Elisa Pecini is the new Arnold Classic 2020 Bikini champion. In our interview, she discusses prize money, social media, and the challenges of competing in US competitions from Brazil.
Elisa Pecini is the new rising star in the Bikini division of the IFBB. Last year she won the Olympia 2019 and just last weekend she proved she isn’t going anywhere with a big first place win at the Arnold Classic 2020. Before she headed out to Columbus, Ohio for the Arnold Classic, she stopped by NYC to sit down with Generation Iron. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Elisa Pecini discusses how she prepared for the Arnold Classic, the pressures unique to women in bodybuilding, and the ongoing issue of prize money disparity between men and women competitors.
Elisa Pecini has not only won two major bodybuilding competitions in the form of the Olympia and Arnold Classic – she also is proof that the athletes from Brazil are starting to take over. The previous stand out champion for Bikini came in the form of Angelica Tiexiera. Angelica also just recently placed second right behind Elisa at the Arnold Classic 2020.
When we sat down with Elisa, we discussed how she was able to rise up and build a champion-level bikini physique over the past year and how she is preparing to maintain her champion status at the upcoming Olympia. She makes note that she cannot simply be the same quality she was last year. A champion’s job is to evolve past what earned them victory in the past and show the judges something entirely new. Her recent victory at the Arnold Classic seems to show she’s right on track.
Elisa also went into detail about the unique challenges that women face compared to men competitors in bodybuilding. She discusses how the offseason for women are very different than for men – especially due to the importance of maintaining a presence on Instagram for their self branding.
She also goes into detail about the prize money difference between men and women. While she does acknowledge the difference, she also thinks that things are slowly moving in the right direction. She opens up the conversation to women representation and equal pay across the board such as industries like film, marketing, and more.
You can watch our full interview with Elisa Pecini in the latest GI Exclusive above!
