Samane and Khamchan Chanthseng arrived in central Canada with their five children in October of 1980.  A typical January night in Saskatoon drops to a bone-chilling -6° F (-21° C), a stark contrast from the tropical climate of their home towns of Pakse and Luang Prabang.  They could only imagine what the coming winter would bring. They also couldn’t have imagined that one day the Chanthaseng family name would be etched in Canadian sports history.  In 2014 their Canadian born granddaughter, Melissa (Mel), became the first female IFBB pro from the province of Saskatchewan when she earned her pro card at the 2014 Canadian National Bodybuilding Federation competition.

 
Mel’s partner Morgan is a bodybuilder and she attended the Canadian Elite Championship in 2011 which sparked her interest in the sport. She entered her first competition in 2013. “Once I competed at my first Novice SABBA bikini competition in 2013, I was addicted,” said Mel.  Mel received feedback at the event and was told that she had a lot of potential in the sport. She competed in two more competitions that year: the 2013 Provincial SABBA and the 2013 Canadian Nationals Bodybuilding Federation (CBBF). One year later at the 2014 Canadian National Bodybuilding Federation competition in Edmonton, AB, she achieved her ultimate goal.  Earning an IFBB Pro card.

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Mel's Complete Competition History (as of September 2021)

• 2013 Novice SABBA – Moose Jaw, SK 

• 2013 Provincial SABBA -Regina, SK 

• 2013 Canadian National Bodybuilding Federation – Vancouver, BC 

• 2014 Provincial SABBA, Saskatoon, SK 

• 2014 Canadian National Bodybuilding Federation – Edmonton, AB – Earned IFBB Pro Status 

• 2015 IFBB Toronto Pro  – Pro Debut  

• 2015 IFBB Vancouver Pro  

• 2015 IFBB Orange Country Muscle Classic – California, LA 

• 2016 IFBB Muscle Contest Pro – California, LA 

• 2017 IFBB Toronto Pro Supershow  

• 2017 IFBB Vancouver Pro  

• 2018 IFBB Vancouver Pro  

 

Mel lives in Saskatoon and works as a registered dental hygienist. Together with her partner Morgan, she owns Maxx-Out Muscle & Fitness Gym which was featured on the show Mutant on a Mission. 

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