Chris Bernacchi/Diamond Images via Getty ImagesThe 2024 Arnold Sports Festival continued on Friday, as the 36th annual edition of the fitness and sporting competition co-founded by bodybuilding legend Arnold Schwarzenegger returned for another year.
The festival features athletes competing in a variety of events outside of bodybuilding such as wrestling, gymnastics, and martial arts. Many of the events took place in Ohio on Friday at the Batelle Grand, the Columbus Convention Center, the Ohio Expo Center, and the Columbus Athenaeum.
The festival still features one of the most prominent events in bodybuilding, the Arnold Classic. The 2024 field of participants is headlined by Hadi Choopan, who won the title of Mr. Olympia in 2022 and was the runner-up in 2023. 2023 Arnold Classic champion Samson Dauda also returned to defend his crown.
Although every marquee event wasn’t decided and the competition will continue throughout the weekend, here are the results from the major events that were completed.
Fitness International Results:First Place: Ariel Khadr Second Place: Jaclyn Baker Third Place: Jodi BoamFourth Place: Michelle Fredua-MensahFifth Place: Aurika TyrgaleSixth Place: Tamara VahnClassic Physique Results:First Place: Wesley VissersSecond Place: Ramon Rocha QueirozThird Place: Urs KalecinskiFourth Place: Breon AnsleyFifth Place: Michael DaboulSixth Place: Damien PatrickClassic Wellness International Results:First Place: Francielle MattosSecond Place: Isabelle NunesThird Place: Sandra Colorado AcalFourth Place: Bruna SeredichFifth Place: Lili DongSixth Place: Anne-Marie GobeilThe Arnold Strongman Classic kicked off on Friday and will conclude on Saturday. 2018 World’s Strongest Man Hafthór Björnsson sat atop the leaderboard at the end of the first day with 21 points. He was followed close behind by Mitchell Hooper with 20 points of his own, while Evan Singleton currently sits in third place with 15 points.
Björnsson earned his lead with a first-place performance in the Elephant Bar Deadlift after a successful attempt of 456 kilograms. It marked the No. 13 ASC event that he has won.
In the Arnold Strongwoman Classic, Andrea Thompson remained one of the most dominant forces in the sport. She accumulated 23 points, while Lucy Underdown and Hannah Linzay enter the second day sitting at No. 2 and No. 3, respectively.
The prejudging for the Arnold Classic occurred as well, with Choopan and Dauda unsurprisingly featured in the first callout. Joining them were James Hollingshead, Jonathan De La Rosa, Antoine Vaillant, and Rafael Brandao.
Dauda and Choopan returned to the stage for the fifth callout to wrap up the prejudging, as it appears to be a two-man race heading into the final on Saturday.
Source : Bleacher Report