When the month of August started, Shawn Rhoden was just one of many searching for his first IFBB win, trying to earn a qualification to Olympia Weekend and, as it unexpectedly turned out, looking for a contract with a supplement company. Three weeks into the month you can check two off the list and, if anyone is paying attention, the third shouldn’t be far behind.
Go here to see the photos and final results!
On Saturday, Rhoden won for the second time in two weeks against a solid lineup at the Europa Super Show in Dallas, doubling his career win total and, in the process, vaulting himself into the Top 6 pre-Olympia prediction conversation.
His win in Dallas came against familiar faces, as Rhoden notched career win No. 1 in Tampa one week ago against virtually the same same lineup. And while the result was basically the same – Hidetada Yamagishi and Toney Freeman flip-flopped for 2nd and 3rd spots – the final result was much more decisive.
Against a rejuvenated Freeman in Tampa – who has to be considered the best 46-year-old in the history of the game – Rhoden’s win was still in doubt heading into the finals. In Dallas, however, Rhoden left little doubt as to who deserved this one from the moment he stepped on stage. Sharper than he was in Tampa without sacrificing any size or fullness, it was clear even before the comparisons that Rhoden was too good to be denied his second straight win.
That left Freeman and Yamagishi battling for the runner-up spot. That distinction went to Freeman in Tampa, but while he had slightly regressed from the previous week, Yamagishi had improved.
Still, the third-place finish was enough to vault Freeman into the lead in the Olympia Qualification Series with 11 points, 1 ahead of Ben Pakulski. The runner-up finish puts Yamagishi in third with 7 points in the standings. Freeman plans on making the trip to Finland for the Nordic Pro on September 8th.
Roelly Winklaar placed fourth for the second straight week while Ed Nunn, competing for the first time this season, placed fifth.
212 MEN’S BODYBUILDING
David Henry picked up where he left off two years ago, showing everyone he shouldn’t be counted out as one of the precontest favorites for the 212 Showdown.
Henry, who missed all of last season after being deployed in Southeast Asia with the Air Force, had to get past a tough challenge from Tricky Jackson en route to the fourth win of his pro career. Jackson gave Henry all he could handle, out-conditioning Henry to win a good number of the side and back comparisons. But Henry’s overall size and fullness proved to be the deciding factor in the end, and he heads to Las Vegas looking to reclaim the title he won in 2009.
Holland’s William Bonac was impressive in his pro debut and finished third.
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FIGURE
Alea Suarez began her pro career in the bikini division in 2010 before making the move to figure one year later. Since then she’s placed in the top six in every contest she’s done outside of the Olympia, a streak that included three top-three placings. Not that she needed to, but she once again validated that decision in Dallas by winning the first contest of her pro career.
Suarez had to get past a streamlined Larissa Reis to do so. Reis has competed in the past three Olympias, but has always been slightly too muscular for the figure division, but she presented a her most complete look to date and was nearly rewarded with the second win of her career. With seven points in the OQS standings, Reis will likely have to compete on more time in order to secure her fourth straight trip to the Olympia.
Rookie Tatiana Koshman, competing in her first pro contest, finished third. Koshman turned pro at the 2011 NPC USA Championships.
Go here to see the photos and final results!
SCORESHEETS
MEN’S BODYBUILDING
212 MEN’S BODYBUILDING
FIGURE
