{{Short description|Ukrainian bodybuilder}} {{Infobox bodybuilder | image = | name = Valentina Chepiga | image_size = | caption = Valentina Chepiga doing a front double bicep guest pose at the Mr. and Ms. Muscle Beach bodybuilding competition held on 4 July 2004 in Venice Beach. | nickname = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1962|04|27}} | birth_place = Kharkiv, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic | death_date = | death_place = | height = {{height|ft=5|in=5}}<ref name="ambal" /> | weight = (In Season): {{convert|126|-|128|lb|abbr=on}}<br> (Off-Season): {{convert|135|-|143|lb|abbr=on}} | firstproshow = IFBB Ms. Olympia | firstproshowyear = 1998 | bestwin = IFBB Ms. Olympia Champion (heavyweight) | bestwinyear = 2000 | predecessor = None | successor = Iris Kyle | yesorretiredyear = Since 1993 }}
'''Valentina Chepiga''', more precisely '''Valentyna Chepiha''' ({{langx|uk|Валентина Чепіга}}; born April 27, 1962) is a professional female bodybuilder.
==Background== Valentina graduated from the Kharkiv National University of Construction and Architecture with a degree in Gas Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning.<ref name="ambal">{{cite web|url=https://www.ambal.ru/man.php?m=295|title=Валентина Чепига|publisher=Ambal.ru|access-date=2020-04-05|language=ru}}</ref> Between 1979 and 1992 she worked first as a technician, and then was promoted to engineer.<ref name="digitalmuscle">{{cite web|url=https://www.digitalmuscle.com/profiles/ms-olympia-from-the-ukraine-ill-beat-cancer/|title=Ms. Olympia from the Ukraine "I'll beat Cancer!"|publisher=Digital Muscle|date=2019-10-22|access-date=2020-04-05}}</ref>
==Bodybuilding career==
===Amateur=== Valentina began bodybuilding in 1988,<ref name="ambal" /> and in 1992 she changed careers and became a personal trainer.{{citation needed|date=April 2020}} Valentina won the European and World Amateur title in 1997 and won her IFBB pro card.<ref name="ambal" />
===Professional=== She then made her professional debut at the 1998 Ms. Olympia contest, finishing in 12th place. Her greatest success as a professional has been winning the heavyweight class at the 2000 Ms. Olympia the first time that class was introduced to the Ms. Olympia. No overall winner was named for that show, so she was essentially co-Ms. Olympia with lightweight class winner Andrulla Blanchette. In 2002, she took part in Ms. International, where she won the lightweight class. After a three-year break from competition, Chepiga returned to the stage at the 2007 Ms. Olympia, placing eleventh.
===Legacy=== Currently, she is the most successful Ukrainian bodybuilder in the world, by being the only Ukrainian to win the Ms. Olympia.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://fbbu.com.ua/History|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921053444/http://fbbu.com.ua/History|archive-date=2013-09-21|publisher=ФББУ|title=История федерации|language=ru}}</ref> From October 22, 2000 to October 26, 2001 she ranked 1st on the IFBB Women's Bodybuilding Professional Ranking List.<ref>{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20001115100400/http://www.getbig.com/ranking/prorankw.htm|url=http://www.getbig.com/ranking/prorankw.htm|archive-date=2000-11-15|title= IFBB Women's Bodybuilding Professional Ranking List 2000|publisher=getbig.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011207005233/http://www.getbig.com/ranking/prorankw.htm |url=http://www.getbig.com/ranking/prorankw.htm|archive-date=2001-12-07|title=IFBB Women's Bodybuilding Professional Ranking List 2001|publisher=getbig.com}}</ref>
===Contest history=== *1993 European Championships - 3rd (MW) *1994 European Championships - 2nd (MW) *1994 World Amateur Championships - 7th (MW) *1995 World Amateur Championships - 7th (MW) *1997 European Championships - 1st (MW) *1997 World Amateur Championships - 1st (MW and overall) *1998 IFBB Ms. Olympia - 12th *1999 Jan Tana Classic - 3rd *1999 IFBB Ms. Olympia - 12th *2000 Jan Tana Classic - 1st (MW) *2000 IFBB Ms. Olympia - 1st (HW) *2001 IFBB Ms. Olympia - 4th (HW) *2002 Ms. International - 1st (LW) *2002 IFBB Ms. Olympia - 2nd (LW) *2002 GNC Show of Strength - 1st (LW) *2003 Ms. International - 5th (LW) *2004 IFBB Ms. Olympia - 8th (LW) *2007 IFBB Ms. Olympia - 11th
==Personal life== She moved to Kyiv, Ukraine in 1993, and then to the United States in 1999,<ref name="digitalmuscle" /> settling in Seattle, Washington. Valentina now lives in Anchorage, Alaska.{{citation needed|date=April 2020}}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [http://www.bodybuilders.com/chepiga.htm Profile at Bodybuilders.com] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722165216/http://www.bodybuilders.com/chepiga.htm |date=2011-07-22 }} * <s>[https://web.archive.org/web/20071024112010/http://www.adn.com/front/picture_inset/story/9330502p-9245507c.html News Story]</s>
{{s-start}} | colspan = 3 align = center | '''Ms. Olympia''' |- {{s-new}} {{s-ttl | title=Heavyweight Champion | years=2000}} {{s-aft | after=Iris Kyle}} {{s-end}}
{{s-start}} | colspan = 3 align = center | '''Ms. International''' |- | width = 30% align = center | Preceded by:<br/>'''Dayana Cadeau''' | width = 40% align = center | First (2002) | width = 30% align = center | Succeeded by:<br/>'''Cathy LeFrançois''' {{s-end}}
{{Ms. Olympia winners}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chepiga, Valentina}} Category:1962 births Category:Living people Category:Professional bodybuilders Category:Sportspeople from Anchorage, Alaska Category:Sportspeople from Kharkiv Category:Sportspeople from Kyiv Category:Sportspeople from Seattle Category:Ukrainian expatriate sportspeople in the United States Category:Ukrainian female bodybuilders