2024 Arizona Pro Predictions
Muscle Insider's Contest Coverage is Sponsored by MUTANT!
The women of the IFBB Pro League will be celebrated on Saturday, August 24th when the 2024 Rising Phoenix and Arizona Pro take place in Phoenix, Arizona. All six women’s divisions will be featured, including the Women’s Bodybuilding division with the 10th edition of the Rising Phoenix World Championships. This show was originally the replacement for the Ms. Olympia contest when it was discontinued in 2014. However, even with the Ms. Olympia show making its return in 2020, this show has continued and maintained its position as one of the major titles in the sport.
We will cover the Rising Phoenix Show in its own preview. For now, let’s look at the other divisions, which make up the Arizona Pro. 2024 Olympia qualifications are on the line for all five competitions, and all of them will provide their own storylines. Here is how we see these five shows playing out.
Fitness
- Michelle Blondin
- Andrea Glass
- Stephanie Jones
- Amanda Leal
- Jeanine Taddeo
- Aurika Tyrgale
There are only two qualifications left for the 2024 Fitness Olympia, and this show has one of them. It’s surprising that there aren’t more athletes in the field, but that just increases the chances for one of these six contenders.
None of these competitors are in the Olympia yet, but Stephanie Jones was 11th at the 2023 Olympia, and she has already competed three times in 2024. Jeanine Taddeo was third at the Tampa Pro earlier this month. The title could very well come down to those two. We will call Jones to take the win with Taddeo as the runner-up. Aurika Tyrgale has a good chance of finishing in the top three as well.
- Stephanie Jones
- Jeanine Taddeo
- Aurika Tyrgale
Figure
- Sarah Antonie
- Raquel Clarke
- Saundra Clarke
- Gabriela Consolmagno
- Manon Dutilly
- Marlen Gonzalez
- Courtney Jacobs
- Samantha Jenkins
- Monique Mealey
- Corrie Morales
- Mandi Morgan
- Behnaz Nasrollahi Azar
- Katy Oneil
- Queren Pacheco
- Jessica Reyes Padilla
- Sherezada Romero
- Vee Sajousse
- Frances Shannon
- Sara Taschner
- Marisol Tavizon
- Osiris Trumpe
- Aksana Yukhno
The Figure lineup has several stars that could be in the mix, but Masters Olympia champ and Olympia runner-up Jessica Reyes Padilla is also in the field, making her the favorite going in. She is coming off a win at the Texas Pro and is ramping up to challenge seven-time champion Cydney Gillon in Las Vegas.
Should Padilla be off the mark (not likely), Manon Dutilly would be the one that could take advantage. Both Padilla and Dutilly are already Olympia-qualified, which means if either of them wins, then no one else qualifies. Queren Pacheco could be a top three threat in this show as well. Watch for these ladies to be in the first callout.
- Jessica Reyes Padilla
- Manon Dutilly
- Queren Pacheco
Bikini
- Daniela Benitez
- Angalee Davis
- Christine Ford
- Mariana Garner
- Czarina Gastelum
- Chantel Hall
- Sasa He
- Michelle Hurst
- Tanya Johansen
- Erin Kamm
- Wan Lam Samantha Kwan
- Adair Libbrecht
- Ashley Luther
- Lizzie Martinez
- Marcela Moreno
- Ndeye Ndour
- Valerie Ocano
- Dayna Onaga
- Zoey Panzarino
- Leslie Potts
- Lisa Reith
- Amanda Rivas
- Belinda Rivera
- Semret Russom
- Lacy Rutland
- Allegra Simms
- Alissa Tonelli
27 IFBB Pro Bikini division competitors will face the judges and fans for this contest. Lisa Reith is already locked into the Olympia because she won the 2024 Sheru Classic. If she wins, then no new qualifications will be earned for Vegas. Among those that will look to keep that from happening is Lizzie Martinez and Adair Libbrecht. Both of them have been in the mix at other shows and will likely be here as well. Reith could very well take another win, but we believe Libbrecht will pull this one out and move on to the Olympia.
- Adair Libbrecht
- Lisa Reith
- Lizzie Martinez
Women’s Physique
- Nicolette Burton
- Sammica Cash
- Kimberly Chavez
- Jessica Coleman
- Suzanne Davis
- Farrah Faulkner
- Lenka Ferencukova
- Alex Hall
- Carrie Hughes
- Lexi Lowery
- Jodi Marchuck
- Robyn Mays
- Evon Pennington
- Michelle Polanik
- Paula Ranta
- Renee Reefschlaeger
- Chelsea Rodgers
- Natalia Spierings
- Jess Uribe
- Angelina Walker
The Women’s Physique lineup will feature 20 athletes. Alex Hall, Paula Ranta, and Lenka Ferencukova are the front runners for this show. Hall was a 2023 Olympian, and she finished in eighth place. She has yet to qualify for the 2024 contest, and she doesn’t have much time to do so because the cutoff date is Sept. 15. We don’t think she will waste this moment. Ranta and Ferencukova will make it an interesting contest, but Hall should take this one.
- Alex Hall
- Lenka Ferencukova
- Paula Ranta
Wellness
- Madi Begley
- Ruth Bentson
- Eduarda Bezerra
- Julia Chitarra
- Briaunna Guthrie
- Mariha Lyons
- Natasha Novak
- Dannii Pickstock
- Victoria Reyes
- Hannah Son
- Simara Walter
- Rachael Wojtysiak
- Daniela Schulz*
As we’ve done all season, we turn to the #GodfatherOfWellness, Johnny Styles for the Wellness division preview.
There will be 12 IFBB Pro Wellness athletes taking the stage this weekend and only one will win the show and the coveted Olympia qualification. Originally there were 13 athletes set to take the stage, but Daniela Schulz is no longer able to compete.
Many eyes will be watching this show for one single competitor, the #GodfatherOfWellness himself calls "The Heir Apparent" and the future of the pro wellness world title – Eduarda Bezerra. This will be her first IFBB Pro Show in America. Her shape, size & structure are wellness 101, she won in Colombia with ease, and the battle continued for 2nd among the rest. Along with all the added glitz and glamour, her overall balance is just something to see in person.
You’ll also want to watch out for Mariha Lyons, who I’ve seen in person, and she’s very well put together. Mariha seems more polished now than the last time she was on stage. Coached by Ray Milet, this duo is something you must pay attention to.
Julia Chitarra is also in this show, and while her last outing wasn't the best, this one seems to be going right on track. Don’t count her out, as she’s looking more balanced, more complete now than years prior. Her glutes appear to be fuller as well. She needed this time off indeed.
Before closing this preview, Daniela Schulz is still on the list, which was heartbreaking to read. Schulz was an athlete who I had in my top 3 at this show. Tragically Daniela has recently passed, along with her husband, a little over 2 weeks ago in a plane crash in Brazil. She had an amazing future and was very excited for this show. Schulz won her IFBB Pro Card at the Mr. Big Evolution back in April. On behalf of everyone here at Muscle Insider, we send our deepest condolences to Daniela’s and her husband’s families, and to all those affected by this deadly crash.
We expect to see the Wellness division top 3 to play out like this.
Image courtesy Moria Photo
- Eduarda Bezerra
- Mariha Lyons
- Julia Chitarra
Stay tuned to Muscle Insider for our predictions of the main event for the weekend, the 10th edition of the Rising Phoenix. Special thanks to MUTANT for supporting our contest coverage of the action in Arizona this coming weekend. Follow them on Instagram @mutantnation and go to www.iammutant.com to learn more about their elite supplements.
To keep up with the latest fitness industry news and product releases, subscribe to our free newsletter HERE!
*© Copyright Notice: Muscle Insider can’t always determine which images are protected by copyrights. We use images that are part of the public record and believed to be under the public domain. If for some reason somebody believes copyrights are violated, we will remove or replace the content in question after receiving a DMCA notice.