Pro/Am Contests Blog

I got this great email from IFBB Figure Pro Meriza DeGuzman about this past weekend’s 2007 IFBB Tournament of Champions Pro Figure competition.  I’m posting her thoughts here with her permission for your viewing pleasure!

"Oh my, I’m still on Cloud 9!  It’s been a great year for me.  I earned my pro card in June at Figure Nationals, after three heart-breaking close calls, and with my class, "A" class getting tougher and tougher each show!

I promised Jon Lindsay (California NPC and IFBB promoter) that I’d do his show (Tournament of Champions) if I ever got my pro card.  Well, true to my word, I kept my condition since June and got up on Jon’s stage this past weekend.

To tell you the truth, I was super nervous!  (Butterflies in my tummy!)  I mean, I have stood onstage with the best amateurs in the country so many times, I had gotten fairly comfortable with the other "shorties".  They are all so good now, whew!  I think I was so nervous because I was concerned about how I would compare to the taller girls.  It was funny, actually, standing side by side with Mary Jo Cooke and Nancy Georges, both at least a foot taller than me in their heels!  LOL

One thing that was different was how friendly and supportive the girls were at the show.  It was a surprise, and felt funny, when John Tuman, the head judge, called us by our first names when he was comparing us!  I used to be just a number.  That made me feel special.  The girls are all so sweet and nice - not what I was expecting.  They were so supportive of me because it was my first time.  Mary Jo was great!  And, Heather May French was so sweet, too.  Oh yeah!  the prize money wasn’t bad either!  Sonya Adcock was there, and was so nice and supportive… everyone is so sweet - my pro debut was great!

Plus, honestly, I have looked up to and admired many of the girls at the pro level.  I was more than a little bit intimidated.  Tanji Johnson, for example, has been sort of an idol of mine since I first met her at Emerald Cup 2005.  She’s so sweet and so beautiful, I couldn’t believe it when I found myself standing right next to her in the line up!

Gina and I train in the same gym.  We hang out personally sometimes - we got our nails done on Thursday before the show, and try to coordinate our cardio sessions when we can; she was like my big (little) sister - so sweet, and supportive - but still, she’s "Gina Aliotti", right?  Same goes with Mary Jo Cooke.  I mean, all of these girls are so beautiful, and have been successful as pros, could you believe it?  I was up there too!  and I’m still shocked that I did so well for my first pro show.

I know I’ve got alot of improvements to make, but I am working so hard.  I have some new confidence now, but I know that the girls on stage at the O are on another level!  It’s an honor to be able to stand on stage under that big red "O"!  I still can’t believe it!  Like a dream come true.  I am so blessed for this opportunity.  I can’t wait!

So, watch out, Vegas, and watch out world!  Here comes all 4′11 1/4" of Meriza!"

Meriza DeGuzman
www.MerizaFigure.com

Note: see also Meriza’s previous post on the TOC.

I am just back from the Tournament of Champions and the Pro Figure. Gina Aliotti looked like she was far away from everyone else when she walked on stage. And the judging shows that she sure was. She took the first place spot with a pretty good margin. Mary Jo Cooke-Elliott was second and a surprise was Meriza DeGuzman coming at as third. So the three of them are on the way to the Olympia only three days away. Tanji Johnson who was in town anyway for some choreography practice came in at fourth and Paola Almerico was fifth. There were 16 competitors in this race.

Amateur figure was won by short class competitor Jamie Costa who was also the favorite from this morning. She had a lot of shape, cut and form with a great command of the stage.

Mens overall went to middle weight Moji Oluwa who was just looking great all the way through. It seemed easy to Moji like it was no big deal for him to walk on stage and win.

But sometimes in a show someone comes along and just steals it all away. And that happened in this show. And the guy that did it was heavy weight winner Larry Brown. With a posing routine that had everybody electified and hypnotized all you heard was the sounds of an amazed crowd. And then in the battle for the overall, the chant coming from the crowd echoed over and over, “LARRY” “LARRY” “LARRY”. It was a way cool moment for Larry Brown.

See you and at the Olympia next, and please keep coming back if you “Wanna See More…?”

Post by: SecondFocus

No real surprise here, Gina was the odds on favorite going into this show and takes with her another win into the Figure Olympia.

Meriza qualifies in her first pro show. Congrats.

1. Gina Aliotti
2. Mary Jo Cooke
3. Meriza DeGuzman
4. Tanji Johnson
5. Paola Almerico
6. Heather Mae French
7. Nancy Georges
8. Sherie Salvadori
9. Anna Larsson
10. Arina Manta
11. Chrissy Garcia
12. Alejandra Abdala
13. Susanne Bock
14. Allison Williams
15. Aida Aragon-Tinkle
16. Yamanaka Kiyoka

Despite the predictions of rain, it is a sunny day in Anaheim California for the IFBB Pro Figure Championships and NPC Tournament of Champions.

Prejudging is finished and as I left for the break, the Pro Figure looks like it has been stolen by Gina Aliotti. She looks just incredible. Her body is lean and hard and cut and turned. Color is great and her one piece fit her just right. So I expect that she should have the top spot at the finals tonight.

And the quality of competitors is excellent especially among the amateur men in the light heavy and heavy weights. It is going to be a tough call and the guys tonight will be wroking hard. Heavyweight, Larry Brown, from Iron Bodies Gym in Costa Mesa CA is looking so very good and will certainly be in there later.

There are some great amateur figure athletes too so, so there is plenty to see. And as always there are your favorite supplement companies as well as BodyBuilding.com on hand with freebies. Lots of Pros who are on their way to the Olympia are walking around too.

So you can still come to the show tonight and if you around you will find it great fun. Get the info at MuscleContests.com.

Thanks and keep coming back if you "Wanna See More…?"

IFBB Figure Pro Meriza DeGuzman gave me permission to repost this MySpace bulletin from her about this weekend’s IFBB Tournament of Champions Pro Figure contest in Anaheim, California.  Enjoy!

“Just want to invite everyone to give me some positive energy this coming weekend… Sept 22, 2007 at Anaheim Cook Auditorium - Tournaments of Champions… I will be doing my IFBB Pro Debut and 619 Muscle team headed by Pete Ciccone.

IFBB Figure Pro, Meriza DeGuzman.

Team 619 muscle that will be competing:

Merv Thompson
Ryan Spink
Nell Bautista
Michael Baustista
and Robert!!!!

Also good luck to our dearest friend IFBB Pro Gina Aliotti (Kim’s Angels)!!!

Wish us all luck and thank you for everyone’s support!”

xoxo,

Meriza DeGuzman
IFBB Figure Pro
www.MerizaFigure.com

Editor’s Note:  For more info on the 2007 Tournament of Champions Pro Figure contest, click here:

http://www.lindsayproductions.com/2007TCProFig.htm

Competitors’ List (as of 9/14/2007):

Alejandra Abdala, Argentina
Gina Aliotti, USA
Aida Aragon, USA
Susanne Bock, Germany
Mary Jo Cooke-Elliott, USA
Heather French, USA
Chrissy Garcia, USA
Nancy Georges, USA
Tanji Johnson, USA
Yamanaka Kiyoka, Japan
Anna Larsson, Sweden
Allison Jones-Williams, USA
Arina Manta, Australia
Sherie Salvadori, USA