Little was said about Rene in the previews to the show. She didn’t feature in any predictions for the top 5, probably because as a Brit and a new pro she was something of an unknown quantity. But if you’d seen any of Rene’s website updates from this year, you could have seen she was more than ready to be judged side-by-side with ‘the best of the best’.
And she certainly got Bodybuilding.com’s play-by-play commentators’ attention when she walked on stage for the pre-judging: Incredibly tight midsection. Great posing. Very aesthetic. Legs a tad small from the front but her shape makes up for any lack in size. Great hams and rear double bicep. Good lat spread!
Rene was awarded fourth place in a competitive, high-quality field, behind the winner Monique Jones, last year’s NPC Nationals champ Juanita Blaino, and perennial top-6 finisher Tina Chandler.
This would be a great achievement in itself, of course, but Rene had slightly more pre-contest hassles than most of the other competitors. Consider the journey to Chicago alone. Just a case of hopping on a plane? Wrong! Check out this extract from Rene’s blog for an insight into just what a female bodybuilder has to go through even after all the training is done…
Because I'm flying for 8½ hours and there is a chance I will hold onto water on the plane I am making sure I have zero carbs the day before flying, zero carbs on the flight - only protein and veg, and dependant on how much water retention I have I will most likely have no carbs the day after flying. That leaves me only 2 days to carb load before my contest.
Food for the plane. Well of course you can't eat anything else besides what's on your diet plan so my turkey will be cooked for so long that it’s rock hard. The idea behind this is so that it doesn't go off on the flight as I've got to prepare enough food so I'm eating every 2 hours.
I also start water loading a week out from contest so by the time I fly I will be on 7.5l and 7000mg of vit C. This will mean visiting the bathroom every half hour at least! I feel sorry for whoever will be sat next to me as they will be constantly having to get up so I can go to the bathroom. I may have to pre warn any passengers next to me of the impending nuisance! Perhaps if they know they will kindly give me the aisle seat!
Comfortable clothing. I have to make sure I'm wearing loose comfortable clothes and open flip flops to ensure circulation and keep walking up and down the aisle to help with circulation.
On arrival in Chicago I will spend the next day with my legs elevated and just rest to try and drop water.
I remember when I flew to Australia one year - my body held onto so much water that you couldn't tell where my knee was. My leg was one straight line! Hopefully this won't happen otherwise this will mean a whole year’s prep down the drain because of water retention! Not good!
And you thought you had hassles when you travelled!
But having got there with her knees still clearly visible, Rene had a blast, posting on her Facebook page, I'm loving the weather in Chicago. Loving the accents. Saw a sexy black Mustang. Met some really nice people. Got a photo with Lenda Murray. Having a great time.
She certainly looked like she belonged in a pro show. I’m no female bodybuilding judge, as you’ve probably guessed if you’ve read much of this blog, but in my unqualified opinion, Rene has never looked bigger or better-conditioned. There were plenty of seasoned pros on that stage, women like Sherry Smith, Emery Miller, Christine Envall. And she beat them all, and fully-deserved to do so.
So, was Chicago the first of many for Rene? Can us Brits finally look forward to cheering on one of our own at the big shows after all these years?
Perhaps, but worryingly, perhaps not. Information has been given to FMS (I should say that we are accepting this information in good faith) that Rene is considering her future and at the moment it seems one future she is seriously considering is not one that involves her continuing as a professional bodybuilder.
And let’s not forget that unless the IFBB continue to include female bodybuilding in their contests in the coming years, no one will be cheering anyone on.
Whether by her own decision or a decision made for her (and many other FBBs) by the IFBB, it would be a crying shame if Chicago were the end for Rene, rather than the beginning it should be. And not just for us male fans.
Mega ripped & raw powerful sexy u amazing & truly one of kind congratulations dynamite muscle bound beauty
You look PROPER amazing! Jealous xx
Amazing, I’d love to look like that xx
I think she is the Angelina Jolie of FBBing
Ren you just keep getting better and better. Amazing physique and your conditioning is immense. I admire your will power determination passion and dedication. Truly beautiful xxx
These are all comments from Rene’s Facebook page after the Chicago show, and all comments made by women. The real shame if Rene were to bring her career to an end would be for the women she inspires, just as Lenda Murray inspired her.
The real shame would be if there was no possibility, one day in the future, of a young, inexperienced pro female bodybuilder writing on her blog that she was super-excited about her first pro show, and was especially looking forward to having the chance to meet her idol, Rene Campbell.
Perhaps you'd like to congratulate and/or encourage Rene via her Facebook, Twitter or blog, and watch new clips of Rene which are going up all the time on the Booost Oxygen youtube channel.
FMS says: CONGRATULATIONS RENE! WE'RE SO PROUD OF YOU!
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