Alectra Kelley is determined to go Pro. But unlike other big names in bikini (e.g. Candice Perfect), Alectra actually has more than just good looks to bring to the table. This Alaska native brings a nice amount of muscle and balance as well. She trains regularly alongside fellow Bikini Star Zlata Sushchik and she continues to placer higher.
First and foremost, a big congrats to all the ladies that competed in the 2012 NPC USA Championships in Las Vegas, NV. Alectra Kelley (July Cover) placed Top 5 in her class, further making the point that she will go pro in the very near future. Other notables included Alma Villanueva, Vegas native Carolina Granados, Christina Profancik, Candice Perfect - who we know has made the big time b/c she's taken to ignoring our little blog. And of course... this month's cover ZLATA SUSHCHIK - who looked amazing!
The Women, just like The Men, need to understand that the Judges are only human. If they were computers, then they'd always reward aethetics, balance, symmetry - all the things they're supposed to; however, they're only human. Sometimes, in distant part of the world ... politics come into play - it's not only undeniable, it's unmanageable. The national stage is a real war zone - there's Teams, there's sponsors (the real major to the real minor), there's big name coaches and gurus, there's local favorites and outsider-unknowns; there are so many variables at play, that a less than stellar placing shouldn't mean much. A great placing, however, should mean something (especially to the ladies with only their physique to do the talking). Congrats Alectra! :)
As far as the upcoming month, I plan on working on pages for Alectra, Zlata, and Holland Canter. I'm eager to get these pages packed full of people, because these ladies deserve to be promoted. I'd also like to plug my two columns, Becca's Johnson's Becca's Corner and John Nolan Sr.'s Nolan Knows Best.
The Alaska Four are in sunny Las Vegas competing in the 2012 NPC USA's. As of just a few moments ago, I was informed that Alectra Kelley made first call-outs! Tomorrow (Sunday) I'll be updating the audience with placings for Alectra, Candice Perfect, Paola Terry, and other friends of the page like Christina Profancik, Carolina Granados, and others! Placings, reactions, and future plans.
I'm hoping we'll have plenty of photos and videos to post! I'm very proud of all the ladies. And I want to stress this... placings are largely POLITICALLY-BASED! I'm proud of the girls well or not so well, because if I AM WORKING TO PROMOTE YOU - YOU'RE THE BEST. Case closed.
Something's happening in Alaska, especially in NPC Bikini, with huge stars like Alectra Kelley, Paola Terry, Candice Perfect, and of course... Zlata Sushchik, who will be doing an interview with StrengthAddicts/FigureBikini in the near future.
What I find incredibly promising about Zlata (as well as the other great stars mentioned), is that she's a young woman that understand the value of hard work. It's not easy making it in the fitness industy. Whereas the Men are divided into divisions, the Women are divided into five! And while that factor alone may prove troublesome to the Pros, it's even more of an issue for NPC Stars that are winning shows but not earning any prize money to show for it. This is an expensive sport, one that requires almost complete dedication to training, nutrition, and supplementation. Most sports have an off-season, even bodybuilding has one. But the Men that compete in Physique - and the women of Figure & Bikini, they seldom venture off their diet or training for more than a few days. There are literally hundreds - if not thousands - of women trying to place, trying to get noticed. This is serious work - and women like Zlata Sushchik are on their way to the top.
Zlata - and many of the women mentioned and/or reading this article - started competing in their teen years. When their friends may (or may not...) have been out partying and getting smashed, they were in the gym 5x a week and eating clean year-round. This is not meant to dissuade ladies in their 20's, 30's, or even in the Masters from competing. But it should serve a wake-up call to those ladies (like Men in bodybuilding and physique) that just plan to show up at a show for fun. Zlata and many of the ladies of her generation take the stage very seriously. They work hard to do battle - they're going there just for fun.
Alectra Kelley is the July cover for FigureBikini.com. We've been covering her rise in fitness industry since she won the 2012 NPC Teen Nationls. She's a hard working young woman, that gives her all in the gym. She puts special emphasis on her diet and supplementation, and she's defintely the kind of person that values the fans and strives to maintain a good rapport with them.
The videos below give you a glimpse into who this great champion really is. The first video is a brief into; the second video, Alectra discusses her future plans.
