Intense exercise and hardcore dieting led junior Erica Gilkerson and senior Austin Dossey to the titles of Ball State University's best-built bodies Thursday night. Gilkerson won the overall title for women, and Dossey won the overall title for men.
The 11 women contestants competed in the same division, while the 19 men were divided into a "medium build" division and a "large build" division. Junior Brian Watters placed first in the men's medium build division but lost the overall men's title to Dossey.
Gilkerson, a three-time winner of the title and Ball State gymnast, admitted to feeling ambivalent about how she would place before the show. She shared the stage with her roommate and her teammates and knew they all worked hard to be competitive.
"I feel great," she said. "It was a lot of fun with my teammates."
Her experience was different this year because she was close to the people with whom she competed, she said.
Judges said Dossey's symmetry, muscularity in his legs and conditioning made him successful.
"They both had really good genetics. That's what it comes down to," judge Dave Hart said.
Dossey said he has been completely consumed by the competition during the past year. Every meal and day of exercise was guided by his want to do better than he did last year, he said. Dossey perfected poses performed by his favorite bodybuilder, Frank Zane. Zane was known for having perfect symmetry, dark hair and exceptional posing.
"I feel awesome," he said. "I feel like all the dieting and the training and the paying attention to the research that I've done ... paid off."
The contestants were raised liked rock stars on a platform from the bandstand to the stage. Competitors said the cheering fans' adulation inspired them to put on their game faces and entertain the audience.
The audience cheered loudly for Albert Redd, who did his routine while Super Man theme music played. Redd strutted on to the stage fully clothed, with a black fedora and a magician's cape. When the music started, he stripped down to his posing suit and continued the routine. Dr. Pearson, the competition's MC, said Redd delivered the best routine of all the contestants.
Redd said he wanted to do something fun and different and bring humor to the competition.
Several new contestants performed at the event. Freshman Salvatore Halama, who placed third in the men's tall division, said he didn't think he would place this year. He did not diet as intensely as some of the veterans competitors and decided to treat this experience as an opportunity to learn from Dossey and other seasoned competitors.
Senior Stephanie Groh placed third in the women's division. Groh and her fianc+â-¬ Zach Goldenberg both competed last year, and though they did not place, they both remained hopeful before Thursday's show.
"I think I have a really good shot at placing," she said.
Goldenberg, who did not place, said his hindrance was not dieting hard enough and losing enough weight. Groh, who placed third in the women's division attributed her success this year to Goldenberg. Bodybuilding has given them a chance to bond and share understanding for their hobby, she said.
Andrew Risley, Mr. Ball State 2006, came to watch the show this year and said he had no prediction of who would win.
"It could have gone either way between Dossey and Watters," Risley said after the competition. Watters won the medium class title. Risley and Dossey were the last men standing for the title last year, and Risley said he noticed Dossey's improvement in his leg size and muscularity Thursday.
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