2023 Balkan Grand Prix Pro Bodybuilding Show Preview

By Presser

October 6, 2023

4 min read

The 2023 Balkan Grand Prix is slated for Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023, in Sofia, Bulgaria, and it represents the final opportunity to qualify for the 2023 Olympia in the 212 division. The winner of this show earns an invitation to compete in Orlando, FL, on Nov. 2-5, 2023.

Classic Physique and Figure division shows will be featured in Sofia as well. Likewise, the winners of each of those contests will be eligible for the 2023 Olympia, assuming they aren’t previously qualified athletes.

2023 Balkan Grand Prix Pro Rosters

The lineups for all three contests are below:

212 Bodybuilding

Mohammad Alissa (USA)
Radoslav Angelov (Bulgaria)
Gabor Berek (Hungary)
Masoom Butt (Pakistan)
Dobromir Delev (Bulgaria)
Mostafa Eskandari (The Netherlands)
Zhaofeng He (China)
Mirnes Husanovic (Bosnia & Herzegovina)
Muhammet Kurutas (Turkey)
Ayat Najdbaghri (Iran)
Marco Ruz (France)

Classic Physique

Ersin Adakli (Turkey)
Hasan Alibrahim (The Netherlands)
Alireza Aghayi Behjani (United Kingdom)
Valeri Enchev (Bulgaria)
Saverio Mangione (Italy)
Nikolay Mitev (Bulgaria)
Zhivko Petkov (Bulgaria)
Valentin Petrov (Bulgaria)
Roberto Martinez Pizana (Spain)
Ruben Lopez Reyes (Spain)
Karol Rogaczewski (Poland)
Denis Romanov (Russia)

Figure

Behnaz Nasrollahi Azar (Germany)
Kristina Bodnariuk (Russia)
Veronica Gallego (Spain)
China Green (United Kingdom)
Gabriela Hejna (Czech Republic)
Ekaterina Kochergina (Russia)
Krisztina Meleg (Hungary)
Katja Nowack (Germany)
Hannah Prause (Germany)
Lena Ramsteiner (Germany)
Paula Ranta (Finland)
Lubomira Steftcheva (Bulgaria)
Glynis Van Drunen (Netherlands)
Snezhana Vlahova (Bulgaria)
Maria Wattel (Netherland)
Yadviga Zakurina (Russia)

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A post shared by Radoslav Angelov (@theradoslavangelov)

212 Athletes to Watch

Below are three contenders likely to gain the favor of the judges for podium positions:

Radoslav Angelov

Host country native Radoslav Angelov picked his spot carefully. This will be his 2023 season debut and it is in the only IFBB pro 212 contest in Bulgaria. He ranked 12th at the 2022 Olympia 212 contest in his Olympia debut. Angelov is a favorite to win this show. If he scores gold, it would be his third pro career win.

Marco Ruz

Marco Ruz of France ranked 15th at the 2022 Olympia in the Classic Physique division. The third-year pro is making his pro debut in the 212 division, and his shape could garner a first callout. It’s unknown if his division change is permanent, but it is exciting for fans to see him compete at a heavier bodyweight.

Ayat Najdbaghri

Ayat Najdbaghri is one of the few competitors in this division with recent contest experience, ranking seventh overall at the 2023 Europa Pro in his pro debut. He could fare much better in a show of this size, and qualifying for the Olympia in one’s rookie year is a major feat.

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A post shared by PAULA RANTA IFBB PRO 23 Y.O FINLAND (@paulaifbbpro)

Figure Athletes to Watch

Below are three Figure athletes who stand as the favorites to reach the podium:

Paula Ranta

Paula Ranta finished the 2022 Figure Olympia outside of the top 15, but has been on the hunt to return to the Olympia stage. She has not won any of the five pro shows she has competed in so far but is a favorite in Sofia. Her best finish thus far in the 2023 season was second overall at the 2023 Europa Pro.

Lena Ramsteiner

This is Lena Ramsteiner’s fourth and final attempt to qualify for the 2023 Olympia. She has finished no lower than fifth in any of her three previous pro shows. Her best performance thus far in 2023 was second at the 2023 Tupelo Pro.

Hannah Prause

Hannah Prause finished fourth overall in her last two pro contests — the 2023 Mr. Big Evolution Pro and the 2023 T.R.U. Athlete Pro. She has never finished above fourth in any pro show in her five-year career, but that could change in Sofia. She needs to be at her all-time best to claim the gold, but it is within her reach.