Mary Lado and Jessica Paxson-Putnam, two of the biggest names in the professional figure ranks, make their return to competition this weekend at Dexter Jackson‘s Jacksonville Pro Figure Championships. Both Lado and Paxson-Putnam have taken time away from the stage after relatively disappointing finishes in their last competitions.
Lado, the two-time Figure International winner (2005, 2006), took most of the last year off after falling to 10th at the 2007 Figure Olympia while Paxson-Putnam is competing for the first time since placing fifth at the New York Pro Figure Championships in July of 2007, a contest she won in 2006. In Jacksonville, both will be looking to rebound and once again establish themselves as two of the best in the professional figure ranks.
WHAT: Jacksonville Pro Figure Championships WHERE: The Lazzara Performance Hall, Jacksonville FL WHEN: Prejudging on Friday at 6 pm EST; Finals on Saturday at 5 pm EST FOR MORE INFORMATION: dexterjacksonclassic.com
GETTING BETTER: “I always strive to come back on stage looking better than I did before. I’ll be a lot tighter than I was at the New York Pro.”
DEALING WITH DISAPPOINTMENT: “Of course I was disappointed not two win [the New York Pro Figure] again, but I was in the top five. So I felt like I accomplished something. Each show I want to go in and do better than I did the last time, but of course I train to win.
JACKSONVILLE PRO GOALS: “I’d love to make the top three and get on stage looking better than I did before and have the complete, total package from head to toe. Of course IÂd like to win the show like everybody else but placing top three and qualifying for the Olympia would be nice. IÂm going into this show to win.”
JUDGING CHANGES: “From what IÂve seen I think the new judging criteria is working more in my favor. I think I have more of a mainstream look, so I think my physique does lean toward more of what they are now going for.”
NAME GAME: “Looking at the names and you can’t ignore the name Mary Lado, a former Figure International winner. You look at names like that and there a lot of other competitors, like Kristi Tauti, who have been doing well this year.”
PREDICTION TIME: “LetÂs say Mary Lado, myself and Kristi Tauti – but not in that order!”
Mary Lado and Jessica Paxson-Putnam, two of the biggest names in the professional figure ranks, make their return to competition this weekend at Dexter Jackson‘s Jacksonville Pro Figure Championships. Both Lado and Paxson-Putnam have taken time away from the stage after relatively disappointing finishes in their last competitions.
Lado, the two-time Figure International winner (2005, 2006), took most of the last year off after falling to 10th at the 2007 Figure Olympia while Paxson-Putnam is competing for the first time since placing fifth at the New York Pro Figure Championships in July of 2007, a contest she won in 2006. In Jacksonville, both will be looking to rebound and once again establish themselves as two of the best in the professional figure ranks.
WHAT: Jacksonville Pro Figure Championships WHERE: The Lazzara Performance Hall, Jacksonville FL WHEN: Prejudging on Friday at 6 pm EST; Finals on Saturday at 5 pm EST FOR MORE INFORMATION: dexterjacksonclassic.com
NAME: Mary Lado AGE: 29 HEIGHT: 5’7″ CONTEST WEIGHT:128 pounds
DEALING WITH DISAPPOINTMENT: I deserved the placing, I donÂt think I looked my best. My body just wasnÂt dialing in like it had to, the diet really didnÂt work that time. My diet and training didn’t go well, and then I was just tired. I was burned out.
TIME OFF: “I wasnÂt mentally focused and ready and if I started competing again right away it would have been the same thing all over again. So I decided to step back and enjoy life a little bit.The break did me really good. So IÂm fresh. IÂm back.
NEW-LOOK LADO: “My legs are smaller and my shoulders actually kept their size, there a lot rounder. I remember when I did the Arnold they said that was my best shape but my shoulders looked of flat. I looked back on the pictures and my shoulders are a lot rounder and fuller now. My muscles are a lot fuller.”
CONFIDENCE IS KEY: “I’m very confident. My goal is to win. I want to get back where I was.”
NOT GONE BUT FORGOTTEN: “I think people tell me, Oh we forgot about you, youÂre so far off the map. And I donÂt realize it, I donÂt even know. I donÂt get as many emails! But I donÂt sit there and look at things online all the time like a lot of people. IÂm in Louisiana so IÂm away from it all. So if they forgot about me, thatÂs ok.”
OLYMPIA TOP THREE: “It’s hard, there are so many figure girls, I donÂt even know them all now! Hopefully IÂll be up in there. ThatÂs my ultimate goal. WhatÂs this my fourth or fifth year? I can’t even remember how long IÂve been competing but thatÂs been my goal since the beginning. So IÂve got to conquer it.”
Stay tuned for Flexonline for coverage of the Jacksonville Pro Figure Championships!
