Ben Weider Natural Pro Results
The 2022 Ben Weider Natural Pro contest was held on September 30th at the Hilton Alexandria Mark Center in Alexandria, VA. Nine IFBB Pro League divisions were showcased with some of the competitors having started the day as amateurs. Amateurs that won pro cards earlier in the day were offered the chance to compete as a pro in the same day. Here is how the final placings went.
Men's Bodybuilding
There were no pro men’s open competitors in this show until Tony Wilson won his pro card and decided to put that card to good use. He won the contest unopposed. Men’s open didn’t offer an Olympia qualification at this show, but Wilson did score points on the Olympia scoring system.
Tony Wilson
212
Dennis Glover was the only 212 man in the lineup until DeVon Causey scored his pro card status and took Glover on in his first 212 matchup. Glover’s size and experience was too much for Causey to overcome. Glover also scored Olympia points thanks to this victory.
Dennis Glover
DeVon Causey
Classic Physique
Lenny Wicks came through for us on the predictions and claimed the Classic Physique championship at this show, but it wasn’t easy for the Ohio native. Fellow Ohioan Chuck Mauceri came to play and made the judges work them over to come up with a winner. In the end, Wicks will move on to the Olympia as well as the rest of the division winners that follow. Tywuan Williams came rounded out your top three.
Lenny Wicks
Chuck Mauceri
Tywuan Williams
Men’s Physique
The most anticipated contest at this show was the Men’s Physique show, and the crowd got loud for this one. In spite of the show being within minutes of the U.S. capitol city of Washington, D.C., Asia made their presence known and dominated the callouts. China native and former Olympian Long Wu scored his second pro victory and will return to the Olympia thanks to him doing so.
Second place finisher Chien Hsin Chen of Taiwan made this contest the most competitive of all because he was shredded. Wu’s size and presence onstage was just enough for him to take the win. Japan’s Jumpei Taguchi finished in the third-place position.
Long Wu
Chien Hsin Chen
Jumpei Taguchi
Women’s Physique
Canada’s own VIctoria Myslik scored the victory and Olympia qualification in clear fashion at this contest. By the end of prejudging, she had the middle spot of the callouts and didn’t leave it. Princess Hodges of South Carolina came in second place. Hodges looked great, but Myslik’s conditioning was simply too good to be ignored. Nichole Jensen, who was another new pro who started the day as an amateur finished her pro debut with a top three position.
Victoria Myslik
Princess Hodges
Nichole Jensen
Fitness
Canada took first and second place in the Figure division. Danielle DaCosta had a great physique, and her routine was good enough for her to stand with the first-place medal and Olympia qualification. Abby Bolton scored first in the routine round, but she was placed sixth in the physique round, which was too low for the routine to make up. Michelle Gales settled for the number three spot.
Danielle DaCosta
Abby Bolton
Michelle Gales
Figure
This was Maude Exantus’ best showing yet, and it proved to be the winning formula at this contest. There was no doubt who was winning this show from the moment she took the stage. Florencia Hunt and Canada’s own Chelsea Mooney stood alongside Exantus in the final photos in second and third places, respectively.
Maude Exantus
Florencia Hunt
Chelsea Mooney
Bikini
Maia Gordon and Ann Marie Lawrence never moved from the center spots on the callouts, which were even numbered, making it difficult to determine who the judges had their eyes on. After multiple callouts and calls for poses, the crowd had thought Lawrence was taking the win. However, Gordon’s name was announced as the winner, which made the crowd erupt. Canada scored another champion in this contest, and Gordon now moves on to Las Vegas for the Olympia.
Maia Gordon
Ann Marie Lawrence
Lesley Billups
Wellness
Mallory Myers and Rachel Lee were our favorites going into the contest, but the judges scored them in opposite positions in the end. Myers took the win while Lee accepted the silver spot. Props should be in order for Dalila Kindermann, who turned pro earlier in the day, and finished in the top three of a very competitive lineup. She showed that she has potential to be a successful pro in the future.
Mallory Myers
Rachel Lee
Dalila Kindermann
