 |
My First National Experience: NPC Nationals, 2008 Atlanta December 2008 |
by Jeanne Colesanti With so many beautifully formed, symmetrically accurate physiques, one would find it virtually impossible to pick “A Best” or “The One,” which would proclaim to all the aspiring figure athletes that that is the physique that the judges are looking for. That one was decided amongst all of the hundreds of choices, “The One” narrowed down and proclaimed the overall winner. And this winner will be admired and emulated by thousands of women who at the 2008 NPC Nationals in Atlanta tried to become that like her the judge’s choice of “The One.” Amongst such competitors was me, Jeanne Colesanti whose preconceived ideas were altered by what I’ll call optimistic enlightenment by the entire experience. With my view onstage and down into the judges’ area I saw questioning faces in a quandary over us distinguished by the numbers pinned upon us. They pointed with their pencils as the mulled over the physiques standing before them. The time it took and the patience these “Gods of Figure” exhibited impressed me. Through the process that seemed somewhat like shuffling numbers around they were able to make their comparisons of our physiques. The rudiments of those comparisons amongst so many fit physiques were something we competitors could not see or decipher from our vantage points on stage. In those comparative views lay the deciding factor providing the difference between our placings. Distinguishing factors setting us apart could be ever so slight including presentation, congeniality, and even the photogenic “it” factors that afforded one figure competitor that special edge with the power to draw the attention from the judges like a magnet. All in all it was all worthwhile making the sacrifices to compete at Nationals this year in part due to the thoughtful and considerate efforts of the judging staff that placed each of us in the fairest place possible amongst so many deserving physiques. I felt fortunate to have had the honor to compete amongst the best at the NPC Nationals in Atlanta finishing 8th in my figure class.
|