A lucrative reward awaits whoever can stand on top of the rostrum in Columbus.
It’s not precisely on par with the Olympia contest, however the annual Arnold Classic (AC) arguably holds as much prestige and influence, being considered certainly one of the most important contests on the bodybuilding calendar. When a few of the world’s best bodybuilders travel to Columbus, OH, to take the stage on Mar. 3-4, 2023 for the newest edition, they’ll take solace in knowing one thing. A victory will probably be rewarded more handsomely than ever.
On Jan. 12, 2023, the Arnold Sports Festival organizing body put out a press release on their website and posted to Instagram announcing the prize for winning the Men’s Open division on the 2023 AC will probably be $300,000. That may be a $100,000 increase from the $200,000 reigning AC winner Brandon Curry took home in 2022. It builds on a big increase from previous years when former champion Nick Walker won $130,000 after the 2021 iteration, and inches closer to the $400,000 top prize earned by Hadi Choopan after winning the 2022 Mr. Olympia.
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Within the press release, Arnold Schwarzenegger elaborated on the importance of the expansion of the Arnold Classic.
“From the primary time we hosted a bodybuilding championship in Columbus in 1976, my goal has been increasing the prize money to reward these improbable athletes,” Schwarzenegger said. “I’m excited to announce that this 12 months’s winner of the Arnold Classic will win a record $300,000.”
As for who will travel to Ohio to vie for the latest AC title, a couple of past champions, big names, and up-and-comers highlight the Men’s Open. On Jan. 12, 2023, the organization revealed that Nick Walker would return to the 2023 AC and the competition that arguably first helped him construct his sterling repute in skilled bodybuilding. Past winner (2018, 2020) William Bonac can even return to the Columbus stage. Meanwhile, two-time 212 Olympia winner Shaun Clarida (2020, 2022) will attempt to challenge each men. Other confirmed Men’s Open competitors include Samson Dauda, Kamal Elgargni, Justin Rodriguez, and Akim Williams.
Notably, a recent cadre of elite bodybuilders revealed that they had either withdrawn or declined their invitations to the 2023 Arnold Classic. On the time of this writing, that group features the second-place finisher on the 2022 Mr. Olympia in Derek Lunsford, Blessing Awodibu, and Michal “Križo” Križánek.
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Because the 2023 competitive bodybuilding season develops, the 2023 Arnold Classic will undoubtedly be certainly one of the primary significant steps toward making it a 12 months to recollect. Eventually, one focused athlete with incredible mass and a ripped physique could have the good fortune of leaving Columbus, OH, $300,000 richer for his or her diligent efforts.
Featured Image: @nick_walker39 / Instagram