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Consistent Victory
This was the fourth time in the same year that Mary Jo Cooke-Elliot placed second, which had to be some sort of unofficial IFBB record. Always in great shape, Cooke-Elliot has always been a constant threat to win but she faced some of her toughest challengers this past season, placing second to figure superstars Gina Allioti, Valerie Waugaman and Sonia Adcock. Given her obvious tenacity and work ethic as well as her consistency it will only be a matter of time before she closes the deal on her first IFBB victory.
Dynamite Performance
Darlina Brown came out of nowhere, or at least nowhere in figure terms, and re-made her pro debut in Sacramento. She earned her fitness pro card in 2000 and then wandered off into the non-competitive wilderness for six years until she found her way back to the competitive stage. The time off hadn’t hurt Brown. Carrying a lot of muscle on her tiny frame, she was so attractively shaped and balanced that it suited her well and didn’t detract from her femininity in the slightest. She tied with Flake in the first round of judging, but then lost a little ground in the two-piece round which put her in third, just one point behind Cooke-Elliot.
Shocking Results
Many women struggle to make the top half of their bodies match their bottoms, but Sherri Salvadori found the magic potion that overcomes the curse. Nothing crazy, just a little more time than normal spent dieting, and she managed to put together the best physique she had ever presented on an IFBB pro stage. This won’t be her last stop in the top five and with her poise, presentation and overall striking appearance she has the stuff that will likely place her much higher.
Right Direction
Andrea Dumon, like many new professionals, struggled to get a handle on what changes she needed to make in order to transition from the amateur ranks to the professional level. As most athletes learn sooner or later, the answer for Dumon turned out to be “not much.” It certainly wasn’t about packing on a ton of muscle in hopes of being big enough to compete with some of the larger professionals. Dumon had been bigger, but she had wisely dropped some size and began focusing on shaping her body into an athletic physique. This was one of the first glimpses at her efforts and it landed her in fifth place. Much like Flake, she has the potential to be a champion again, but next time, as a professional.
RESULTS
1 Michelle Flake
2 Mary Jo Cooke-Elliot
3 Darlina Brown
4 Sherri Salvadori
5 Andrea Dumon
6 Waleska Valle
7 Heather Mae French
8 Huong Arcinas
9 April Fortier
10 Michele Mayberry
* Top three finishers qualify for the 2008 Figure Olympia
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After turning pro in 2005, Michelle Flake had done well. Her physique looked as if she had been pounded with plenty of iron rather than shaped into the naturally sleek, round and fit look of a professional female athlete. But by 2007, she looked very different.
