By Andrew Michalak
Photo: Igor Kopcek (EastLabs).
The first day of this year’s World Fitness Championships was devoted to Bodyfitness (4 categories), Wellness Fitness (4 categories), Women’s Physique (2 categories) and Fitness semifinals. First time Women Fitness attracted 35 competitors and IFBB Executive officials decided to create the third category: up to 160 cm in addition to 163 cm and over 163 cm classes. Also Men Fitness was very popular at this event, having 13 athletes and the sport quality of the men’s routines reached the sky!
Finally, all gold medals in Fitness went to Slovak champions. Their long-time work with children in fitness now have brought fantastic results. Former children fitness champions: Tatiana Ondruskova, Michaela Pavleova and Kristina Juricova occurred to be the best in the senior division, still being in junior age! Last year’s Men’s Fitness world champion, Michal Barbier, who sensationally lost to Chinese Wenjie Yang a week ago at the World Junior Championships, improved his body condition and won all rounds, regaining the world title.
Unexpected results in Bodyfitness: Junior World Championships runner-up, Senni Nieminen of Finland, not only won her class (up to 158 cm) but also the overall title, leaving behind 10 years older champions from Russia and Ukraine.
In Women’s Physique, Natalia Bystrova (Russia) regained the title won in 2017 and then lost to Natatliia Dichkovska (Ukraine). Viktoriia Pohribniak (Ukraine) won the gold medal in over 163 cm category once again. The phenomenon of Bystrova is that she is… 51-years-old and still is capable to win against 20 years younger stars, beating Pohribniak in the battle for the overall title.
Bikini Fitness categories it was the hard time for the World Ranking leaders. Only 2 from the top 10 managed to win the world title: Anna Sorokina (Spain) and Galina Maslovskaia (Russia). Maslovskaia didn’t lose any contest in 2019, winning the European Championships overall, Arnold Classic Europe overall and now the World Championships overall! The second 2019 unbeatable bikini champion is Natalia Czajkowska of Poland, winning 3 events plus the Junior World Championships overall title and now the World title in 160 cm category. She is the only world champion who regained the title won also in 2018.
Women’s Wellness Fitness included 4 categories for the first time. But this division was dominate by girls from the top 10 of the Ranking. The most interesting duel was run in the 168 cm class between the Ranking leader Micaela di Gennaro (Italy) and 3rd place holder Maria Gongora of Spain and this time Gongora won. Dagmara Dominiczak (Poland) won the short class (158 cm), repeating her last year’s achievement. The 2018 Ranking winner, Nikoletta Sularz, won her first world title, winning the 163 cm category, following her European overall title and world junior title. But the biggest star emerged in the tall class, over 168 cm. Laura Santini (Croatia) appeared internationally a week earlier at the World Junior Championships in Budapest, winning the overall title over Sularz. And now she repeated this achievement at the World Fitness Championships. Seems to be unbeatable!
The Championships were attended by the top IFBB officials, with President Santonja as a leader, Vice-Presidents: Juan Paredes (South America) and Pawel Filleborn (Europe) who also work as a Chief Judge as well as Asian Federation (AFBF) President Zhang Haifeng (China).
The Championships were perfectly prepared and managed by the Slovak Bodybuilding, Fitness and Powerlifting Association, led by Eng. Boris Mlsna, strongly supported by his wife, former Women’s Fitness world champion Gabriela Mlsnova. They didn’t only take care of all details at the venue and outside but managed to create friendly, supportive, hospitable atmosphere, where we all felt comfortably. Thank you Slovakia!
WOMEN’S BODYFITNESS UP TO 158 CM
2019 World Women’s Bodyfitness up to 158 cm category champion: Senni NIEMINEN (Finland).
2019 IFBB World Championships Women’s Bodyfitness up to 158 cm category medal winners (from L to R): Olga LUTSENKO (2nd place); Senni NIEMINEN (1st place); Karina SHCHERBAK (3rd place).
WOMEN’S BODYFITNESS UP TO 163 CM
2019 World Women’s Bodyfitness up to 163 cm category champion: Tatiana MANDOLINA (Russia).
2019 IFBB World Championships Women’s Bodyfitness up to 163 cm category medal winners (from L to R): Petra LACINOVA (2nd place); Tatiana MANDOLINA (1st place); Liis ORG (3rd place).
WOMEN’S BODYFITNESS UP TO 168 CM
2019 World Women’s Bodyfitness up to 168 cm category champion: Alla MATSEGORA (Ukraine).
2019 IFBB World Championships Women’s Bodyfitness up to 168 cm category medal winners (from L to R): Iuliia KAZAKOVTCEVA (2nd place); Alla MATSEGORA (1st place); Olha SHNUROVA (3rd place).
WOMEN’S BODYFITNESS OVER 168 CM
2019 World Women’s Bodyfitness over 168 cm category champion: Yuliia SHYKULA (Ukraine).
2019 IFBB World Championships Women’s Bodyfitness over 168 cm category medal winners (from L to R): Alina YAMAN (2nd place); Yuliia SHYKULA (1st place); Vera KOROLEVA (3rd place).
WOMEN’S BODYFITNESS OVERALL
Senni NIEMINEN (Finland) declared the 2019 world bodyfitness overall champion by the IFBB President, Dr. Rafael SANTONIA and Slovak Federation President, Mr. Boris MLSNA (right).
2019 IFBB World Bodyfitness overall winner: Senni NIEMINEN (Finland).
Women’s Bodyfitness overall battle (from L: Senni NIEMINEN (1st place), Tatiana MANDOLINA (2nd place); Alla MATSEGORA (3rd place).
Women’s Bodyfitness overall battle (from L: Senni NIEMINEN (1st place), Tatiana MANDOLINA (2nd place); Alla MATSEGORA (3rd place).
WOMEN’S WELLNESS FITNESS UP TO 158 CM
2019 World Women’s Wellness Fitness up to 158 cm category champion: Dagmara DOMINICZAK (Poland).
2019 IFBB World Championships Women’s Wellness Fitness up to 158 cm category medal winners (from L to R): Lisa MEISWINKEL (2nd place); Dagmara DOMINICZAK (1st place); Caroline ASPENSKOG (3rd place).
WOMEN’S WELLNESS FITNESS UP TO 163 CM
2019 World Women’s Wellness Fitness up to 163 cm category champion: Nikoletta SULARZ (Poland).
2019 IFBB World Championships Women’s Wellness Fitness up to 163 cm category medal winners (from L to R): Michaela NEMCOVA (2nd place); Nikoletta SULARZ (1st place); Anne-Cathrine WESTBY (3rd place).
WOMEN’S WELLNESS FITNESS UP TO 163 CM
2019 World Women’s Wellness Fitness up to 168 cm category champion: Maria GONGORA (Spain).
2019 IFBB World Championships Women’s Wellness Fitness up to 168 cm category medal winners (from L to R): Micaela DI GENNARO (2nd place); Maria GONGORA (1st place); Kateryna CHERNIEI (3rd place).
WOMEN’S WELLNESS FITNESS OVER 163 CM
2019 World Women’s Wellness Fitness over 168 cm category champion: Lara SANTINI (Croatia).
2019 IFBB World Championships Women’s Wellness Fitness over 168 cm category medal winners (from L to R): Kateryna PROKOPIEVA (2nd place); Lara SANTINI (1st place); Olga KULINYCH (3rd place).
WOMEN’S WELLNESS FITNESS OVERALL
2019 World Wellness Fitness overall champion: Lara SANTINI (Croatia) congratulated by President SANTONJA and Slovak Federation President, Mr. Boris MLSNA (right).
2019 IFBB World Championships Women’s Wellness Fitness overall winner Lara SANTINI (Croatia).
Women’s Wellness Fitness overall battle (from L): Dagmara DOMINICZAK (3rd place); Nikoletta SULARZ (2nd place); Maria GONGORA (4th place); Lara SANTINI (1st place).
Women’s Wellness Fitness overall battle (from L): Dagmara DOMINICZAK (3rd place); Nikoletta SULARZ (2nd place); Maria GONGORA (4th place); Lara SANTINI (1st place).
WOMEN’S PHYSIQUE UP TO 163 CM
2019 World Women’s Physique up to 163 cm category champion: Natalia BYSTROVA (Russia).
2019 IFBB World Championships Women’s Physique up to 163 cm category medal winners (from L to R): Elena LAZAREVA (2nd place); Natalia BYSTROVA (1st place); Megumi SAWADA (3rd place).
WOMEN’S PHYSIQUE OVER 163 CM
2019 World Women’s Physique over 163 cm category champion: Viktoriia POHRIBNIAK (Ukraine).
2019 IFBB World Championships Women’s Physique over 163 cm category medal winners (from L to R): Liubov POPOVA (2nd place); Viktoriia POHRIBNIAK (1st place); Nataliia PROKHOROVA (3rd place).
WOMEN’S PHYSIQUE OVERALL
2019 World Championships Women’s Physique overall champion: Natalia BYSTROVA (Russia) congratulated by the IFBB Vice-President, Mr. Juan PAREDES (left) and Asian Federation President, Mr. Zhang HAIFENG (right).
2019 World Championships Women’s Physique overall champion: Natalia BYSTROVA (Russia).
Women’s Physique overall battle (from L): Natalia BYSTROVA vs. Viktoriia POHRIBNIAK.
Women’s Physique overall battle (from L): Natalia BYSTROVA vs. Viktoriia POHRIBNIAK.
