2004 Natural Olympia

[ChrisC]

Hey Max, you mentioned that you missed the Olympia last week. The natural Olympia is being held tomorrow...

SUNSET STATION HOTEL AND CASINO
1301 WEST SUNSET
HENDERSON, NEVADA 89014

For info Contact ABA/INBA Main Office [phone]


Natural Olympia 2004- The Best of the Best of Natural Bodybuilding and Fitness in the World
+ Ms. Fitness Natural Olympia

***Sat. November 13, 2004***

SUNSET STATION HOTEL AND CASINO
1301 WEST SUNSET
HENDERSON, NEVADA 89014
Contest Info

Special Info

Bodybuilding
(all classes, except Novice)
Ms. Fitness
Ms. Figure
Model Search
Bikini Divas

Novice Competitors will compete under the Iron Gladiator title and will be awarded $300 swords!!

PLEASE CHECK THE NATURAL OLYMPIA SECTION ON OUR WEBSITE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION!!!

All athletes that do not reside in the Las Vegas area, it is mandatory that you stay Friday and Saturday Night at the Sunset Station Hotel and Casino, Otherwise you will incur an additional $25 charge to compete!
Call 888-786-7389, mention Bodybuilding Championships for discount, YOU MUST BOOK BY NOW!!!!, booking later will not be possible!

FREE SHUTTLE FROM AIRPORT TO HOTEL AND FROM HOTEL TO THE STRIP!

5 Years Drug Free
Major TV and Magazine Coverage

ENTRY FORMS MUST BE RECIEVED BY OCT. 30!!!

$30 late fee for any entry forms recieved after Oct. 30!

Registration: Friday 5pm

Testing: Friday 12noon-10pm

Check-in: Saturday 7am

Prejudging: Saturday 8am

Main show: Saturday 2pm


Ticket prices:
Prejudging: $20
Main show: $35, $45
Vip package: $60

For info Contact ABA/INBA Main Office [phone]

[Maximum6]

Wow thanks Chris....i might go check it out...
but the ticketing to get in is kind of heavy on the pocket ;D

[BoYD]

is there a chance this will be televised?

[Tim Wescott]

Boyd,I doubt it ,but you never know!!

Best of luck to John Hanson who is vying for the title once again.

[BoYD]

GO BIG JOHN!!!

[QuietBob]

Hey all,

First time poster here but I've been checking in and learning from everyone for awhile and wanted to chime in here.
I did my first show a few weeks ago and met John Hanson who was competing there. It was the America's Cup in Michigan and he was qualifying in order to compete in the Natural Olympia and Universe. I actually kind of hung out with him for half the show before I knew for sure who he was. I recognized him but as it was (I mistakenly thought) a small show I didn't believe there would be any recognizable names competing.
I must say, he was very nice and helpful. There I was, first time doing anything like this, and a former Mr. Natural Olympia was right there kicking back and chatting with me almost the entire time. It gets more amazing the more I think about it.
At any rate, the promoter of the show said there would be filming of the Natural O, but I don't remember if it was televised (I don't think so). His big push was that they would be filming a Natural Pumping Iron during the Olympia and I believe the Universe as well. While I love the first Pumping Iron, this would be a great step as I am a lifetime natural trainer.
Also, just checked the Natural O and John's websites but nothing up yet as to how he did or the overall results. I'll keep checking and post an update if I see nobody else has.

Best,

Bob

[Tim Wescott]

Thanks Bob,I`ve seen you here,and I beleive John did that show in order to re-qualify for the O and the U contests.

I moderate with John on ironage.us and it`s a great board, check it out when you get a chance.

He will post pics and updates at irionage, as well as his site.

Welcome Bob,keep posting bud!

How did you do in the contest by the way ?

[QuietBob]

Thanks, Tim. Will check out the board when I get a chance.
There were actually 2 shows at the time: the Americas Cup (which you are correct, he did it to qualify for the Olympia and took the overall) and the Michigan State. I only did the Michigan State. I won the novice and junior masters (I'm 38) divisions out of blind luck and probably a lot of muscle maturity due to lifting since I was about 14.
At any rate, it was a great experience and a lot of fun.

Bob

[Tim Wescott]

Cogratulations Bob,that`s awesome!!

Don`t be so quiet huh!!

Good job,and good luck in the future.

[str8flexed]

the ABA/INBA is a good place to compete... I did two of their shows this summer and thoroughly enjoyed myself at both

[ChrisC]

I still cannot find the results from the show anywhere. Hopefully they will be published soon.

<annoying pro-natural comment>

I did find a neat article published a couple of days ago about one of the competitors. Interestingly, using the Google News service I can find more articles about the Natural Olympia than the Olympia (and there are certainly more positive articles about the Natural O and it's competitors). Admittedly neither event is going to make the front page of the NYT but it's good to see an event like the Natural O that is advertized nowhere near the amount of the IFBB O can get just as much mainstream press...

</end of annoying pro-natural comment>




By: JOSE CARVAJAL - For The Californian

Sometimes, Donnie Fowler gets so excited he can't sleep. He's so eager to get up for his routine morning workout that just thinking about it keeps him up half the night. Bodybuilding has become his obsession.

"I just love to do it," the 20-year-old Wildomar resident said. "It's a passion for me."

Now Fowler has begun an effort to turn that enthusiasm into a career as a professional bodybuilder. Still competing in the amateur ranks, he is hoping that a winning performance today in the Natural Olympia Bodybuilding and Fitness competition in Las Vegas will springboard his ambition.

The event is a joint venture of the Amateur Bodybuilding Association and the International Natural Bodybuilding Association and features competitors from 35 countries vying for championships in more than a dozen divisions.

Fowler, who will represent the United States in the division for athletes 18 and 19 years old, is quick to point out that the competition features only bodybuilders who have achieved their level of fitness naturally. ABA and INBA officials test their athletes regularly using random urine and polygraph tests and suspend those found to be using banned substances such as illegal steroids.

Taking steroids isn't healthy, he said. "I'd rather be natural. I do pretty well naturally."

Fowler's passion for bodybuilding began during his days at Elsinore High School where he played on the football team. Taking classes in weight training his sophomore year, Fowler discovered he had a particular liking for life in the gym.

"I just love to work out," he said. "I wanted to be big."

So he enrolled in as many fitness classes as he could with weight-training teacher John Blakemore, and his focus began to shift from lifting for power to lifting for toning.

Fowler, who stands 5 feet, 8 inches tall, weighs in at 185 pounds in the off-season. He bulks up to about 200 pounds during the three months he trains before competitions, however.

Blakemore called Fowler a good kid who has enjoyed success.

"Donnie just kind of went with it on his own," said Blakemore, who is also the strength coach for the school's football team.

Upon graduating from Elsinore High in 2002, Fowler knew what he wanted to do with his life. Taking the first step, he entered a natural bodybuilding event in Corona.

Competitions consist of two rounds, one for the judges and one for the fans. In the judging round, competitors strike eight different poses and are given scores. The athlete with the highest score wins. In the other round, athletes flex for the fans and aren't judged.

He admitted he was pretty nervous when he entered his first competition. "I didn't know what I was doing," he said.

But that didn't stop him from taking first place.

And now, he said, he's gotten used to the pressure. In the seven events in which he has competed since then, he said, he has taken the top prize four times, second place twice and third place once.

"I like competing because I like to just challenge myself."

Maintaining a winning level of fitness is no easy task.

Fowler said he competes in four events a year and training begins three months before. He trains six days a week and gets nine hours of sleep a night. Then he wakes up early to do a cardiovascular workout on an empty stomach and spends an hour in the gym lifting weights.

Additionally, the lifestyle requires a regimented diet, with seven high-protein meals spread out through the day.

It's a life that leaves little time for socializing and requires a high level of dedication and discipline. But Fowler says he wouldn't change anything about it.

"If I go a few days without training, it gets to me," he said.

Fowler said he also hopes to help others reach their goals in fitness. He is working toward a license in personal training and has given his advice to Elsinore High students. They seek him out, he said, because they want to know how they can achieve the same results he has.

"I work my heart out," he said. "I don't just move some weights around."

[Tim Wescott]

Chris,I`ll find out the results from John Hanson later today at ironage...that is if he is back in Chicago from Vegas yet.

[Tim Wescott]

Chris,This from John Hanson on ironage.us

Hey guys, I just got home from Vegas. Unfortunately, I don't have good news for you. I didn't make the top three in the contest and I don't really know where I placed. There were 10 competitors in the pro division and they only announced the top three. I'm guessing from the pictures I saw that I was between 4th-6th. The guy who won was Phillip Ricardo, the winner of last year's Natural Universe. He was shredded! Striated glutes from top to bottom and vascularity like you wouldn't believe. 2nd place went to David Whittaker, last year's winner of the Natural Olympia. He is about 6'4" and was super huge and hard. He would have won first except for very weak calves. His upper body could compare to a lot of IFBB pros, big and hard. Third went to Danny Chau of Australia. Danny was extremely thick and hard but not as freaky hard as the first two. It was a very, very tough contest and disappointing to me to say the least. I was much harder than the show in Michigan three weeks ago but was maybe a little flat after spending three days in a hotel (I left for Vegas on Wednesday night). I also was not as hard as the top three competitors. To be honest, I don't think I could ever be as hard as the winner. My bodyfat is about as low as it could go and my waist is 32 1/2" which is the lowest it has been since I won the Natural Universe in 1992. Usually, 33" is pretty small for my waist. I did all I could do but I came up short. Next week is the Natural Universe and I have been debating on whether to do it or not. The same top three will be there also so I know the best I can place is fourth. I will make the decision in a day or two. I'm going to hop back on the diet tomorrow after a day of eating whatever I want and see how I look by Tuesday or Wednesday. Thanks again for all of the support everyone! I appreciate that you were in my corner. This is my final year of competition after 25 years onstage and I did get in great shape again to finish it off not to mention my overall victory 3 weeks ago in Michigan. I wanted to win all 3 shows but, as I said, the competition is really something else nowadays.

[ChrisC]

Thanks for the update Tim!

[QuietBob]

Yes, thanks for the update.
Results are up on their website: naturalbodybuilding.com
John came in 7th.
Unfortunately, no pictures yet.

Bob

[Tim Wescott]

Thanks Bob!!

A buddy of mine that I`ve competed against in 3 different contests got 3rd. in the Masters-----Dave O`Neil.

Professional Men:

Gold: Phillip Ricardo Jr., USA
Silver: David Whittaker, USA
Bronze: Danny Chau, AUS
4th place Rico Browning, USA
5th place Chad Martin, USA
6th place Moses Ajala, USA
7th place John Hansen, USA
8th place Kevin Weiss, Canada

[Tim Wescott]

My congrats go out to John Hanson, who got into great shape at 40 years of age, and was competing against much younger men.

Good job John!!