The highly-esteemed 2023 Rising Phoenix & Arizona Pro, headlined by the Women’s Bodybuilding division, took place on September 30 in Phoenix, Arizona over the weekend. Aside from the main attraction, competitors from the Fitness, Figure, Bikini, Women’s Physique, and Wellness divisions battled on stage.
Heading into Saturday, divisional great — three-time Ms. Olympia and three-time reigning Rising Phoenix champion Andrea Shaw will once again land in Arizona to contend for gold. Riding high off her commanding victory at the 2022 Ms. Olympia competition, Shaw is eager to step on stage for her first show of the 2023 season.
Although this weekend featured a star-studded Women’s Bodybuilding lineup, Arizona also welcomed five other divisions, where the winners earned qualifications for the upcoming 2023 Olympia competition, set for November 2-5 in Orlando, Florida.
2023 Rising Phoenix & Arizona Pro Winners
- Women’s Bodybuilding: Andrea Shaw
- Fitness: Stephanie Jones
- Figure: Rhea Gayle
- Bikini: Iulia Baba
- Women’s Physique: Alex Hall
- Wellness: Andrea Hrenko
2023 Rising Phoenix & Arizona Pro Results Breakdown
Women’s Bodybuilding
Prejudging saw the reigning champion Andrea Shaw impress with capped shoulders and an imposing X-frame. Her last time out, she defended her crown on the prestigious Olympia stage, where she defeated Angela Yeo. Given Shaw’s past performances, her posing routines are a sight to see as her muscularity and thin waist demand attention.
In her way was a familiar face in Angela Yeo. Yeo looked to have taken the judges’ criticisms to heart following her second-place Olympia showing. She came into Arizona the hardest and most shredded she’s ever been and gave the reigning champ a run for her money. In the end, it was Andrea Shaw’s night; she claimed her fourth Rising Phoenix title in style. Angela Yeo settled for second place and Michaela Aycock finished third.
- Winner — Andrea Shaw
- Second Place — Angela Yeo
- Third Place — Michaela Aycock
- Fourth Place — Mayla Ash
- Fifth Place — Chelsea Dion
- Sixth Place — Melissa Teich
- Seventh Place — Sherry Priami
- Eighth Place — Kristina Mendoza
- Ninth Place — Reshanna Boswell
- Tenth Place — Nicki Chartrand
Fitness
It didn’t take long for fans and judges alike to take notice of their favorite Fitness individual routines. Stephanie Jones didn’t just bring entertainment, she also displayed conditioning and symmetry that carried her during prejudging. Jones entered this competition with a chip on her shoulder after narrowly taking second place to Minna Pajulahti at the prestigious 2023 Masters Olympia.
Corina Harkelroad was another frontrunner vying for center stage this weekend. She always brings exciting routines and tonight was no different. Harkelroad last appeared at the 2023 Tampa Pro, picking up an 11th-place finish.
Her lower body strength gave her a unique advantage against some of her peers. However, after an intense few comparisons in the finals, the title went to Stephanie Jones! Cornia Herkelroad took second and Kristin Pope finished third.
- Winner — Stephanie Jones
- Second Place — Corina Harkelroad
- Third Place — Kristin Pope
- Fourth Place — Kayla Rossi
- Fifth Place — Sally Kendall-Williams
- Sixth Place — Rene Brosch
- Seventh Place — Rachel Pitts
- Eighth Place — Danielle Delikat
Figure
Athletes from the Figure category put on a thrilling show with a few names sticking out among fans and judges. The conditioning and upper body development of Rhea Gayle made her an imposing threat from the moment she started posing during prejudging. Gayle was on the hunt this weekend after taking second place in a close-fought show at the 2023 San Antonio Pro last weekend.
Meanwhile, Shanice Abrams was another top name in the running to earn gold. Abrams’ combination of muscularity, density, and conditioning have been hallmarks of her continued success. Recently competing at the 2023 Sasquatch Pro, Abrams impressed in the eighth-place position. This time, Rhea Gayle raised gold above her head! Shanice Abrams finished runner-up with Paula Rojo rounding out the podium in third.
- Winner — Rhea Gayle
- Second Place — Shanice Abrams
- Third Place — Paula Rojo
- Fourth Place — Christine Steams
- Fifth Place — Nikki Mcguire
- Sixth Place — Sophie Jenkins
- Seventh Place — Osiris Trumpe
- Eighth Place — Jaslynn James
- Ninth Place — Elizabeth Nieder
- Tenth Place — Jennifer Johnson
Bikini
Bikini talent swarmed the stage Saturday night with an Olympia qualification hanging in the balance. Iulia Baba brought a great look and hourglass frame, which saw her vying for center stage throughout much of the prejudging portion of the show. Baba last competed at the 2023 San Antonio Pro, where she took runner-up to winner Jourdanne Lee.
Contender Reijuana Harley, a popular name in the category, also brought great shape and tie-ins. She last stepped on stage at the 2023 Nevada State Pro in third place. Following some close comparisons in the finals, Iulia Baba won first prize. Reijuana Harley and Daraja Hill claimed the second and third-place positions.
- Winner — Iulia Baba
- Second Place — Reijuana Harley
- Third Place — Daraja Hill
- Fourth Place — Lacy Rutland
- Fifth Place — Reyna Perez Mecalco
- Sixth Place — Abbi Gaetano
- Seventh Place — Chantel Hall
- Eighth Place — Marioly Galarza
- Ninth Place — Marcela Moreno
- Tenth Place — Cierra Davis
Women’s Physique
Women’s Physique contenders put on a show in Phoenix, Arizona on Saturday night. Alex Hall’s separated quads demanded the spotlight during prejudging and with some of the best arms in the division, she emerged as a favorite rather quickly.
Against Hall was Hi Hye Lee, a well-known name within the category. Having graced the Olympia stage in 14th at last year’s competition, Hi Hye Lee is no stranger to testing herself against the world’s best. Following a heated showdown for gold, Alex Hall left Arizona victorious! Hi Hye Lee and Yuna Kim placed second and third.
- Winner — Alex Hall
- Second Place — Hi Hye Lee
- Third Place — Yuna Kim
- Fourth Place — Winsome White
- Fifth Place — Joanna Romano
- Sixth Place — Anna-Lena Prinz
- Seventh Place — Suzan Oktay
- Eighth Place — Alyssa Coppolino
- Ninth Place — Tina Mauer Guadarrama
- Tenth Place — Michelle Polanik
Wellness
The Wellness category saw Mariha Lyons cement herself as the one to watch during prejudging. Her shape and lower body density combined made for an aesthetic package. With Olympia approaching in November, she was eager to leave no doubt in the minds of the judges in Arizona.
In her way was Andrea Hrenko, a well-known name in the division, who has already found success this year, having strung together back-to-back second-place performances at the 2023 Tampa Pro and Sin City Pro. She brought a great look with standout symmetry. In the end, it was close but Andrea Hrenko claimed gold. With that in mind, Mariha Lyons took second place and Rosa Benadero Munoz placed third.
- Winner — Andrea Hrenko
- Second Place — Mariha Lyons
- Third Place — Rosa Benadero Munoz
- Fourth Place — Jenna De Manicor
- Fifth Place — Jennifer Zollars
- Sixth Place — Jasmine Payne
- Seventh Place — Micheline Mengue M
- Eighth Place — Brittanie Molina
- Ninth Place — Joann Norwood
- Tenth Place — Jessica Alvarado
2023 Rising Phoenix & Arizona Pro Scorecards
That wraps up all of the bodybuilding action in Phoenix, Arizona. Our team at Fitness Volt wishes the winners luck on the big Olympia stage!
Published: 1 October, 2023 | 12:03 AM EDT
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