The second annual Arnold Classic Brasil took place on Saturday, April 26, 2014 in Rio de Janiero. Eleven IFB Fitness pros made the trip to Rio in hopes of qualifying for the Fitness Olympia and shaking Arnold’s hand. The competition had no clear cut favorite heading into the show which made for an exciting competition.
The HARDBODY 411
2014 Arnold Classic Brazil Fitness Results & Review
PHYSIQUE ROUND
The first round of competition was the two-piece swimsuit held during the prejudging portion of the show, directly after the men’s competition. It was clear that Bethany Cisternino would be your winner with the most balanced physique and just the right amount of conditioning. Second in the physique round was Whitney Jones who was one of the most muscular competitors in the show and drastically more conditioned than Cisternino. Whitney was tighter from the backside than she has been in previous competitions. She definitely doesn’t need to add any more muscle to her frame. An argument could have been made for Danielle Ruban or Marta Aguilar to be in the second place spot as they weren’t as muscular as Whitney. It was close on the judges score sheets for the first round with Marta in third, Danielle fourth and Regiane da Silva in fifth. A distant sixth was defending champion Ryall Graber who wasn’t as sharp as she needed to be with her conditioning.
ROUTINE ROUND / Final Placings
Bethany Cisternino took top honors on the judges’ score sheets in the routine round. While it wasn’t her cleanest routine but she demonstrated great strength and conditioning throughout the routine. Bethany’s gymnastic background shines when she performs and the consistent routine combined with an on point physique earned her the victory. I had no problem with this decision and how I saw it from the front row as well. It was a well deserved win. Bethany shared with me after the show that she will not be competing again until the Olympia and despite having a few challenges while in Brazil, she was pleased with the outcome.
Regiane Da Silva‘s high energy and high flying routine moved her up into the runner-up position. If she was a bit closer to Bethany in the physique round she may have pushed her for the win but a solid showing in second place. Regiane continues to refine her physique and her routines are always action packed.
Danielle Ruban finished in third after a solid routine. She performs with a smile and always seems like she is having fun. It’s something other competitors should take note on. No one wants to see an angry poser and Danielle is definitely not that. She had a number of strength moves and demonstrated great endurance from start to finish. This was one of Danielle’s best showings and arguably her best as a pro competitor.
Whitney Jones was in a solid second place heading into the routine round however had to settle for fourth. No shame in fourth at the second annual Arnold Classic Brasil. Whitney’s routine didn’t flow quite as well as some of the others but she did have a number of strength moves throughout. If she ditches some of the dancing in the routine and adds a bit more flow to it she should move up. A solid showing from her though.
Ryall Graber had a good routine which helped move her up into 5th. It wasn’t repeat performance she had last year but she still performed a good routine. Missing seemed to be the energy we’ve seen from Ryall in the past and she didn’t appear quite as amped up as usual in her routine round. She has a number of strength moves but they didn’t quite have the snap and crispness she’s capable of. The judges scored her routine the third best in the lineup.
Rounding out the money spots, in sixth place was Marta Aguiar from Uruguay. Marta has the potential to be one of the top competitors in the division. When she refines her physique just a bit and adds a few more strength moves to her routine you’ll see her move up into the top three. I like the look she brought to the stage and the potential she has. An impressive pro debut for Marta after competing as an amateur in this year’s Arnold in Columbus, Ohio.
Another competitor to keep your eye on in the future is Melinda Szabo. She needs a bit of refining on her physique and just a few minor tweaks to her routine’s flow but overall she stands out. I would have had Melinda in the top 6 but she finished in 8th. I like her look, great energy on stage and she has fun.
2014 Arnold Classic Brasil Fitness Results
1. Bethany Cisternino
2. Regiane Da Silva
3. Danielle Ruban
4. Whitney Jones
5. Ryall Graber
6. Marta Aguiar
7. Diana Monteiro
8. Melinda Szabo
9. Amanda Hatfield
10. Tiffany Chandler
11. Babbette Mulford
