UPCOMING WEEKEND IN PRAGUE: AMATEUR BIKINI OLYMPIA

by Andrew Michalak

This is something new, something very interesting. The concept was born 2 years ago at one of the EBFF meetings. A series of amateur Olympias has started a year ago with Amateur Mr. Olympia in London, UK. Now, the organizers of the EVL’s Pro in Prague, Czech Republic, proposed to extend this idea and include the Amateur Bikini Olympia in the IFBB Calendar of Events. IFBB President Dr. Rafael Santonja accepted this proposal, so next weekend in Prague, in conjunction with the EVL’s Prague Pro, the first Amateur Bikini Olympia will be held.
This will be the third most important IFBB amateur bikini fitness event this season, after the World Championships and Arnold Classic Europe. The girls had two weeks from Arnolds in Madrid to relax a bit and prepare the next peak of body condition. The list of 44 nominated athletes includes many top names but also some new names as this category is the youngest in the IFBB and still new competitors are coming, even at this top sport level.

The battle will be run in three body height categories:

Up to 163 cm
1. Valeria Ammirato Germany
2. Oksana Pavlova Ukraine
3. Daria Shevchenko Ukarine
4. Melinda Zsiga Hungary
5. Iryna Hileta Slovakia
6. Inmaculada Gual Spain
7. Marie Draškovi?ová Slovakia
8. Katali Suwareh Gambia
9. Adama Jagura Ga Gambia
10. Lydia Mirilla Davies Nigeria
11. Heather Schofield UK
12. Dana Sadecká Slovakia
13. Iveta Kuglerova Slovakia
14. Monika Rosenbergerova Slovakia
Up to 168 cm
1. Liudmila Diachuk Ukraine
2. Sandra Ott Germany
3. Anastasia Voinkova Russia
4. Eva Nutilová Czech Republic
5. Marína Hámová Czech Republic
6. Frida Horváth Hungary
7. Denisa Hargasova Slovakia
8. Alene Pask Belarus
9. Hanna Maliarova Belarus
10. Daniela Liebers Austria
11. Veronika Gulášová Slovakia
12. Denisa Lipovska Slovakia
13. Gibril Camara Gambia
14. Omar Jagara Gambia
15. Melania Roller Germany
Over 168 cm
1. Elena Guseva Ukraine
2. Nina Eckert Germany
3. Martina Abukhlal Switzerland
4. Ksenia Ponomareva Russia
5. Olga Putrova Russia
6. Radka Prášková Czech Republic
7. Marie Miksová Czech Republic
8. Vladimíra Krasova Czech Republic
9. Katalin Jasztrab Hungary
10. Gabriella Rakoczi Hungary
11. Erika Lajos Hungary
12. Katarina Lankova Austria
13. Petra Redl Austria
14. Jana Majernikova Slovakia
15. Amaka Miriam Oguegbe Nigeria
Main pretenders to the top places? In this sport big changes can be expected from contest to contest but the most successful athletes till now are:

In the 163 cm category: 3rd place winner at the 2012 European and Arnold Europe Championships Heather Schofield of the United Kingdom, the Worlds and Arnolds finalist Valeria Ammirato of Germany, the Europeans and Arnolds finalist Inmaculada Gual of Spain, 2012 Europeans runner-up Daria Shevchenko of Ukraine.

In the 168 cm category: two finalists of the recent Women’s Worlds: Liudmila Diachuk (Ukraine) and Denisa Lipovska (Slovakia) plus the Worlds’ top ten Hanna Maliarova (Belarus).

In the over 168 cm category: the latest Arnold Europe winner Vladimíra Krasova of the Czech Republic and 2011 Worlds runner-up Jana Majernikova of Slovakia, who placed 5th at the 2012 Worlds and Arnolds but still has the potential to win any contest. Then, the 2012 Arnold Europe 4th place winner Martina Abukhlal of Switzerland and 2012 Worlds top ten: Elena Guseva (Ukraine) and Ksenia Ponomareva (Russia).

And the big unknown: girls from Gambia and Nigeria. Will they look like the “Black Gazelle” Khoudiedji Sidibe – bodyfitness European champion from France?

Interesting, that so many top IFBB bikini girls just turned pro and will participate in the Pro Bikini category on the same stage in Prague. There will be 14 of them, including: 2011 world champions: Andrea Hertlein (Germany) and Nikola Weiterova (Slovakia), 2012 world champion Anna Virmajoki (Finland), 2012 Arnold Europe overall winner Tanja Canc and 2012 Worlds 3rd place winner Michelle Brannan (UK). Till now, pro bikini was dominated by the American girls, now Europe is counter-attacking!.

In Men’s Pro bodybuilding the next meet of Shawn Rhoden, who has been collecting titles from all post-Olympia European events: Arnold Classic Europe, British Grand Prix and now… is the main pretender to victory in Prague. Who will try to make this goal difficult to him? Dennis Wolf is back. Bigger and better. Then Toney Freeman, Johnnie Jackson, Robert Piotrkowicz, Roelly Winklaar, Ronny Rockel, Ed Nunn, Michael Kefalianos… This will be a tough, very exciting battle. Prize money: 135 000 USD (in total: 180 000 USD).

To see it live, visit the TipSport Arena in Prague on Saturday, October 27, 2012. Semifinals: 10:00, Finals: 17:00. In the meantime: Expo, armwrestling, zumba, athletic fitness and many more attractions.

Pictures:

by www.eastlabs.biz



Vladimira Krasova (Czech Rep.)



Martina Abukhlal (Switzerland).



Jana Majernikova (Slovakia).



Heather Schofield (United Kingdom).



Valeria Ammirato (Germany).



Inmaculada Gual (Spain).



Liudmila Diachuk (Ukraine).

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