The 2022 INBA PNBA World Championships show takes place this weekend!
The 2022 International Natural Bodybuilding Association (INBA)/Professional Natural Bodybuilding Association (PNBA) World Championships competition takes place this upcoming weekend, June 25, 2022, in Florence, Italy.
This competition is one of INBA PNBA’s biggest shows of the year. It’s part of the “Road to Natural Olympia” series of shows. Competitors can earn a spot at Natural Olympia, and amateurs who place well can obtain their pro card–although competitors don’t necessarily turn pro until they debut.
Natural Olympia is the largest natural bodybuilding show in the sport. It’s equivalent to the International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB) Pro’s Olympia. However, there’s one significant difference. Natural Olympia competitors are thoroughly drug tested and abide by the strictest drug testing standards–World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
Denny Kakos, INBA PNBA’s founder, has high hopes for natural bodybuilding. Bringing bodybuilding to the Olympics is his ultimate goal. The Olympics also abides by WADA regulations and prohibit drugs.
The INBA PNBA World Championships is one of the most diverse international shows. Athletes worldwide come to this event to represent their country and put their nation on the map.
Athletes Attending 2022 World Championships
Generation Iron (GI) interviewed a few key contenders participating in the weekend show. Below are the competitors we talked to, and they gave us some insight into what they look to achieve.
Kayla Rowling
3x Bikini Divas Natural Olympia champ and multi-media athlete Kayla Rowling is one of the most prominent INBA PNBA competitors competing at the 2022 INBA PNBA World Championships. Rowling’s excited about this competition exceptionally because it will be her first international bikini competition of the year. To prepare for the show, Rowling shared her pre-contest breakfast nutrition plan. Rowling has been eating five egg whites, asparagus, and mushrooms for breakfast to prep for the event.
Veronica Malloy
2x Natural Olympia champ and Hall of Fame Inductee Veronica Malloy placed well at 2021 Natural Olympia, receiving third place in Bikini Angels and a top-five placement in the Figure class. GI recently spoke with Malloy about strategies to find WADA-compliant supplements. According to Malloy, WADA doesn’t have a compliant supplement list, so INBA PNBA athletes must do their due diligence to learn what supplements will pass screenings. Malloy agrees that although Florence, Italy, is beautiful, she’s there for work–she does admit to probably indulging in pizza and other Italian cuisines after the show, though.
Tommi Thompson
Tommi Thompson’s been competing with the INBA PNBA since 2017 in the Men’s Bodybuilding Open category. He’s also been serving in the military for over 20 years. Thompson gave GI a dive into his contest prep for the show in Florence, Italy, and ways Thompon’s conditioning his body to burn fat without losing muscle. Plus, he’s being trained by Natural Olympia champ Philip Ricardo Jr. Thompon’s been keeping his weights heavy during the cutting process to show up on stage in Florence at his best conditioning.
The INBA PNBA’s upcoming natural bodybuilding schedule is on Instagram below.
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Generation Iron will be providing full coverage of the 2022 INBA PNBA World Championships. So follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter to stay tuned!
