Orrington bodybuilder places ninth in national competition

Shelby Cyr's trip to the National Physique Committee bodybuilding nationals in Teaneck, New Jersey on Friday night ended with mixed results.

Placing ninth among the nation's 16 best bodybuilders in her class (bikini division; 5-foot-5 to 5-foot-6), the 28-year-old Bangor native felt humbled, grateful and refocused upon hearing the news.

"I cried for a little bit, but it is what it is," Cyr said. "I gotta bring myself back down to earth."

In addition to working full time as a dental assistant, Cyr trained with coaches, attended the gym daily and acutely monitored her diet in the six months leading up to the competition , cutting down from 145 pounds to 115 and winning the Atlantic States championship back on June 1.

Entering Friday's competition — her first time participating in the NPC nationals despite qualifying two previous times in her four-year career — Cyr knew she would return to a more relaxed lifestyle in the coming days.

"I'm for sure going to take a break," Cyr said. "But if I step back into bodybuilding, I know where to work. The judges said I was 'so damn good' structurally, but needed some more muscle in my deltoids and glutes."

Cyr added that the national competition itself was incredibly engaging, featuring hundreds of fellow competitors and many familiar faces.

"It was insane," Cyr said. "You could barely walk backstage."