Reported August 23, 2002
Jan Tana Classic: Familiar and Unfamiliar Faces Earn Tickets to the O
LYNCHBURG, Va.—Interesting doings at the Jan Tana Pro Classics on August 16–17 produced surprising new contenders for both the Ms. and Fitness Olympia contests this year. Of course, it came as no surprise that cruising Kelly Ryan continued her domination of the outside-the-Olympia pro fitness circuit or that Fannie Barrios took the Lightweights in women’s bodybuilding. Other developments, however, were the kind of stuff that keeps the physique sports interesting.
Pro Bodybuilding Classic. Earlier in the year svelte, symmetrical and presumably retired veteran Nancy Lewis put in a request for a special invitation to women’s bodybuilding’s biggest show. The 5’3” Lewis, last seen onstage at the ’98 Ms. International, where she finished fourth, must have decided she’d get to the O the old-fashioned way, as she showed up in Lynchburg looking as if time had stood still, crushing the competition in the Middleweight class with a perfect score and easily taking the Overall. According to observers, Barrios and Heavyweight winner Beth Roberts didn’t have a chance. As all class winners earn Olympia qualifications, however, it wasn’t a total loss—certainly not for ’01 National Overall champ Roberts, who vanquished accomplished vets like second-placed Heavyweight Betty Pariso and third-placer Tazzie Columb in her pro debut. (Barrios was already qualified thanks to the Ms. International.)
’02 Jan Tana Women’s Bodybuilding Classic
Overall: Nancy Lewis*
Lightweight
1) Fannie Barrios*
2) Sophie Duquette
3) Marja Lehtonen
4) Mary Ellen Doss
5) Heike Jung
Middleweight
1) Nancy Lewis*
2) Vilma Caez
3) Gayle Moher
4) Mah-Ann Mendoza
5) Rosemary Jennings
Heavyweight
1) Beth Roberts*
2) Betty Pariso
3) Tazzie Columb
4) Heather foster
5) Paula Suzuki
*Qualifies for the Ms. Olympia.
Fitness. Ryan aced the performance rounds with her best-in-the-business routines, as usual, despite competing with an injured calf, and it brought her a second straight victory at this event. Jenny Hendershot was right behind her in second in the routines, but a major drop in her physique placings, particularly in the one-piece round, kept her out of her usual runner-up spot. That honor went to Tanji Johnson, who’s been coming on strong since making her quarter-turn-for-quarters debut at the Fitness International in March and who won the Toronto Pro earlier in the summer.
Hendershott landed in fourth, in fact, behind someone whose physique the panel really liked: Tracey Greenwood. Since Greenwood had finished 20th at the mammoth New York Pro and ninth at the smaller Southwest and Atlantic States shows thus far in her rookie season, her top-three finish—and ascension the Fitness O lineup—was the biggest (pleasant) surprise of a surprising show.
More on the total Tana weekend in the December Pump & Circumstance, in IRONMAN.
’02 Jan Tana Fitness Classic
1) Kelly Ryan*
2) Tanji Johnson*
3) Tracey Greenwood*
4) Jenny Hendershott
5) Alti Bautista
6) Beth Horn
7) Julie Palmer
8) Aleksandra Kobielak
9) Nicole Caballer
10) Jen Cook
*Qualifies for the Fitness Olympia.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login