Arnold Classic Ohio 2024: dates, where to watch live and more – 02/29/2024 – Sports

Actor, sportsman, businessman, former governor of California. Since 1989, Austrian Arnold Schwarzenegger has added another item to his extensive CV: founder of the second largest bodybuilding championship in the world. In its 35th edition, the Arnold Sports Festival 2024 will take place between February 29th and March 3rd, with great chances of titles for Brazil.

Distributed in seven categories, the competition will feature 13 Brazilians. Between newcomers and current champions, the athletes mobilize a legion of fans and promise a good show, with direct confrontation between giants such as Ramon Dino and Urs Kalecinski, and Francielle Mattos and Isa Pereira Nunes.

Below, answer the main questions about the championship.

What is bodybuilding?

Bodybuilding – or bodybuilding, in English – is a sport in which the athlete aims to develop and define muscles. To achieve this, it is common for bodybuilders to align a dietary plan with a heavy weight training routine.

What is Arnold Ohio?

The Arnold Sports Festival is an annual festival that brings together exhibitions, championships and meetings about sports related to the fitness world, such as bodybuilding, gymnastics and strength sports.

What are the categories at Arnold Ohio?

In 2024, Arnold Sports has seven categories:

• Arnold Classic: popularly known as “open”, it is the main category of the competition, also considered the most difficult. The muscles should be as large as possible.

• Arnold Men’s Physique: category with smaller body volume, values ​​aesthetics and elegance, as well as good muscle development. Shorts are worn to go on stage, because the legs are not the focus of the judges’ evaluation.

• Bikini International: category contested by women, in which the judges look for more feminine features, well-worked shoulders and a thin waist. It is the category that requires the least muscle volume.

• Classic Physique: created to honor the golden era of bodybuilding, athletes in this category seek aesthetics and proportionality, respecting a weight limit according to each height.

• Fitness International: dispute that mixes bodybuilding with gymnastics. In it, the athletes must demonstrate good physical conditioning, in addition to performing a musical number with dance and elasticity.

• Pro Wheelchair: exclusive category for wheelchair users. Athletes must have good muscle volume in the upper limbs.

• Wellness International: female category that values ​​muscle volume in the lower limbs. Quadriceps and glutes must stand out and athletes are also evaluated for their femininity.

When will Arnold Ohio be?

The festival takes place between February 29th and March 3rd. The competitions, however, take place on March 1st and 2nd, while the other dates are reserved for exhibitions, panels and meetings with athletes. The dispute schedule is as follows (Brasília time):

Classic Physique Previews

Fitness International Previews

Wellness International Previews

Arnold Classic Previews

Classic Physique Final

Fitness International Final

Wellness International Final

Pro Wheelchair previews and finale

Bikini International Previews

Arnold Men’s Physique Previews

Arnold Classic Final

Bikini International Final

Arnold Men’s Physique Final

When do the results come out?

The Classic Physique, Fitness and Wellness results come out on Friday (1st), around 11:30 pm. The Wheelchair results come out the next day, Saturday, around 1pm. The Arnold Classic, Bikini and Men’s Physique categories will have their results announced around midnight, from Saturday to Sunday.

Where to watch Arnold Ohio?

The panels and competitions will be broadcast online free of charge by the organizer. To do this, you need to access the festival link, fill in your name, surname and email, and accept the terms of use.

Which Brazilian athletes are competing?

In total, there are 13 Brazilian bodybuilders in six categories. Are they:

• Arnold Classic: Marcello “Horse” De Angelis and Rafael Brandão.

• Arnold Men’s Physique: Emmanuel Costa, Diogo Montenegro, Vinicius Mateus Vieira Lima and Vitor Chaves.

• Bikini International: Amanda Marques Pereira and Angelica Teixeira.

• Classic Physique: Ramon “Dino” Rocha Queiroz.

• Pro Wheelchair: Josué “Gorila Albino” Fabiano.

• Wellness International: Bruna Seredich, Francielle Mattos and Isa Pereira Nunes.

The Fitness category is the only one without anyone from Brazil in the running.

Athlete Isa Pecini, in the Bikini category, canceled her participation due to health problems. She underwent emergency surgery to remove the appendix on the 15th. On Instagram, the athlete reassured her fans and has shown her recovery. “Now it’s time to focus on recovery and health,” says Pecini in one of the posts.

Has Brazil ever won?

Yes. In 2023, Ramon Dino climbed to first place on the podium in the Classic Physique category and intends to defend his title in this edition. Furthermore, Angelica Teixeira is two-time Bikini champion (2017 and 2018) and Isa Pecini is champion of the same category (2020). Isa Pereira Nunes, from the Wellness category, is also champion (2022).

Where will the championship take place?

The championship takes place at the Greater Columbus Convention Center and Ohio Expo Center, both in the city of Columbus, Ohio, in the United States.

What is the prize value?

In 2023, the champions in each category won:

• Arnold Classic: US$300,000 for first place, US$120,000 for second place, US$70,000 for third place, US$37,500 for fourth place, US$20,000 for fifth place, US$ 12,500 for sixth place and US$2,000 for seventh to tenth place.

• Arnold Men’s Physique: US$10,000 for first place, US$6,000 for second place, US$4,000 for third place, US$3,000 for fourth place and US$1,500 for fifth and sixth place.

• Bikini International: US$10,000 for first place, US$6,000 for second place, US$4,000 for third place, US$3,000 for fourth place and US$1,500 for fifth and sixth place.

• Classic Physique: $60,000 for first place, $30,000 for second place, $20,000 for third place, $7,000 for fourth place, $4,000 for fifth place and $2,000 for sixth place placed. Furthermore, the athlete with the best poses was chosen and awarded US$10,000.

• Fitness International: $25,000 for first place, $13,000 for second place, $8,000 for third place, $5,000 for fourth place, $3,000 for fifth place and $2,000 for sixth place .

• Wellness International: $7,000 for first place, $4,000 for second place, $3,000 for third place, $2,000 for fourth place and $1,000 for fifth and sixth place.

The Pro Wheelchair prize was not announced on the event website.

How did the Arnold Sports Festival come about?

The festival was created by Arnold Schwarzenegger and businessman Jim Lorimer. Originating from the World Pro Championships, the event was renamed the Arnold Classic in 1989.

The idea for the championship came about when the athlete and the businessman met in 1970. Lorimer invited the Austrian to go to the United States and compete in the country’s bodybuilding championships – that was when Schwarzenegger became Mr Olympia for the first time. The bodybuilder then promised the businessman that he would return to the city of Columbus to promote the sport. The two got together 19 years later and created the Arnold Classic, initially focused on bodybuilding. With each edition, new sports and events were added to the schedule. In 2006, the festival was renamed the Arnold Sports Festival.

Why is this championship known as the Arnold Classic or Arnold Ohio?

The festival was called “Arnold Classic” between the years 1989 and 2005. Furthermore, the main category of the competition is called Arnold Classic. The name “Arnold Ohio” comes from the place where the event takes place: the state of Ohio, in the United States.

Who organizes the Arnold Sports Festival?

The championship is organized by the IFBB Pro League (International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness Professional League). In free translation, Professional League of the International Fitness and Bodybuilding Federation.

What is the relationship between Arnold Sports and Mr Olympia?

The Mr. Olympia is the main bodybuilding championship, while the Arnold Sports Festival is the second largest. Both are organized by the same federation, the IFBB Pro League.

Is there a doping test?

The IFBB Pro League is not a signatory to Wada, the world anti-doping agency. Therefore, there are no rules that prohibit athletes from using anabolic steroids to increase performance in sport. In Brazil, the Federal Council of Medicine prohibits the use of these substances for aesthetic purposes.