The IFBB returns to Chicago this weekend after a 16-year hiatus, with 74 competitors scheduled to take the stage this holiday weekend. As we get closer to September, things are starting to heat up in the Olympia Qualification Series. Who who has the best chance to leave Chicago with a win and book a trip to the Olympia?
WHAT: IFBB Chicago Pro
WHERE: Chicago, Illinois
WHEN: Saturday, July 7
TIMES: Prejudging at noon; Finals at 5 pm*
FOR MORE INFO: Go here
*Central Time Zone
MEN’S BODYBUILDING
Essa Obiad and Fred Smalls finished 3-4 last weekend at the Europa Battle of Champions in Hartford, and each will look to move up here. Obiad was one of the best conditioned athletes last weekend, so it will be interesting to see how he holds that coming into this weekend. Smalls, on the other hand, was typically on the smooth side. If he can tighten up over the course of the week he could find himself in the winner’s circle.
With 5 points, Iran’s Baitolla Abbaspour enters clinging to the No. 3 spot in the Olympia Qualification Series. Erik Fankhouser, who placed 18th in the 2010 Olympia in his last contest, returns to the stage for the first time in nearly two years. An Nguyen, the heavyweight winner at last year’s Nationals, makes his pro debut.
212 MEN’S BODYBUILDING
This would seem a perfect chance for some of the leaders from the OQS to earn an automatic qualification to the 212 Showdown or to distance themselves from the rest of the field – but surprisingly, none decided to make the trip to Chicago. None of the divisions 9 competitors has accumulated any points in the standings, and none have ever competed in an Olympia before.
FIGURE
The largest division of the weekend with 22 competitors, a handful of whom have experience on the Olympia stage but only two – Candice Lewis and Chelsey Morgenstern – who have qualified for this year’s Olympia. Lewis, who is steadily moving up the ranks, punched her ticket to Vegas by winning the Omaha Pro last month while Morgenstern placed second at last year’s Kentucky Pro, one of the last contests operating under the old qualification system.
With four wins and two Olympias on her resume since turning pro in 2009, Cheryl Brown is the most seasoned competitor in the lineup. She’ll look to rebound from a somewhat disappointing start to 2012, as she has placed 8th (Figure International) and 4th (Europa Orlando) in her only two contests to date. Still, Brown sits in the No. 2 spot in the OQS standings and will, at the very least, look to accumulate more points in the standings.
Aleisha Hart, Kimberly Sheppard and Alea Suarez currently sit in a three-way tie for third in the standings, while Natalie Waples sits one point behind that group in 7th.
Suarez (2011), Waples (2011) and Sherlyn Roy (2009, 2010) all will look for a return to the Olympia stage.
WOMEN’S PHYSIQUE
Tamee Maree and Jennifer Robinson, two of the top three from the Greater Gulf States, are making the trip to Chicago. Marie made her WPD debut in that contest two weeks ago and left with the first professional win of her career. Robinson has placed in the top five of every contest this year (St. Louis Pro, 4th; Europa Orlando, 5th; Greater Gulf States, 3rd).
Trina Thompson won the Overall at the Junior USAs in May and will make her debut here. Monica Escalante makes the switch from Figure and could be an X-Factor here provided she can come in tighter than she has in her past few contests.
WOMEN’S BODYBUILDING
With 18 competitors, it’s the biggest Women’s Bodybuilding lineup of the year. Monique Jones headlines the group on the heels of her third-place finish at last week’s Europa. Tazzie Columb wasn’t far behind Jones in 4th. Considering there is only one women’s bodybuilding competition remaining on the schedule – the Tampa Pro Bodybuilding Weekly Championships in August – each could put herself in a good position to qualify for the Olympia with a good result here.
COMPETITOR LISTS
MEN’S BODYBUILDING
212 MEN’S BODYBUILDING
FIGURE
WOMEN’S BODYBUILDING
WOMEN’S PHYSIQUE
