid, USA, 10
Matt Christianer, USA, 7
Tonnell Rodrigue, USA, 7

HOTEL / EVENT CENTER:
The Orleans Hotel and Casino – Las Vegas
4500 W Tropicana Ave
Las Vegas, Nevada
(800) 675-3267

Las Vegas Convention Center
3150 Paradise Rd
Las Vegas, NV 89109

See where your favorite company will be at on the EXPO Map.

2014 Olympia Schedule of Events:

Thursday, September 18th
12:00 PM
Mr. Olympia Press Conference – Orleans Hotel – Showroom – Open to The Public

7:00 PM
Meet the Olympians – Orleans Arena Concourse Level – VIP Ticket Holders & Platinum Members Only

8:00 PM
Meet the Olympians Orleans Arena Concourse Level – Free Admission/Open to Public

Friday, September 19th
9:30 AM
Olympia Expo – Las Vegas Convention Center – South Hall
Early Entry for VIP Ticket Holders & Platinum Members (click for VIP packages)

10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Olympia Expo – Las Vegas Convention Center – South Hall

10:30 AM
IFBB Pro League Women’s Judging: Fitness, Bikini, Figure, Women’s Physique and Ms. Olympia Las Vegas Convention Center – South Hall

1:00 PM
212 Showdown – Athlete Weigh-Ins – Las Vegas Convention Center – South Hall

1:30 PM
BPI’s FLEX Bikini Model Search – Judging – Las Vegas Convention Center – South Hall

1:30 PM
Muscle & Fitness Model Search – Judging – Las Vegas Convention Center – South Hall

7:00 PM
Fitness, Bikini & Ms. Olympia Finals and Mr. Olympia Judging – Orleans Arena

Saturday, September 20th
9:30 AM
Olympia Expo – Las Vegas Convention Center – South Hall
Early Entry for VIP Ticket Holders & Platinum Members (click for VIP packages)

10:00 AM
5:00 PM – Olympia Expo – Las Vegas Convention Center – South Hall

10:30 AM
IFBB Men’s Physique Showdown – Judging & Finals,
IFBB Women’s Physique Showdown (posing & confirmation round)
IFBB Men’s & Women’s Physique Awards and 212 Showdown – Judging and Posing

2:00 PM
BPI’s FLEX Bikini Model Search – Finals – Las Vegas Convention Center – South Hall

2:00 PM
Muscle & Fitness Model Search – Finals – Las Vegas Convention Center – South Hall

7:00 PM
Figure, 212 Showdown & Mr. Olympia Finals – Orleans Arena

11:00 PM
Olympia Victory Gala – Orleans Hotel – Mardi Gras Ballroom

12:00 AM
Official Olympia After Party

Sunday, September 21st
11:00 AM
Olympia Superstar Seminar – Orleans Hotel – Mardi Gras Ballroom

 

For more info on the Olympia, purchase tickets and more visit mrolympia.com.

 

The 2014 Olympia is quickly approaching and the folks at bodybuilding.com will once again be broadcasting the event LIVE and FREE on their website. There was some confusion amongst a fans, mainly do to irresponsible reporting by a few websites, that there would be no live webcast due to NBC SPORTS filming this year’s 50th Anniversary. If there were any lingering doubts on a webcast, you can put them to bed with today’s announcement.

Bodybuilding.com Announces Exclusive 2014 Olympia Webcast
Boise, ID – August 28, 2014 – Bodybuilding.com, the Internet’s most-visited fitness website and largest online retailer of nutritional supplements, will offer a free worldwide webcast of the 2014 Olympia Weekend, presented by BSN, MuscleTech, and Dymatize Nutrition.

This year marks the historic 50th anniversary of Joe Weider’s Olympia Weekend, and is a must-see event for all fans of physique competition. Thanks to Bodybuilding.com, everyone can tune in—for free! Our live HD webcast, as well as post-event VOD (video-on-demand) replays, will stream in the Bodybuilding.com Webcast Player (available soon), the Bodybuilding.com Livestream Channel, the Livestream Roku channel for those watching on big-screen TVs, and the Livestream mobile app*.

Bodybuilding.com’s live webcast will stream the IFBB pro events on Friday night and Saturday night (September 19th and 20th) from The Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, beginning at 6:30 p.m. PDT (9:30 p.m. EDT) both nights. The Friday night webcast segment will feature the Mr. Olympia judging round, and the finals for the beautifully fit women of the Bikini, Fitness, and Ms. Olympia competitions.

The Saturday night webcast segment concludes the pro competitions with the finals for the women’s Figure division, the men’s 212 Showdown, and the main event—the Mr. Olympia finals. Reigning 3-time Mr. Olympia Phil Heath will battle to defend his title against fierce challengers (and champions in their own right) Kai Greene, Dexter Jackson, Branch Warren, Dennis Wolf, Shawn Rhoden, and Victor Martinez—just to name a few!

The webcast also features plenty of expert pre-show discussion and post-show analysis and athlete interviews, and also includes the annual Webcast Fan’s Choice Award, where fans get to vote for their favorite athlete. The presentation of the 2014 Bodybuilding.com Supplement Awards winners will also be viewable via webcast. The annual Supplement Awards continue to set the standard for recognition of the best products and brands in the fitness and supplement industry.

Read more on the webcast and a Q&A with some of last year’s champions.

The 2014 Figure Olympia is quickly approaching and we now know who is qualified to compete in the upcoming event. The Tahoe Pro sent Julie Mayer to the Olympia via her win and finalized who would get in via the Olympia Point Series. It came down to the final show before we knew who made it in via points but now, we’re set.

Nicole Wilkins will be looking for her fourth Olympia title, something no other woman has done. Candice Keene has won two Arnold Figure International titles but has yet to add Olympia champ to her resume. We know Erin Stern is not competing this year. Heather Dees and Mallory Haldeman will also be opting out of the show despite qualifying. That leaves a huge opportunity for the women qualified to end up in the top five spots.

2014 FIGURE OLYMPIA QUALIFIED
Nicole Wilkins
Erin Stern
Candice Keene
Heather Dees
Mallory Haldeman
Camala Rodriguez
Alicia Coates
Candice Lewis
Jessica Graham
Dana Ambros
Natalia Revajova Lenartova
Ann Titone
Zsuzsanna Toldi
Gennifer Strobo
Cydney Gillon
Karina Grau
Latorya Watts
Julie Mayer

Qualified Via the Olympia Point Series
Allison Frahn
Andrea Calhoun
Sasha Brown
Wendy Fortino
Krista Dunn

Visit mrolympia.com for more information on the #50thOlympia and purchase your tickets to watch the Figure Olympia live and in person.

The 2014 Olympia is quickly approaching and we’re beginning to see who will qualify for the big show in Las Vegas. Over the weekend, most of the fields were set. The Bikini, Men’s Physique and Figure still have a handful of shows remaining on the schedule to qualify but for the most part we know who will be qualified for the Olympia.

Keep in mind these lists are for those who qualified, it doesn’t mean they will actually compete. We know Erin Stern, Mallory Haldeman and Heather Dees are are officially out of the Figure lineup. A couple of top competitors in other divisions will not be competing but have asked not to be mentioned just yet as they haven’t made things “official”. Stay tuned on that front as it will definitely get people talking when their absence is announced.

Fitness Olympia
Adela Garcia
Oksana Grishina
Tanji Johnson
Myriam Capes
Bethany Cisternino
Marta Aquiar
Fiona Harris

Via the Olympia Point Series:
Regiane Da Silva
Danielle Ruban
Whitney Jones
Trish Warren
Amanda Hatfield
Somkina Liudmila

Ms. Olympia
Iris Kyle
Alina Popa
Debi Laszewski
Yaxeni Oriquen-Garcia
Brigita Brezovac
Simone Oliveira
Anne Freitas
Rita Bello
Sheila Bleck

Via the Olympia Point Series:
Margie Martin
Christine Envall
Alana Shipp
Lisa Giesbrecht
Jennifer Sedia

Women’s Physique Showdown
Dana Linn Bailey
Tycie Coppett
Sara Hurrle
Toni West
Patricia Melo
Sabrina Taylor
Jennifer Robinson
Frances Mendez
Nathalie Falk
Juliana Malacarne
Samantha Hill
Mindi O’Brien
Tamee Marie
Leila Thompson
La’Drissa Bonivel
Karin Hobbs
Heather Grace

Via the Olympia Point Series:
Rachel Baker
Karina Nascimento
Olga Beliakova
Roxie Beckles
Jacklyn Sutton Abrams
Sandra Lombardo
Jillian Reville

Mr. Olympia
Phil Heath
Kai Greene
Dennis Wolf
Shawn Rhoden
Dexter Jackson
Ibrahim Fahim
Justin Compton
Steve Kuclo
Branch Warren
Mamdouh Elssbiay
Juan Morel
Roelly winklaar
William Bonac
Victor Martinez

Via the Olympia Point Series:
Jonathan Delarosa
Evan Centopani
Lionel Beyeke
Cedric McMillan
Johnnie Jackson
Jojo Ntiforo
Essa Obaid
Fred Smalls

212 Olympia Showdown
Flex Lewis
David Henry
Kevin English
Jose Raymond
Eduardo Correa
Sami Al Haddad
Guy Cisternino
Aaron Clark
Charles Dixon
Hidetada Yamagishi

Via the Olympia Point Series:
Mark Dugdale
Raul Carrasco
Ahmad Ahmad
Baito Abbaspour
Mboya Edwards

The following divisions are not final and still have shows remaining however this is how the lineups look as of Monday August 11, 2014.

Figure Olympia Qualified
Nicole Wilkins
Erin Stern
Candice Keene
Heather Dees
Mallory Haldeman
Camala Rodriguez
Alicia Coates
Candice Lewis
Jessica Graham
Dana Ambrose
Natalia Revajova Lenartova
Ann Titone
Zsuzsanna Toldi
Gennifer Strobo
Cydney Gillon
Karina Grau
Latorya Watts

There’s just one qualifying show to go in the Figure division (Tahoe Pro). It’s safe to call Allison Frahn and Sasha Brown qualified for the Olympia. There are a number of scenarios that could change the remaining lineup after the Tahoe Pro but here’s the leading contenders with a chance to qualify via the points series. The magic number is 10 anything less than that and there’s not chance to qualify via the points system. Three women have ten points and four have mathematical chances to get in with a top finish in Tahoe.

Leading the Olympia Point Series:
Allison Frahn, 15
Sasha Brown, 12
Krista Dunn, 10
Andrea Calhoun, 10
Julie Mayer, 10

Wendy Fortino, 8
Laurie Green, 7
Monica Labriola, 6
Amanda Doherty, 6

Bikini Olympia Qualified
Ashley Kaltwasser
Yeshaira Robles
Stacey Alexander
Nathalia Melo
India Paulino
Lacey DeLuca
Vladmiria Krasova
Jennifer Andrews
Narmin Assria
Amanda Latona
Taylor Methany Bentson
Crystal Matthews
Christie Marquez
Sarah LeBlanc
Noy Alexander
Janet Layug
Sandi Forsythe
Christina Strom Fjaere
Jenee Leger
Angela Marquez
Stephanie Mahoe
Tawna Eubanks

There are two IFBB Pro Bikini shows remaining on the schedule. The Dallas Pro and the St. Louis Pro will determine who is in the Bikini Olympia lineup. In order to make the Olympia via the point system a competitor needs at least 10 points. Anything less than ten and they are on the outside looking in. It’s a safe bet to call Jessica Arevalo and Dayna Maleton in the Olympia but not it’s not set in stone. Kelsie Clark, Nicola and Michelle Lewin are likely in but not a sure thing. A number of scenarios could play out given two remaining shows. There will be a clearer scenario after the Dallas Pro. This one could come down to the wire to see who gets in.

Leading the Olympia Point Series:
Jessica Arevalo, 17
Dayna Maleton, 14
Kelsie Clark, 12
Nicola Weiterova, 11
Michelle Lewin, 10

Noemi Olah, 9
Anna Virmajoki, 7
Candice Conroy, 6
Callie Bundy, 5

Men’s Physique Olympia Showdown
Mark Anthony Wingson
Jeremy Buendia
Matthew Acton
Sadik Hadzovic
Jason Poston
Tyler Anderson
Tory Woodward
Michael Anderson
German Pacheco
Arya Saffaie
Anton Antipov

There’s just one qualifying show to go in the Men’s Physique division (Dallas Pro). It’s safe to call the top two gentleman qualified for the Olympia. There are a number of scenarios that could change the remaining lineup after this weekend.

Leading the Olympia Point Series:
Jonathan Sebastian, 15
Xavisus Gayden, 12
Felipe Franco, 8
Jeff Seid, 7
Matt Christianer, 6
Sheridan Hause, 6

The 2014 Figure Olympia presents a huge opportunity for the women qualified and entering the event. This will be the 11th year the IFBB Pro Figure competition has been held during the Olympia Weekend. The final competitor list has yet to be finalized but with three shows to go it’s getting close. Three of the women who finished in last year’s top six will not be returning. Last month, Heather Dees announced she was sitting out this year’s event. Heather placed fourth at the 2012 and 2013 Figure Olympia.

Two-time Figure Olympia champion, Erin Stern made her official announcement regarding this year’s competition. She made the following post in conjunction with Oxygen magazine’s “exclusive announcement”.

“It’s official – I won’t be competing in the 2014 Figure Olympia. For the last 5 years, I’ve done upwards of 6 shows a year. I have always trained/prepped myself for shows, which can make it difficult to know when to take time off. But, I want to focus more on helping others achieve their goals, do more seminars, and finish my book. I’m also looking forward to just training! As we all know, quality improvements to the physique can’t be made overnight! The stage will be there next year Thank you….and train hard, y’all!!!”

In the Oxygen story Erin shared, “It’s not that I feel that my body won’t respond, it’s just that my bones ache!” Despite the aching bones Stern shared, “I’m toying with the idea of doing some powerlifting competitions.”

Erin had finished in the top six in each of her five Olympia appearances. Her first Olympia, in 2009 she finished in sixth and after that it was a battle between her and Nicole Wilkins for the top spot. The two went head to head with Erin winning two times and Nicole winning three.

Fitness Management Group (FMG), Mallory’s management has exclusively confirmed that Mallory Haldeman will be sitting out the Olympia. She’s finished in fifth place in 2012 and 2013. In 2012 she was awarded “rookie of the year” by Flex Magazine. Mallory skipped the Figure International the and struggled at the California’s Governor’s Cup earlier his year. She finished in sixth at the 2014 Governor’s Cup, the lowest finish of her pro figure career. FMG shared that she will look at competing later this Fall and hopes to be invited back to the 2015 Figure International.

It looks like this year’s competition could spark a new rivalry between three-time champ Nicole Wilkins and Candice Keene. Keene has yet to finish higher than third at the Olympia but you have to figure (like that unintentional pun?) this is her opportunity to move up and make a run for the top spot. Candice did beat Nicole at the 2013 New York Pro but that wasn’t the best version of Wilkins we’ve seen. Nicole was off at that show and bounced back to win her third Olympia title. If you’re gambling in Vegas this September the smart money is on the 2014 Figure Olympia title going to one of these two women.

No one is unbeatable and with half of last year’s top six sitting out, opportunity knocks for those who are qualified. If there were an Olympia Figure pecking order we could look to Ann Titone, Camala Rodriquez, Genn Strobo and Candice Lewis to be the most likely candidates to finish in the top spots. You can rule out Alicia Coates who will be competing in her first Olympia and the other women who have earned their spot in this year’s competition.

LIST OF QUALIFIED FIGURE OLYMPIA COMPETITORS:
Nicole Wilkins
Candice Keene
Erin Stern
Heather Dees
Mallory Haldeman
Camala Rodriguez
Alicia Coates
Candice Lewis
Jessica Graham
Dana Ambrose
Natalia Revajova Lenartova
Ann Titone
Zsuzsanna Toldi
Gennifer Strobo
Cydney Gillon

Read more on who is in the hunt for a qualifying spot via the Olympia Point Series.

STORY UPDATED on July 9th to reflect FMG’s exclusive statement.

The IFBB Pro League introduced the Olympia Qualification Series, a points-based system in 2012. The system was designed to help determine who would qualify for the Olympia in each of the IFBB Pro League divisions. The way it works is pretty simple. The winner of each contest is qualified for the Olympia and no points are rewarded. The competitors who finish in second through fifth place receive points for their placings. The points are accumulated throughout the year and after the final qualifying event, the five competitors with the most points are qualified to compete in the Olympia.

 

THE HARDBODY 411

Some divisions are a little more interesting to follow than others and in many cases will come down to the final show to determine who gets in or not. There are only a few shows remaining on the schedule before this year’s Olympia and there are a few divisions and competitors who are a lock for a qualification based on point totals and remaining shows. Let’s break each of the women’s division down by the numbers.

2014 FITNESS OLYMPIA
The following women are already qualified to compete. This doesn’t mean that each woman WILL compete, but rather they are QUALIFIED to compete.

QUALIFIED
Adela Garcia
Oksana Grishinaa
Tanji Johnson
Myriam Capes
Bethany Cisternino
Marta Aquiar
Fiona Harris

The Pro Fitness is pretty close to being determined. There’s just one pro show remaining on the schedule (Tampa Pro) for the women to qualify. The winner gets in which means we’ll likely see one more woman added by way of a victory. That is unless one of the above women already qualified competes and wins. I can’t see any of the women listed about entering the show simply because they’ll be focused on the Olympia. Mathematically four women are a lock for the Olympia based on their point totals.

Regiane Da Silva from Germany will take top honors in the point series with 18. No one can come close to knocking her out of a spot. She’s in. Next up is Danielle Ruban from Canada. She too is in after a second place finish at the Chicago Pro. While technically she could drop out of the second place spot she wouldn’t fall out of the top five. She’s a lock with 12 points. Currently sitting in third place with 9 points, Arizona’s Whitney Jones is in. She too could drop from the third place spot but not enough to be bumped out of the top five. Veteran Trish Warren is also mathematically in with 8 points. Only one person could drop her down in points but that would still give her a high enough total to be in the top five.

Amanda Hatfield is currently in the fifth, and final, spot but her five points aren’t a lock for a qualification. There’s a few scenarios that could play out where she gets bumped out of the top five or ties for fifth. Somkina Liudmila could snag a qualification if she places in the top three at the Tampa Pro, fourth would tie her with Amanda. Ryall Graber who was in last year’s Olympia is on the bubble with two points. She’ll need to win or get second to qualify. Third place would tie her with Hatfield, assuming Hatfield didn’t pick up any points in Tampa. The same scenario plays out for Kizzy Vaines as she sits with two points as well. Long shots but not impossible are Ashley Sebera, Vanda Hadarean and Tiffany Chandler, each with one point.

OLYMPIA POINT SERIES LEADERS:
Regiane Da Silva – 18
Danielle Ruban – 12
Whitney Jones – 9
Trish Warren – 8
Amanda Hatfield – 5
Somkina Liudmila – 3
Ryall Graber – 2
Kizzy Vaines – 2
Ashley Sebera – 1
Vanda Hadarean – 1
Tiffany Chandler – 1

2014 MS OLYMPIA
The following women are already qualified to compete. This doesn’t mean that each woman WILL compete, but rather they are QUALIFIED to compete.

QUALIFIED
Iris Kyle
Alina Popa
Debi Laszewski
Yaxeni Oriquen-Garcia
Brigita Brezovac
Simone Oliveira
Anne Freitas
Rita Bello

There’s one remaining opportunity for the female bodybuilders to qualify. The last show on the schedule before the Olympia is the Tampa Pro held on August 8-9, 2014. The point totals are too close to call a Point Series winner but mathematically Margie Martin and Christine Envall will both be in with six points. Even if they don’t collect any more points in Tampa, the six points will be enough to keep them in the top five. After that it’s a dog fight to make it in. Alana Shipp and Lisa Giesbrecht both have five points and while it should be enough to keep them in the top five, it’s not a guarantee. Virgina Sanchez is right on the bubble in the fifth spot with three points. Tonia Moore, Juanita Blaino are currently on the outside looking in with two points and Emery Miller has one point. Tampa will be one to watch to see who ends up in the top spots.

OLYMPIA POINT SERIES LEADERS:
Margie Martin – 6
Christine Envall – 6
Alana Shipp – 5
Lisa Giesbrecht – 5
Virginia Sanchez – 3
Tonia Moore – 2
Juanita Blaino – 2
Emery Miller – 1

2014 FIGURE OLYMPIA
The following women are already qualified to compete. This doesn’t mean that each woman WILL compete, but rather they are QUALIFIED to compete.

QUALIFIED
Nicole Wilkins
Erin Stern
Candice Keene
Heather Dees
Mallory Haldeman
Camala Rodrigues
Alicia Coates
Candice Lewis
Jessica Graham
Dana Ambrose
Natalia Revajova Lenartova
Ann Titone
Zsuzsanna Toldi
Gennifer Strobo
Cydney Gillon

There are three shows left for the IFBB Figure pros and there are too many scenarios that could play out. The Tournament of Champions, Tampa Pro and the Tahoe Pro are the three remaining qualifying shows. Allison Frahn has a comfortable lead but not a lock. She’ll likely be in the Olympia via points but look for her to compete in one of the remaining shows, likely the Tahoe Pro. Krista Dunn and Andrea Calhoun are in the top three with ten points each. They are in a good spot but again not a sure thing they will get in given the point totals.

OLYMPIA POINT SERIES LEADERS:
Allison Frahn – 15
Krista Dunn – 10
Andrea Calhoun – 10
Sasha Brown – 8
Julie Mayer – 7
Laurie Green – 7
Monica Labriola – 6
Amanda Doherty – 6
Brooke Erickson – 4
Andrea Cantone – 4
Kati Alander – 4
Wendy Fortino – 4
Francine Sablan – 3
Ava Cowan – 3
Natalie Waples – 3
Jessica Canty – 3
Louise Rogers – 3
Beckie Boddie – 3
Latorya Watts – 3
Bojana Vasiljevic – 3

2014 BIKINI OLYMPIA
The following women are already qualified to compete. This doesn’t mean that each woman WILL compete, but rather they are QUALIFIED to compete.

QUALIFIED
Ashley Kaltwasser
Yeshaira Robles
Stacey Alexander
Nathalia Melo
India Paulino
Lacey DeLuca
Vladmiria Krasova
Jennifer Andrews
Narmin Assria
Amanda Latona
Taylor Methany Bentson
Crystal Matthews
Christie Marquez
Sarah LeBlanc
Noy Alexander
Janet Layug
Sandi Forsythe
Christina Strom Fjaere
Jenee Leger
Angela Marquez

There are five more qualifying events for the Pro Bikini division. That makes things far too complicated to call at this point. As we’ve seen the placings with bikini shows are anything but predictable. If the Olympia were next week we’d see Stephanie Mahoe, Jessica Arevalo, Dayna Maleton, Kelsie Clark & Nicola Weiterova in the show. If I was a gambler, I’d bet the top five changes from this. It will be tough for anyone to finish ahead of Stephanie Mahoe and Jessica Arevalo but mathematically possible.

OLYMPIA POINT SERIES LEADERS:
Stephanie Mahoe – 19
Jessica Arevalo – 17
Dayna Maleton – 13
Kelsie Clark – 12
Nicola Weiterova – 11
Tawna Eubanks – 8
Anna Virmajoki – 7
Callie Bundy – 5

2014 OLYMPIA WOMEN’S PHYSIQUE SHOWDOWN
The following women are already qualified to compete. This doesn’t mean that each woman WILL compete, but rather they are QUALIFIED to compete.

QUALIFIED
Dana Linn Bailey
Tycie Coppett
Sara Hurrle
Toni West
Patricia Mello
Sabrina Taylor
Jennifer Robinson
Frances Mendez
Nathalie Falk
Juliana Malacarne
Samantha Hill
Mindi O’Brien
Tamee Marie
Leila Thompson

There are three qualifying events remaining for the IFBB Pro Women’s Physique competitors. The San Jose Pro, Golden State Pro and the Tampa Pro will determine who finishes in the top spots. Currently sitting in the top five spots are Rachel Baker, Olga Beliakova, Roxie Beckles, Jackyln Sutton-Abrams and Sandra Lombardo. Several more women could move up into the top five after the next events. This division’s top spots will likely come down to the final show in Tampa.

OLYMPIA POINT SERIES LEADERS:
Rachel Baker – 11
Olga Beliakova – 8
Roxie Beckles – 7
Jacklyn Sutton-Abrams – 7
Sandra Lombardo – 7
Danielle Reardon – 6
Shawna Pringle – 6
Karin Nascimento – 6
Venus Nguyen – 5
Ericka Blockman – 5
Fabiola Boulanger – 5
Leonie Rose – 5
Mascha Tieken – 5

 

Division point totals provided by IFBBpro.com.

Salt Lake City’s brightest IFBB Pro Heather Dees has been one of the most consistent Figure competitors over the past three years. That was the case until the 2014 tNew York Pro where she finished a career low, 14th.

Heather turned pro at the 2010 NPC Nationals and since then has competed in 17 pro shows. She’s been the runner-up in seven of those shows and been in the winner’s circle twice. She’s finished second at the 2013 and 2014 Figure International in Columbus, Ohio and was the runner-up at this year’s Australian Pro. The past two year’s Heather has finished in fourth place at the Olympia. You get the point, she’s a viable threat to the top five in every competition she enters. Until the 2014 New York Pro.

At last month’s New York Pro she wasn’t just off her best by a little. She was way off. Clearly something didn’t go right with her prep and she knew it. You could tell from the moment she stepped on stage this wasn’t the look the judges and fans have come to expect from her. It was obvious it wasn’t a look she was comfortable presenting.

Last weekend, Heather announced in an interview that she will be sitting out the 2014 Figure Olympia. Heather cited her health as a main concern and went on to share this will be her first offseason in four years. When it came to sitting out the Olympia she says, “It was definitely a hard decision.” Heather appears relieved by the upcoming break and understandably so. In the interview, she addressed being off the mark in New York and took ownership of not being at her best. Something many competitors fail to do and typically blame everyone but themselves.

Heather sitting out the Olympia definitely changes the landscape of this year’s Figure competition. While not confirmed, she’s likely the third woman from last year’s top six who will not be back this year. Two-time Olympia champ Erin Stern appears to be unofficially retired and fifth place finisher Mallory Haldeman will not be competing.

Keep up with Heather Dees on Facebook and Twitter to see what she’s up to in her offseason.

Great news for Bodybuilding and Fitness fans! The 2014 Olympia contest will be shown on television. Something that hasn’t happened in THIRTY YEARS! American Media, Inc. and NBC Sports Group announced plans for two 90-minute televised features of the 50th Olympia. The specials will air on October 18 at 1:30pm EST and the second will be shown on October 25 at 5:30pm EST. The Olympia will be webcast live online at bodybuilding.com and will not air live on NBC Sports. The telecast will highlight a variety of aspects from the Olympia weekend and the main focus will likely be on the Mr. Olympia competition.

PRESS RELEASE:
American Media, Inc. (AMI) and NBC Sports Group today announced a partnership to televise the 2014 Mr. Olympia contest on NBCSN. The partnership will feature two 90-minute telecasts of the 50th annual Mr. Olympia where three-time champion Phil Heath will defend his title at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.

“We are pleased to partner with NBC Sports Group to bring the excitement of the 2014 Mr. Olympia, and all of the events of Olympia Weekend, to a national television audience,” said AMI Chairman, President, and CEO David J. Pecker. “The Olympia Weekend is an extraordinary event that underscores the passion and commitment that every competitor brings to the stage, and the exhilaration of the more than forty thousand spectators that will attend this year’s event.”

The partnership brings the Mr. Olympia back to TV for the first time since 1984, when Lee Haney won his first of eight titles. NBCSN will televise two 90-minute specials around the event, the first on October 18 at 1:30 p.m. ET and the second on October 25 at 5:30 pm ET.

“We look forward to bringing the bodybuilding world’s most prestigious event back to television for its 50th annual contest,” said Lou Ferrer, Director, Programming Acquisitions, NBC Sports Group.

Each telecast will highlight various aspects of the Mr. Olympia competition, featuring some of the sport’s biggest stars including Kai Greene, Dennis Wolf, Branch Warren, and Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay as they attempt to wrest the coveted title from defending champion Phil Heath. One of the most notable winners of the contest was a young Austrian bodybuilder named Arnold Schwarzenegger who was named Mr. Olympia in 1970 at 23 years-old. Schwarzenegger was the youngest competitor to claim the title, and went on to win seven titles in total (1970-1975, 1980).

“It is a great opportunity to have this year’s Olympia Weekend broadcast on NBCSN, exposing the sport to an even broader audience who will see what bodybuilding and fitness are all about and getting an up-close view of the larger-than-life personalities,” said Jim Manion IFBB Professional League President. “Not only will this help raise the sport to new heights by showcasing the hard work and passion of today’s superstars like reigning and three-time Mr. Olympia Phil Heath, number one challenger Kai Greene, Dennis Wolf, and Shawn Rhoden, it may even inspire a future Mr. Olympia.”

In addition to crowning Mr. Olympia, the telecasts will also showcase how the Mr. Olympia competition has grown from its humble beginnings in 1965 into a four-day exposition featuring the Fitness, Figure, and Bikini Olympia contests, men’s and women’s physique contests, and several other activities and events. Last year, more than 40,000 people passed through the doors for The Mr. Olympia Fitness and Performance Weekend.

The 2014 Mr. Olympia Fitness and Performance weekend takes place September 18-21 at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, NV. Tickets are available now at mrolympia.com or by calling 888-234-2334.

For Listings and the NBCSN Channel Finder, visit http://www.nbcsports.com/tv-listings.

About NBCSN:
NBCSN, part of the NBC Sports Group, is dedicated to serving passionate sports fans. Now in more than 85 million homes, the Emmy Award-winning network is the cable television home of the Summer and Winter Olympics, National Hockey League (NHL), Premier League, Formula One, Major League Soccer (MLS), IndyCar, Tour de France, the 34th America’s Cup, and beginning in 2015, NASCAR. In addition, NBCSN features college football, college basketball, college hockey, cycling, outdoor programming, horse racing surrounding the Triple Crown and Breeders’ Cup, Fight Night boxing, Ironman, the Dew Tour and USA Sevens Rugby. The network is also home to original programs such as Costas Tonight, NFL Turning Point, Pro Football Talk, The Dan Patrick Show, Sports Dash with Yahoo! Sports and NASCAR America. NBCSN is distributed via cable systems and satellite operators throughout the United States.