Canadian IFBB Pro Women’s Physique bodybuilder Rhonda Lee Quaresma passed away on November 26, 2021, after a three-year battle with Colon cancer. She was 52 years old. Rhonda started her professional bodybuilding career all the way back in 1989 and retired in 2016 due to health issues.
Rhonda Lee Quaresma’s close friends announced the news of her passing through her personal Instagram account and the caption to the post gave heartwarming insights into Rhonda Lee Quaresma’s personality.
“My dearest friend of 30 years died last evening after a 3 year battle with colon cancer. She spent the last few years living in California and simply loved it, but she was as Canadian as they come. Her father was Native Canadian and her mother’s side lived in Canada for generations. She was half Ojibway and half English. The exterior of Rhonda was always shiny and I don’t think she would object to the word flamboyant, but the inside was soft, gentle, kind and intuitive.
She touched so many people with her kindness and she had this intrinsic ability to see people, really see them and she took the time to understand them. It made for a great friend. One that I am blessed to have had for so many years. RIP my sweet soul,” caption to the post read.
Following retirement from professional bodybuilding, Rhonda Lee Quaresma started her second career as a personal trainer in 2018. Rhonda was certified by the Professional Personal Trainer’s Association (PROPTA). In her final days, Rhonda Lee Quaresma lived in Los Angeles, California. She opened up about cancer on her personal YouTube channel in 2020.
Rhonda Lee Quaresma’s journey through life
Rhonda Lee Quaresma was born in Kingston, Ontario, Canada to a native Canadian father and English mother. Post-puberty weight gain and encouragement from her father led her to focus on fitness in her early years which later became her career.
Quaresma made her bodybuilding debut with a first-place finish at the 1989 Kingston Open in the lightweight division. In 1995, she won the Miss Canada title in the Canadian Nationals at Level 4. The win also secured her the pro card and marked the beginning of her professional bodybuilding career.
Rhonda Lee Quaresma made her IFBB debut at the 1998 Jan Tana Classic and finished 13th among the 28 competing women. The 2016 IFBB Pro Ferrigno Legacy marked her last competitive appearance. Following this, Rhonda announced her retirement from the sport and started pursuing a career as a personal trainer.
Rhonda Le Quaresma’s bodybuilding competition history
- 1989 Kingston Open Level-1, 1st Place LW 101 lbs (amateur open).
- 1990 Ottawa Open Level-1, 1st Place LW 103 lbs (amateur open).
- 1992 Ontario Eastern Regional Level-2, 1st Place LW 105 lbs (amateur regional).
- 1993 All Ontario Level-3, 1st Place LW 110.5 lbs (amateur provincials).
- 1995 Canadian Nationals Level-4, 1st Place MW 121 lbs (amateur nationals)
- 1998 Jan Tana Classic, 13th Place 128 lbs (professional International)
- 2003 Night of Champions, 14th place (Pro International)
- 2012 Toronto Pro Show (pro physique) 13th place
- Titans Grand Prix (Pro Physique) 16th place
- 2016 Ferrigno Legacy, 16th place (Pro physique)
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