It’s Labor Day Weekend, and very few across the country will be working harder than than the athletes competing in the IFBB North American Championships this weekend in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Roughly 650 competitors are expected to compete, and all will be looking to earn of the thirty-nine IFBB Pro cards handed out over the two-day event, beginning on Friday with all women’s divisions and continuing with the men on Saturday.
Several North American graduates have gone on to make waves on the professional level over the years, including four who went on to win Olympia titles – Cory Everson (1982), Lenda Murray (1989), Kim Chizvesky (1992) and Dexter Jackson (1998), Cory Everson, Lenda Murray and Kim Chizvesky.
Last year was no different, as two of the IFBB’s most impressive rookies – Juan Morel and Mark Anthony – earned their pro cards at the North Americans. Morel, who won the Super Heavyweight and Overall in Men’s Bodybuilding, won the Toronto Pro and placed fourth at the New York Pro in his first year as a pro, while Anthony – who placed second in his class – won three professional contests in the spring before shutting it down for the rest of the 2012 season.
(Check out the 2011 North American galleries here!)
WHAT IFBB North American Championships
WHERE Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
WHEN August 31 to September 1
FOR MORE INFO Go here
PRO CARD BREAKDOWN
Total pro cards 39
– Class Winners Fitness, Open Figure, Open Bikini, Open and Over 35 Men Physique, Open and Over 35 Women Physique
– Top 3 placings in the Overall Open Men BB and Over 35 Figure
– Top 2 placings in the Overall Over 35 Bikini
– Overall Winners Men BB Over 35, Men BB Over 40, Men BB Over 50, Open Women BB, Women BB Over 35
