Brianny Terry is best known in strength sports as a world-record-setting powerlifter. However, she is also now an IFBB Pro League bodybuilder in the Women’s Physique division.
Terry earned her pro card at the 2023 National Physique Committee (NPC) USA Championships in Las Vegas, NV, on Saturday, July 29, 2023. Terry competed in the Women’s Physique division Class B and ranked as the overall runner-up to winner Nichele Litzsey.
The top two finishers in each class of that division at this event were awarded IFBB pro cards. Terry acknowledged the accomplishment in a post on her Instagram page following the contest:
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Terry has been competing in bodybuilding since 2022. She placed first in that year’s NPC Dallas Championships. She finished fourth at the 2022 USA Championships.
Since earning her pro card, Terry announced she would make her pro debut in 2025. She did not comment on her future in powerlifting. Her most recent meet at the time of this article’s publication was the 2022 WRPF PPC Finals, where she won the Raw 82.5-kilogram class.
Marianna Gasparyan
Another powerlifting legend also earned IFBB Pro status at the 2023 NPC USA Championships. Marianna Gasparyan won the Women’s Bodybuilding lightweight show to earn her IFBBpro card.
Gasparyan retired from powerlifting in 2021 following her 56-kilogram victory at the 2021 Kern US Open. She is still ranked as the number one powerlifter of all time on Open Powerlifting.
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Now that Terry and Gasparyan have achieved pro status in bodybuilding, they can compete in any of the female divisions. There is no official word on when or if Gasparyan will take the pro stage.
Should either choose to compete in 2023, they could theoretically qualify for the 2023 Olympia by scoring gold before Oct. 9, 2023. The 2023 Olympia will be held in Orlando, FL, on Nov. 2-5, 2023.
This isn’t the first time that an elite powerlifter has entered and succeeded in bodybuilding. Hunter Henderson won her pro card in Women’s Bodybuilding in 2021, coming within one spot of winning the 2021 Tampa Pro.
One of the earliest pioneers of both sports is Bev Francis, who was a six-time IPF world champion powerlifter and placed as high as second in the Ms. Olympia contest.
Featured images: @briannyt on Instagram
