Tanji Johnson Wins Fitness International!

By Bill Geiger; lead image by Samantha Owens

In her 10th try, Seattle’s Tanji Johnson finally scored the big win, taking the 2012 Fitness International title on March 1 at Veterans Memorial Auditorium in Columbus, OH. Her athletic and acrobatic moves were simply too overpowering as Johnson nailed a perfect score and the $25,000 first-place check. Russia’s Oksana Grishina, a crowd favorite who might as well be cast in a Cirque du Soleil role, took second and the $13,000 prize. Rounding out the top five were New Jersey’s Bethany Cisternino in third, Texas’ Trish (and wife of Branch) Warren in fourth, and Brazilian native Regiane DaSilva, who now lives in Germany, took fifth.