Health Publications

Usa! Usa! Usa!

Flex, August, 2003 by Jim Rosenthal

Imagine putting SHAWN RAY on a torture rack (as some have) to painfully lengthen him, and then shaving a few years off his age. The result might be someone who looks a lot like RICHARD JONES. A light-heavyweight competitor from Southern California, Jones is one of many impact players scheduled to compete at the 2003 NPC USA Championships on July 25-26 at Artemus W. Ham Concert Hall on the campus of University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Jones, who placed second behind TEVITA AHOLELEI at the 1997 NPC California, has been training with IFBB pro MILOS SARCEY in pursuit of a coveted pro card.

Other top athletes in the running for a trip to the IFBB promised land include KRIS DIM, the 2002 USA light-heavyweight winner who just missed getting his pro card at that event and who shows remarkable consistency, as well as huge biceps.

This year's schedule calls for men's bodybuilding and women's fitness prejudging to begin at 5:30 PM on July 25. Women's bodybuilding and fitness prejudging are on July 26 at 9 AM. All finals begin at 7 PM that evening. Tickets can be ordered online at www.musclecontest.com. by phone (for credit card purchases and to request order forms) at (866) 370-3011 or via fax at (866) 236-7180.

Also in the tussle is ALAN GRIMES, second to IDRISE WARD-EL in the super-heavyweight class at the 2002 USA. Grimes plans to compete at 252 pounds. Joining Grimes and Dim onstage will be, among others, CHRIS COOK, a 24-year-old bundle of beef who will rock the super-heavyweight class at 254 pounds, and MIKE DRAGNA, a heavyweight from Hawaii who, like Grimes, has been working with nutritionist HANY RAMROD.

RICHARD JONES, an Orange County, California, deputy sheriff, is an arresting presence who's grateful that there's no law against resembling SHAWN RAY. The 29-year-old Jones will enter the light-heavyweight class at the USA Championships on July 25-26.