The Ohio edition of the Arnold Sports Festival, better known as the Arnold Classic Ohio, is the second most important competition in world bodybuilding. In addition to the tournament held in the city of Columbus, in the United States, the Arnold Classic is currently expanding to places such as Australia, the United Kingdom and Brazil.
The event is named after Arnold Schwarzenegger, one of the most important names in the history of bodybuilding and seven-time Olympia champion, the most renowned championship on the planet.
The idea came from the combination of the Hollywood star and promoter Jim Lorime, who wanted to hold a bodybuilding championship in Columbus, Ohio, that would only be second to the Olympia in terms of importance. The objective was to make the sport, which was practically at the mercy of a single competition in the late 1980s, provide better treatment to athletes, attract more audiences and win more professional events.
With the investment and the name it carried, the competition became the second most prestigious in world bodybuilding. Its first edition took place in 1989 and its champion was Rich Gaspari, one of the great highlights of his generation — he finished second in the Olympia in 1986, 1987 and 1988, losing only to Lee Haney.
One of the main peculiarities of the Arnold Classic is the need for an invitation for the bodybuilder to participate in the show. At the International Federation of Bodybuilding & Fitness (IFBB), any professional athlete can register and compete in any tournament — with the exception of the Olympia, which depends on season titles or points classification.
The strategy, as well as a larger prize pool, aims to make the tournament a higher level than other championships.
Today, the event has several venues and different modalities, such as weightlifting, wrestling and cheerleading.
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