Newsletter -- IFBB.com

by Andrew Michalak

List Competitors

All 36 countries have already sent their entry forms, so we can look into each category and predict some most exciting battles.

WOMEN’S FITNESS up to 163 cm

13 athletes and interesting situation: almost full set of 2011 finalists, except Janaina Matos from Brazil. Melinda Szabo of Hungary won the previous Worlds and the latest European Championships. She is young, she combative and hungry of success. It doesn’t seem she would like to lose the title. She will be challenged by two experienced Russians: former European champion Ekaterina Zhurina and runner-up Olga Volokh as well as by young, still improving star from Slovakia, 2010 European junior champion Dominika Multanbova. Interesting to see the current Asian champion Tatiana Volkova (Kazakhstan), Balkan champion Marisel Tolmacev (Serbia) and Canadian overall champion Shelly Patton.

WOMEN’S FITNESS over 163 cm

Unexpectedly, five competitors only, but it doesn’t guarantee a medal because there are some outstanding athletes in this short category. I expect a very close battle between former world champion Natalia Chukaeva (Russia) and South American overall champion and 2011 Arnold Europe runner-up Marta Aguiar (Uruguay) who placed there second to Szabo (in the open class). Also two younger generation athletes: former world junior champion Oksana Orobets (Ukraine) and Russian girl with amazing back flexibility Ksenia Romanenkova guarantee top emotions and super attractive routines.

MEN’S FITNESS open class

The best line-up in the IFBB history? Sure! The finals will be something Cirque de Soleil directors should carefully watch! Routines performed by top champions will be breath stopping. 2011 world champion Oleg Anissimov (Estonia), 2010 European champion, who in Mexico performed with ruptured Achilles tendon, Konstantin Nekrasov (Russia), two fantastic Ukrainians: Nazar Kharkhun and Fedir Khashalov, Czech top star Lubos Koumal as well as 2012 European Championships bronze medal winner Mariusz Lewandowski of Poland. The “cream” of the IFBB and the fitness world.

WOMEN’S BODYFITNESS up to 158 cm

Twelve athletes and three top stars: current world champion Elina Gook of Russia, bronze medal winner Mari Pakkila (Finland) and 5th place winner Silvia Pavliskova (Slovakia). Will they distribute all medals among themselves? Maybe. If anyone could stop them, it would be the coming back 2006 European champion Martina Tarkova of Slovakia (also 2nd place at the 2009 Europeans) or young and attractive German star Angela Derzapf, trained by her famous father and former world bodybuilding champion Eduard or experienced Polish competitor Dorota Galinska. Both placed in the finals of the continental championships in the past.

WOMEN’S BODYFITNESS up to 163 cm

Impressive number of 23 athletes! Among them few top stars: 2009 and 2011 world champion and current European Championships overall winner Zrinka Fiser of Croatia, 2010 European champion and two-time IFBB World Cup winner Anna Szczotka of Poland, 2012 European Championships runner-up Cristina Romano of Italy and winner of many continental medals as well as 2009 Worlds bronze medal, coming back after some longer break Russian star Nelly Tsyshkevich. But Fiser hasn’t lost any contest in the last 3 years. Will she lose this year? Unlikely.
Challengers? Two 2011 Worlds finalists and promising stars: Vilma Salasevichute (Lithuania) and Petra Urbankova (Czech Republic). I would also like to bring your attention to the new Ukrainian star Yuliya Horyachun, who finished 4th in her debut at the European Championships as well as Vitaliya Dmitrieva – finalist of the last year World Cup. And a lot of less known athletes from South Africa, Australia, South America. Maybe among them we will see some new rising stars?
Will also see two former top bodybuilders: 2006 world champion Alina Cepurnienie, who also tries in athletic fitness nowadays and three-time former world junior champion Florina Cernat who recently moved to bodyfitness.

WOMEN’S BODYFITNESS up to 168 cm

The next category with 23 participants. And what a caliber! Two world champions: Ekaterina Gamagina (2011) of Russia and Katarzyna Kozakiewicz-Kowalik (2009) of Poland, two Worlds runners-up: Daniela Pfeiffer (2011) and… Cecilia Benjaminson (2006) - yes, it’s no mistake – great come back after 6 years break! Plus 2012 South American champion Renata Muggiati (Brazil), 2012 Asian champion Shizuka Nakamura (Japan), 2012 Europeans runner-up Eva Rusan (Croatia), 2010 Juniors Worlds runner-up Natalia Gacka of Poland and… a very young (18 years old only), very fresh and very attractive Aminat Tuleubaeva from Russia. She already won bronze medal at the European Championships (2010) and promised to her famous coach Eugen Koltun to improve this achievement. They are serious, very serious…

Taking into account the latest achievements, Gamagina, Kozakiewicz and Pfeiffer may be considered as favourites. But they must be in a top shape as the others will not be watching only. They will be attacking with their full potentials and power!

WOMEN’S BODYFITNESS over 168 cm

Less athletes (15) but the tallest ones. Nobody from the finals of the 2011 Worlds! The door to medals and glory are open! In this situation the main pretenders are the top three from this year’s European Championships, with a new continental champion Sidibe Khoudiedji (France), runner-up Anastasia Gurina (Belarus) and bronze medal winner Olga Karavayeva. All of them have just started their international sport career and all of them are improving and hungry of further successes, so this little “return match” should be top exciting. Will the French long-legged “Black Gazelle” Sidibe grasp her first world title? Who may stop her? Beside Gurina and Karavaeva, maybe the Arnold Amateur Championships and Amateur Olympia winner Tetyana Mikheychyk of Ukraine? Or 2012 South African champion Marcelle Collison or 2010 South American champion Mariana Simonetta of Argentine? Anyway, a new IFBB international star of the tallest class will be born in Bialystok.

WOMEN’S BIKINI FITNESS up to 163 cm

Bikini categories are going to flourish at these Championships. Last year there were 37 participants in two official categories, this year we will have almost a double of them. In the short class we will see the top four from the latest European Championships: Magdalena Kazimirova (Slovakia), Daria Shevchenko (Ukraine), Heather Schofield (UK) and Eva Zegan (Poland). From the previous Worlds finals: Valeria Ammirato (Germany) and Maja Pavlovic (Serbia). Moreover: South African champion Lizelle Horn, Canadian Nationals overall winner Cynthia Benoit and two top girls from the recent Cup of Russia: Olga Storozhok and Oxana Shinkaruk. Kazimirova won the overall title at the 2012 European Championships but there will be so many new stars, so nothing is sure, everything is possible!

WOMEN’S BIKINI FITNESS up to 168 cm

The longest line-up at these Championships – 27 competitors from 20 countries! Two lines on the stage guaranteed! But most of them are newcomers at the world level as this class will be run for the first time. Some better-known names: current European champion Tanja Canc of Slovenia and other 2012 European Championships finalists: Liudmila Diachuk (Ukraine), Marina Diaz (France) and 2012 Worlds 5th place winner Kristina Karaliute-Stoliaroviene (Lithuania). And many, many newcomers from all continents: South African champion Nastassia Jaffe, Australian qualifier overall winner Nina Silic, Angeline Jeanson of Canada and always very good girls from Iceland: Margrét Jonsdottir and Elin Sigurjonsdottir. A mixture of skin colors, beauties and styles.

WOMEN’S BIKINI FITNESS over 168 cm

New category, almost all new participants. But few girls have already won some medals. We can see the top three from this year’s European Championships: Anna Virmajoki of Finland, Jana Majernikova of Slovakia and Vladimira Krasova of the Czech Republic. Majernikova was also a runner-up at the 2011 Worlds (in +163 cm class). Egle Eller-Nabi of Estonia, Evelina Dranseikaite of Lithuania and Andrea Lackner of Austria placed in the top 7 at the 2012 Europeans. And many national champions: Inga Marinaka (Latvia), Ramona Alb (Germany), Rhiannon Harris (Australia), Malgorzata Maczynska (Poland), Petra Redl (Austria). These new stars may surprise all of us!

WOMEN’S BODYBUILDING UP TO 55 KG

This time shorter list of names (5) but with one supernova star: eight-time world champion Jana Purjakova of Slovakia. She will come to win the ninth IFBB world title to overpass El-Shahat Mabrouk IFBB historical record of 8 wins. Is anybody there to stop her? As she hasn’t lost any international championships in the last 10 years (except 2006 Worlds to Alina Cepurniene) and won the recent two Worlds in overall, she may be considered as a 99% favourite. Who could dethrone her? 2002 European champion Joanna Krupa (Poland) who comes back after a few-year break or 2002 Europeans runner-up Silvia Matta (Italy), who performed as a pro bodybuilder between 2004 and 2007 and now also returns to the IFBB amateur status? Or this year’s Asian champion Satoko Yamanouchi (Japan)? They all are high-profile bodybuilders but as good as Purdjakova? I think Purdjakova’s victory will not be seriously threatened this time.

WOMEN’S BODYBUILDING OVER 55 KG

Quite nice line-up of 8 athletes, with some famous names: 2010 European Championships overall winner Natalia Vtyurina (Russia), 2012 European champion Maryna Alf (Ukraine) and bronze medal winner Renee Campbell (United Kingdom). And two experienced masters: Eva Sedkowska of Poland - former European and world champion under the name Krynska and Branislava Jovanovic (Serbia) – two-time continental championships runner-up. So,it will be a battle of young challengers against matured and still impressive masters. The result unsure!

If you want to be the first to know watch the live webcast from the Sunday finals at the www.ifbb.com

List Competitors

Photos of some champions coming to Bialystok: