Anne Freitas General overview
Anne Freitas was born 39 years ago ( September 20, 1975) as Anne Luise Becke Machado Freitas in Criciúma, Santa Catarina, Brazil. This makes her one of the few renowned professional Brazilian female bodybuilders.
Anne, who considers herself a perfectionist, is currently ranked the 8th best female bodybuilders in the world. This is according to the IFBB Pro Women’s Bodybuilding Ranking List.
Further, she stands 5ft 2inches tall ( 1.57m) and maintains a contest weight of approximately 121.3lbs ( 55.03kg). In her off-season, she is known to weigh slightly over 147.7lbs ( 67kg). It also means that Anne Freitas currently competes in the bodybuilding-up-to-55 kg category.
Childhood and Early life Background
Anne Freitas was born as the middle child in a family of three children in 1975. She has a younger sister and an older brother. Since early childhood, Anne was intrigued by muscular strength unlike other girls at her age then. In one of her memoirs ( Anne Freitas Biography ), she recalls asking her mother buy her a fitness magazine with photographs of pro bodybuilders on it. This was the first step that would later lead to a journey of stardom years later.
Despite her keen interest in fitness and sport, Anne Freitas didn’t participate in active workout programs until her late teens. She once confessed that she felt inadequately slim and underweight when growing up, a factor that prevented her from participating in intensive physical activities.
Nonetheless, when she started going to the gym her body responded so well that within six years she had the attained the physique of a seasoned bodybuilder. But even then Anne hadn’t yet set foot in the fitness arena, at least not officially.
It was only when she met Ricardo Pannain in 2006, a fitness trainer who would later become her husband, that her career took a turn for the best. Apparently Pannain was the force behind her inspiration to participating in her first ever international tournament in 2008.
Professional career and Championships
Anne Freitas participated in her first ever national competition at a comparatively late age of 33 in 2008. This was when she competed in the Figure category in that year’s IFBB state and national championships. Anne proved to be a force to be reckoned with when she clinched both titles despite the stiff competition.
After this triumph, Anne decided to jump ship and join the bodybuilding category. She arrived at this decision after lengthy consultations with her coach, mentors and other supportive friends. A move that would later come to bear remarkable fruits.
Her career bloomed further when she solidified her superiority in the South American Continental competitions in 2009. During this face-off, Anne Freitas lifted the continental title but this time round in the bodybuilding up to 55kg category.
The same year saw Anne Freitas take part in the World Championships. As it had become customary, Anne lifted the title again in her category. However, her victory was short lived as the women-overall-bodybuilding-championship title she had just won was nullified in light of testing positive for illegal supplements. Anne Freitas, nonetheless, has long denied the claims that she ever doped to win the league.
Following the developments of 2009’s World Championships, Anne Freitas took a break from actively participating in bodybuilding tournaments before re-emerging in three years later.
At the age of 37, Anne participated in the 2012’s IFBB Europa Battle Of Champions where she once again surprised her critics by scooping 1st Position.The same year marked her move to the US while her career advanced to world-class status.
Since then, Anne Freitas has participated actively in a variety of IFBB championships including the recent one in 2014 which she was declared the winner of the Omaha Pro title.
She is currently the face of Probiotica Brazil. A globally renowned sport’s nutrition and supplements house.
Personal life & Relationships
Anne Freitas is married to her once fitness trainer Ricardo Pannain. Together they have one daughter. The family resides in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and in the US. Unlike most professional athletes, Anne has managed to lead a normal life as a parent and a wife.
Apart from bodybuilding, she is also a self-proclaimed linguist. She is fluent in four main languages including English, Portuguese, Spanish and French.
During her spare time, Anne Freitas additionally plays amateur tennis. She has also admitted to also having a soft spot for Ballet and Jazz.
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Gina Bradwell is a bodybuilder, personal trainer, freelance writer, strength coach and author of “Overweight to competitive bodybuilder.” She has written thousands of articles on anabolic chemistry, dieting and health.