Held in conjunction with this year's New York Pro Championships was a Strength Show sponsored by Species Nutrition and Awefilms. A total of nine contestants (all of whom competed in the pro bodybuilding contest) competed in two events - chin-ups and pushups. The winner of each competition was awarded $500, with another $1,000 presented to the overall winner.

   Taking part in the competition was Debbie Bramwell, Mercedes Bazemore, Kim Buck, Guisy Caputo, Tina Chandler, Elizabeth Gomez, Annie Rivieccio, and Tonie Thompson.

   The first event staged was pushups.  All nine contestants lined up across the stage side-by-side and were asked - on command - to perform pushups in continuous fashion (at the same time) until competitors began to fail in their individual efforts.  One -by-one, contestants began dropping out until the final contestant - Mexico's Elizabeth Gomez - stayed alive until her final challenger, Annie Rivieccio, was unable to continue.  Gomez claimed the $500 prize.

   For the chin-up event, contestants were required to go down to straight arms and chin themselves to a 90-degree angle in the up position for each chin to count.  Tonie Thompson led off the group due to the fact that she was the first competitor to drop out of the pushup event - she totaled 12 chins.  Following Thompson, each contestant took her turn in reverse order from when the dropped out in the pushup round. That said, Elizabeth Gomez was last to take her shot at chin-ups knowing Annie Rivieccio has just performed a total of 19 just before Gomez's's turn.

   Not one to back down from a challenge, Gomez showed surprising toughness as she squeezed out 22 chins to win the event and the $500 prize.  As icing on her victory cake, Gomez also added the grand prize of $1,000 for her overall win in both events.  Her total winnings for her effort in the event tallied $2,000.

   All nine contestants deserved a special note of appreciation as ‘good sports' considering the fact that all were competing in a notable state of carb depletion and low energy due to their dieting for the bodybuilding contest.

STRENGTH SHOW PHOTO GALLERY

The final result in the chinning competition was:

1- Elizabeth Gomez                                  22

2- Annie Rivieccio                                    19

3- Tina Chandler                                       16

3-  Debbie Bramwell                                 16

5- Guisy Caputo                                        15

5- Mercedes Bazemore                              15

6- Colette Nelson                                       13

7- Tonie Thompson                                   12

8- Kim Buck                                          DNF