ROSALIND?Vanterpool will become the first Barbadian to stand on the Figure Olympia stage.
The stylish and shapely Vanterpool won a nerve-jangling showdown with American favourite and defending champion Gen Strobo at the 2012 IFBB Toronto Pro Figure competition over the weekend.
It means the former Barbados and Caribbean queen will make her first trip to the Olympia in Las Vegas, Nevada, in September.
Saturday’s riveting contest, which attracted an international field of 16, came down to a tie-breaker between Strobo, who hails from Florida, and Vanterpool, who previously had yet to crack the top five of an IFBB Pro Figure show.
A Masters division competitor whose highest finish to date was her seventh-place at last month’s Optimum Classic in Louisiana, Vanterpool came out of nowhere to squeak past Strobo in a rare tie-breaking decision.
Vanterpool and Strobo tied with a total of 10 points apiece on the judges’ scorecards.
?Canada’s own Aleisha Hart edged out Catherina Holland and fellow Canadian Natalie Waples to take home third place.
It was a memorable night for Barbados as Lyndon Belgrave captured fifth place in the 212-and-under bodybuilding contest won by Lukas Osladil of the Czech Republic.
Osladil’s toughest competition came from another IFBB rookie, Pakistan’s Muhammad Masoom Butt, another promising 212 competitor. Canada’s Myoba Edwards placed third.
Vanterpool’s heroics means that two Barbadians will be on the Olympia stage, with Belgrave having qualified since last November for this year’s inaugural 212-and-under class.
American Bill Wilmore, like Vanterpool had had to wait long for pro success, won the men’s open contest.
After six long years in which he had flown under the radar despite being one of the most consistent competitors in the professional ranks, Wilmore finally arrived.
Outside of the Olympia – in which he had qualified to compete in four of those six years – Wilmore had never placed outside of the top five in an IFBB competition.
With that streak in mind, and judging from Wilmore’s past performances in Super Shows – his three best placings came at the Europa Super Show in 2007 (third), 2009 (second) and 2010 (third) – Wilmore’s win should come as no surprise considering the strength of the lineup in Toronto.
Much of the precontest hype centered around two rookies in the Men’s Open division – first-year pro Jon Delarosa and former 202 competitor Seth Feroce.
Delarosa was coming off an impressive showing in his pro debut two weeks ago at the New York Pro, where he placed fifth in a much deeper lineup.
Here, the 28-year-old New York native showed once again why he’s one of the rising stars in the IFBB by placing second to the veteran Wilmore.
Feroce was a disappointing sixth.
?
?Results
1. Rosalind Vanterpool
2. Gen Strobo
3. Aleisha Hart
4. Catherine Holland
5. Natalie Waples
