American Gladiators - Jennifer Widerstrom as "Phoenix"

Jennifer Widerstrom on stage

Jennifer Widerstrom is one of the new American Gladiators on Season 2, which will premiere on NBC on Monday, May 12th. Jennifer has a background in NPC figure competitions and was a track and field star at the University of Kansas, specializing in the Hammer Throw.

NPC Figure competitor Jennifer Widerstrom has been unveiled as one of the new American Gladiators appearing on Season 2, which will premiere on NBC on Monday, May 12th.  The 25-year old 5'6" former track and field star and NPC figure competitor hails from Lisle, Illinois, in the suburbs of Chicago.  Her character will be called "Phoenix."

Jennifer won first place in the figure tall class at the 2006 NPC Midwest Ironman Championships, held in Chicago in December.  For photos of her competing at that event please go here.

In a development that is sure to please renowned fitness photographer Dan Ray, Jennifer was a stand-out track and field star at the University of Kansas where she specialized in the hammer throw and was selected first team Big 12 all-conference for three straight years: 2003, 2004 and 2005.  Showing her brains in addition to her beauty and braun, she was also selected to the conference's all-academic team while majoring in Sports and Fitness Management, according to the University Daily Kansan. 

Prior to college Jennifer was also a superstar athlete at Naperville North high school, where she qualified for state regional and sectional competitions in gymnastics and lettered four years each in both track and gymnastics.  She also received varsity letters for two years of diving competition.

The first episode of season two is a 2-hour debut on May 12th, 2008 at 8pm eastern time on NBC. After that the episodes will be 90 minutes in length. 

Two members of Team FigureRX are American Gladiators.  IFBB Fitness professional Beth Horn is "Venom" and NPC national level figure competitor Jamie Reed / Kovac is "Fury."  You can visit both of them in their back stage areas on FigureRX - Everything Figure and Fitness.