Alina Popa (born October 12, 1978) is a

Romanian Romanian may refer to: *anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Romania **Romanians, an ethnic group **Romanian language, a Romance language *** Romanian dialects, variants of the Romanian language ** Romanian cuisine, tradition ...

-born

professional A professional is a member of a profession or any person who works in a specified professional activity. The term also describes the standards of education and training that prepare members of the profession with the particular knowledge and skil ...

female bodybuilder Female bodybuilding is the female component of competitive bodybuilding. It began in the late 1970s, when women began to take part in bodybuilding competitions.

currently living in the USA.

Early life and education

Popa grew up Brăila,

Romania Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, S ...

. From the age of 12, she competed in track and field, initially to lose weight. In college, she studied

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

and

for four years, majoring in the former with a teaching degree.

Bodybuilding career

Amateur

At the age of 19, she chanced upon a gym in her hometown, where she encountered a young woman preparing for the National Junior Championships. This inspired Popa to begin a training regimen of her own. She would continue lifting for the next two years before a trainer suggested she train competitively. Popa entered her first local competition in 2000, a regional cup in which she placed second. Later that same year, she placed third in her division at the National Championships. In 2003, upon reaching a weight of she began competing in the heavyweight bracket, representing her country until 2005. In 2006, she relocated to

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

, close to Zurich, and has competed for her adopted country as an amateur. She received her IFBB pro card in 2008 after winning the overall and heavyweight at the 2008 IFBB Worlds Santa Susanna. As a pro athlete, she represents her native country, Romania.

Professional

Popa competed in her first

Ms. International The Ms. International female bodybuilding contest was considered to be the second-most prestigious competition for female bodybuilders (second only to the Ms. Olympia competition), from its inception in 1986 through 2013. It was first held in 1 ...

in 2010 and her first

Ms. Olympia The IFBB Ms. Olympia is both the highest ranking professional female bodybuilding competition and the title of the winner of the competition. It was first organized in 1980, and was held as part of the Joe Weider's Olympia Fitness & Performance ...

in 2011. With the exception of the 2010 Ms. International, every IFBB professional bodybuilding competition Popa has attended has found her placing within the top five. At the 2013 and 2014 Ms. Olympia competitions, she finished second behind

Iris Kyle Iris Floyd Kyle (born August 22, 1974) is an African-Indian American professional female bodybuilder. She is currently the most successful female professional bodybuilder ever with seventeen titles including ten overall Ms. Olympia wins (the m ...

. To date, this is her second highest placing. Her trainer is bodybuilder Dylan Armbrust, owner of Armbrust Pro Gym and husband of professional bodybuilder Heather Policky Armbrust. Due to injuries, Popa did not participate in the 2015

Rising Phoenix World Championships The IFBB Wings of Strength Rising Phoenix World Championships is a professional female bodybuilding competition, sponsored by Wings of Strength company founded by Jake and Kristal Wood., promoted by Tim Gardner Productions, and sanctioned by ...

, but returned to competition in 2016. Popa went on to win both the 2018 IFBB Muscle Vodka Tampa Pro and the 2018 Rising Phoenix World Championships.

Contest history

*2000 Regional Cup - 2nd (HW) *2000 IFBB National Championship - 3rd (HW) *2003 IFBB National Championship - 1st (MW) *2004 IFBB European Championship - 2nd (HW) *2005 Mixed Pairs European Championship - 2nd *2005 Women's European Championship - 5th *2006 Grand Prix Due Torri - 1st *2007 NABBA Miss Universe - 1st (Miss Physique class) *2008 IFBB Worlds Santa Susanna - 1st (Overall and HW) *2010 IFBB Ms. International - 8th *2011 IFBB Ms. International - 3rd *2011 IFBB Ms. Olympia - 5th *2012 IFBB Ms. International - 3rd *2012 IFBB Ms. Olympia - 4th *2013 IFBB Ms. Olympia - 2nd *2014 IFBB Ms. Olympia - 2nd * 2016 WOS Rising Phoenix World Championships - 3rd *2018 IFBB Muscle Vodka Tampa Pro - 1st *2018 Rising Phoenix World Championships - 1st

Statistics

Bodyweight and bodyfat

* 2008 - In Season: Off-Season: About Me 2008
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Measurements

;Biceps * 2008 - In Season: Off-Season: ;Back * 2008 - ;Thighs * 2008 - In Season: Off-Season: ;Calves * 2008 -

Best lifts (for reps)

* Squat - x 4-6 reps *

Bench press The bench press, or chest press, is a weight training exercise in which the trainee presses a weight upwards while lying on a weight training bench. Although the bench press is a full-body exercise, the muscles primarily used are the pectorali ...

- x 4-6 reps *Bicep curls - each arm x 3 reps *Deadlift - x 8 reps

Personal life

Popa currently lives in Arvada, Colorado, and she is divorced. As of September 11, 2013, Popa started working at Armbrust Pro Gym in

Wheat Ridge, Colorado The City of Wheat Ridge is a home rule municipality located in Jefferson County, Colorado, United States. Wheat Ridge is located immediately west of Denver and is a part of the Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area. The ...

, as a personal trainer, and also poses as a freelance fitness model.

References

External links

Official web siteAMG LiteTwitter account
{{DEFAULTSORT:Popa, Alina 1978 births Living people People from Arvada, Colorado People from Lakewood, Colorado Professional bodybuilders Romanian expatriates in Switzerland Romanian expatriate sportspeople in the United States Romanian female bodybuilders Sportspeople from Brăila Sportspeople from Colorado Sportspeople from Denver Sportspeople from Zürich Swiss expatriate sportspeople in the United States Swiss female bodybuilders