COLUMBUS, Ohio – William “The Conqueror” Bonac, who won the 2018 Arnold Classic for the biggest victory of his professional career, and two former Arnold Classic champions will do battle as the prestigious professional men’s bodybuilding competition celebrates its 31st year in 2019.
The Arnold Sports Festival will feature IFBB Pro League contests in eight divisions in 2019. Bonac, 2017 winner Cedric McMillan and 2007 champion Victor Martinez lead a field of 12 professional bodybuilders who will take the stage in Columbus, Ohio for the 31st Annual Arnold Classic on March 2, 2019. Brandon Curry, who won Arnold Classic South America in 2013 and Arnold Classic Australia in 2017, and Roelly Winklaar, 2018 Arnold Classic Australia winner, will also contend for the title. Mikhail Volinkin received an automatic invite for winning the 2018 Arnold Amateur.
Whitney Jones, who overcame serious neck and knee injuries to win the Fitness International for the first time in 2018, is back to defend her title. She will be challenged by Kate Errington, second in Columbus in 2018, and Fitness Olympia runner-up Ryall Graber and Myriam Capes, third at the Fitness Olympia in 2018.
A new champion will be crowned in Figure International as 2018 champion Candice Lewis-Carter has retired. Cydney Gillon, the two-time Figure Olympia champion who finished second in Columbus in 2017 and 2018, will be looking for her first Figure International crown. Nadia Wyatt, third at the Olympia in 2018, Bojana Vasiljevic and Jessica Reyes Padilla are also among the field of 14 contenders.
There will also be a new champ in Bikini International as 2017 and 2018 winner Angelica Teixeira will not compete. Challengers for the title include 2018 runner-up Janet Layug, two-time Bikini International champion Ashley Kaltwasser and Lauralie Chapados, fresh off a second-place finish at the Bikini Olympia and four contest wins in 2018. Sonia Lewis received an automatic invite for winning the 2018 Arnold Amateur.
Three-time defending Arnold Classic Pro Wheelchair champion Harold “King Kong” Kelley will try to make it four in a row.
Arnold Classic Physique, Arnold Men’s Physique and Women’s Physique International will feature competitions open to any IFBB Pro League athlete who has finished in the top 5 in a pro contest in 2018. Visit www.arnoldsportsfestival.com for the complete competitor lists.
The Arnold Classic Physique, Fitness International, Figure International, and Women’s Physique International will be held on Friday, March 1, 2019; while the Arnold Classic, Arnold Men’s Physique and Bikini International will be held on Saturday, March 2, 2019 with prejudging and finals at Battelle Grand.
Fitness Informant POV
The Arnold Classic may not have the prestige as the Olympia, but this is still a big fricken deal! I love William Bonac and Cedric. I think it will be fun to watch. What else is great about this show is you discover people that have not been on your radar. Someone is going to show up at this event and impress big time…then we will be talking about them at the O.
