PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA (June 27, 2013) – The National Physique Committee and Gaspari Nutrition have chose seven athletes – Kevin Rainey, Rebecca Andrades, Lindsey Waters, Vicki Dowell, Geobanny Paula, Leila Thompson and Mary Stockbridge – as NPC Athletes of the Month for the month of May.

Each month, NPC President Jim Manion selects the Athletes of the Month in each of the organization’s seven divisions – Men’s and Women’s Bodybuilding, Figure, Bikini, Fitness and Men’s and Women’s Physique – based on in-person analysis and on the information provided by contest promoters across the country.

For complete profiles and galleries of the May NPC Athletes of the Month, go to NPC News Online.

About the May NPC Athletes of the Month:

– Men’s Bodybuilding Kevin Rainey, 24, won the Heavyweight and Overall titles at the Junior USA Championships. Rainey is a high school math teacher.

– Women’s Bodybuilding Rebecca Andrades, 34, won the Lightweight and Overall titles at the Junior USA Championships. Andrades, who owns her own dog-grooming business, was inspired to start bodybuilding when she saw 1980 and ’82 Ms. Olympia winner Rachel McLish in a magazine.

– Bikini Lindsey Waters, 23, started competing in April at the Steve Stone New York Metropolitans. Six weeks later she won her IFBB Pro card by winning the Overall at the Junior USA Championships.

– Figure Vicki Dowell won her class and the Overall at the Junior USA Championships.

– Women’s Physique Leila Thompson, 41, is a mother of three who won her class and the Overall at the Junior USA Championships. Thompson, a former figure competitor, started competing in 2011.

– Men’s Physique Geobanny Paula, 25, competed in seven IFBB Pro qualifying events before finally earning his pro card as one of the two class winners to turn pro from the Junior USA Championships.

– Fitness Mary Stockbridge, 35, won the Overall at the Junior USA Championships. Stockbridge began competing in the Fitness division in 2007