I have to admit I wondered why the declared overall winner of the Team Universe Women’s Bodybuilding Championships did not go to the World Championships last month. Now comes an announcement from the NPC that Michelle Pome has been disqualified, and the heavyweight runner-up, Theresa Hendricks (pictured) moves up to the class win.
That’s good news and bad news for veteran competitor Hendricks, who has two previous runner-up trophies on her mantel and who didn’t get the chance to compete in Italy. What’s more, as, per the revised results, there was no overall winner—and no pro card awarded.
As for Ms. Pome, nothing like the generic “disqualified” to leave a question mark hanging at the end of the line. Over the years the NPC hasn’t been 100 percent consistent about announcing when athletes are disqualified at the T.U., favoring a quieter approach—I’m pretty sure I’ve never received a press release and a revised score card before. If it’s the start of a trend, I’m all for it. but I have to note: A little more information would be welcome.
As for the women who did go to the World Championships, Kayde Puckett, the ’09 Team U Overall Fitness champ, managed seventh in the tall class, and Pam Wentz took eighth in the heavyweights. That’s a huge accomplishment considering that the cutoff for “heavyweight” at the two-weight-class competition was 55 kilograms, roughly 121 1/4 pounds, and middleweight Wentz was up against the best and biggest the world has to offer.
Photo: Theresa Hendricks.
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