Major Canadian win an excellent way to end her career
by Stephen Dafoe
Morinville resident and bodybuilder Tammy Charpentier returned from Toronto with 2nd place in Masters 45 at the 2022 Canadian National Pro Qualifier event on Oct. 8. Charpentier also took 6th in open class and Masters 35 categories.
“Standing on that stage and getting 2nd place in all of Canada felt so good because I ended my bodybuilding career—sure not a pro, but top 10 in Canada,” Charpentier said. “That alone is an amazing accomplishment.
Charpentier, who we did a video news story on in June of 2021, has had a powerful journey through the sport. Two years after her divorce, she had gained a lot of weight, which started her on a path of fitness that led to her qualifying as a National Figure competitor, Physique competitor, and Physique Nationals qualifier.
A cancer diagnosis threw a curve into competing for a while. Since conquering cancer, Charpentier trained to return to the competition stage.
Last fall, Charpentier took first place in Open Class, first place in Masters 35, first place in Masters 45, and overall in Physique at Paramount Performance’s 2021 Alberta Open in Calgary.
This month’s national event also had lots of competition, tough competition at that.
“This show was a good prep, but there was no slacking or cheating yourself whatsoever,” Charpentier explained. “My coach changed a few things through my training and diet, which were a bit tougher than others. I learned to love fish. Toward the end—the day of the show—the fish and I were no longer liking each other. It was tough getting each bit into me, but I did it.”
Coach Juan Nitte reminded Charpentier that the Toronto event was like no other show she had done.
“The ladies I was going against all looked so amazing and in amazing shape,” Charpentier said. “To me, it was a win to be at that show and stand on that stage with all those amazing athletes from across Canada. So not much different—just had to stay focused and give my 100 per cent because I was going against amazing athletes.”
The five weeks ahead of the competition have not been easy on Charpentier. Her boyfriend Cory passed away on Aug. 28, and her mother had a heart attack.
“I didn’t quit, kept pushing to make them both proud that I finished for them,” Charpentier said. “Most would have crumbled. I held my head high and finished.”
But with the recent win and having accomplished more than she ever thought she would in the sport, Charpentier is now looking to hang it up on bodybuilding. It isn’t the first time.
“I chose to stop after I had breast cancer, but my body was coming back good [and] better, so I did the show in November in Calgary,” Charpentier said. She noted winning in that 2021 event wasn’t necessary; standing on the stage again after beating breast cancer was. “But I won it all and took overall physique champion.”
Charpentier said she had not planned to do the Toronto Pro Qualifier because she had decided to finish after the Calgary event and lacked the funds to attend the Toronto competition.
But some pushing from a good friend and some help from Chuck and Eve Hunter with fundraising goals while she trained prompted Charpentier to go for the pro card event.
“It was the highest level, and I had a chance to get a pro card,” she said. “What a way to end it at a national pro qualifier. I ended it at a National level making the top 10 in all of Canada. The perfect way to end it.”
Charpentier thanked her coaches, Juan and Anita Nitti, and her three children for their support.
“Now I’m Ready to enjoy life and move forward and spend as much time as I can with my kids and my family,” she said. “My new goal is to keep what I worked so hard for and find a happy medium and maintain that. It’s much harder to do when you’re not accountable with a coach. Now I need to learn to use all my tools/knowledge learned in the past seven years and do it for me, not the stage.
