A competitive fitness veteran, Pittsburgh native Aubrey Worek is the consummate fitness fanatic! The 5’4″, 125 lbs., 34 year old was a dance major in college and today owns an “aerial dance studio”. Aubrey who started competing at fitness shows and won the ’07 Ms. Bikini Pittsburgh will perform next weekend at the Fitness Universe Championships in Miami / Ft. Lauderdale. As a fitness instructor, she is American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and Aerobics and Fitness Association of America (AFAA) certified. Aubrey says, “I have a diverse background in teaching group fitness classes such as BodyPump, BodyCombat, Spinning, Zumba and YogaFit.” But, her hidden talents are someone unique for a fitness competitor. “Most people don’t know I used to be a magician’s assistant during my summers off in college. It was a very fun gig – but I’m sworn to secrecy to this very day, so I can’t reveal any tricks to the trade!” No doubt, Aubrey will have quite a few tricks of her own when she takes the stage next weekend.
Since winning her first competition, Catherine Moran has set her sights on the Ms. Bikini & Model Universe next weekend. The 5’9″, 140 lbs., 29 year old corporate attorney has always been an avid athlete including playing collegiate basketball at Austin College where she earned a B.A. in English and Minor in Art. Then Catherine when on to earn her Juris Doctorate from the University of Texas at Austin. Currently, she is writing a children’s art series and has participated in gallery showings around Houston and Sherman, Texas. Catherine says she’s “a world traveler, food and art enthusiast, part-time nutrition consultant and self-described foodie!” She says, “My ambition in life is to own one of the largest minority-owned property preservation companies in the country and experience a culture on every continent before I’m 35.” Well, with hundreds of competitors from around the world, Catherine will get a change to at least meet someone from every continent.
Two-time Fitness Universe Champion Anca Bucur started competing 6 years ago with an incredible Olympic gymnastics background, but lack the choreography and fitness show finisse needed to win. That quickly changed and now Anca is on top of the sport. She says, “I get so many messages from around the world. People who get inspired by me and they start competing in fitness because of what I do and who I am. That’s what makes me feel like a real “champion”.” Anca is training for what she hopes will be her third Fitness Universe victory next weekend in Florida. But, regardless of what happens on stage, its the big picture that matters most to her. “I’m so happy that I’ve started this fitness journey with this Federation. It’s represent me 100%.”
It was Cocomania in Las Vegas last November when Stephanie “Coco” Brewster won the Fitness America Championships in Las Vegas. The hometown gal had been competing for 7 years and finally earned the top title in the country. Now the 5’7″, 120 lbs. dancer and performer will take her talents to the Fitness Universe stage in two weeks. “I am still riding high from winning,” Stephanie says. “But, once you smell success, you want more and I am so energized to compete with the Fitness Universe Pro girls in Miami.” Stephanie has been a professional dancer throughout her life so her fitness performances are sometimes just choreographed on the fly. “I just enjoy getting stage and something inside me takes over. I thrive on it!” You can watch Stephanie and all of the performances LIVE from Florida at www.fitnessuniverse.tv on June 27-28.
Last year, she walked on stage and surprised everyone by winning both Model Universe and Ms. Bikini Universe titles! At 5’8″, 125 lbs., Yong Soon Park carried a unique mix of elegance and athleticism unmatched on stage. It was her first time on the Universe stage and, best of all, Yong was celebrating her honeymoon! In two weeks, she will return to the show with Team Korea with a years worth of experience doing professional modeling and commercial work.
Texas gal Ada Abanobi says she’s primed and ready for Fitness Universe Weekend in Florida. The 34 year old has been an avid athlete throughout her life including being an NFL Texans cheerleaders. But her profession as a trauma/orthopedic nurse for the past 10 years has been the pinnacle of her career so far. “I liked the clinical portion of nursing school when we got to take care of patients directly,” Ada explains. “The experience provided a great deal of learning by placing me in real life situations.’ Ada will be on stage in two weeks and and challenge her athletic real life situations, once again. Watch her and the hundreds of other amazing natural talent as their perform LIVE from Florida at www.fitnessuniverse.tv on June 27-28.
A woman who looks great in any shot, Ms. Bikini America and Model America Champion Jessica Vasquezsays she’s ready for the new Ms. Bikini Universe Pro Championships in Las Vegas in November. The second grade school teacher spent a week in India last month promoting Musclemania’s new show. During the tour Jessica was part of a charity event providing notebooks to orphan street kids in Bangalore. “Seeing hundreds of these kids come out to see us and being so appreciative the gifts was a bit overwhelming.” she explains. “The experience humbled and reminded me of my upbringing and how much I have to be thankful.
Model New England Top 5 Finalist Elizabeth Rebelo Sousa is as competitive as she is beautiful. The 5’8″, 140 lbs., 37 year old mother says, “I am always looking for ways to learn and challenge myself to become a better version of myself mentally, physically and emotionally.” As a teenager, Elizabeth graduated high school at 16 and had her bachelors degree by the time she was 19. She’s trained 5 days/week for the past 7 years while being an active and engaged mom and wife. Elizabeth is a registered nurse, a health and fitness coach and business entrepreneur and one outstanding fitness model.
A Fitness New England tradition, the opening performance kicked off last month’s show with fanfare and sass! Over 200 competitors took the stage and living up to its reputation as the spring natural classic. Many of the top finalists will be competing at Fitness Universe Weekend later this month in Miami / Ft. Lauderdale.
’11 Model Universe Champion Johanna Sambucini‘s heals are not and making her way to Ms. Bikini Universe this month! The 5’7″, 120 lbs, 26 year old fashion model has appeared in advertising campaigns for Nike, Reebok, Sports Authority and more and featured in Womens Health Magazine, Fitness Magazine, Cosmopolitan,Shape and other national magazines. But her biggest ambition? “I want to be an academy award winning actress,” Johanna exclaims! As warm and sincere inside as she’s beautiful outside, Johanna just may have the magic package.
Over 400 competitors took the stage at Fitness Mexico last weekend in Mexico City! And, with tickets sold-out the days before the show, over 1,000 more people stood outside the theater hoping to get in. Team Mexico will feature over a dozen of the country’s best natural fitness and sports model athletes at Fitness Universe Weekend this month in Miami / Ft. Lauderdale.
