Behrooz Tabani is the 2023 Arnold Classic South America champion. Tabani competed in the Men’s Open bodybuilding show in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on Saturday, April 15, 2023, and left with the trophy and title as champion.
Wellington Fernando Baptista placed second, and Emir Omeragic placed third. The top 10 can be seen below:
2023 Arnold Classic South America Results — Men’s Open
- Behrooz Tabani
- Wellington Fernando Baptista
- Emir Omeragic
- Josef Kveton
- Vitor Hugo Boff
- Gustavo Bico
- Alan Bonadiman
- Yeferson Romero
- Sulaiman Alterkait
- Slavoj Bednar
Winner — Behrooz Tabani
Tabani had only competed in one pro show prior to this contest: the 2021 Romania Muscle Fest Pro, where he ranked third. He has his first pro victory thanks to a perfect score in both rounds.
Tabani adds his name to a list of champions of this competition that includes Brandon Curry, Juan Morel, and Rafael Brandao. Tabani earned qualification for the 2023 Mr. Olympia contest, scheduled for the weekend of Nov. 2-5 in Orlando, FL.
Second Place — Wellington Fernando Baptista
Baptista was the 2022 Arnold Amateur South America champion, which gave him his IFBB pro card. He competed in one pro show that year, placing second at the MuscleContest Brazil Pro.
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Baptista was bigger and leaner at this appearance, but the judges still scored him second in both rounds of judging. If he competes again this season, he will likely make another first callout.
Third Place — Emir Omeragic
Omeragic was in fifth place at this contest in 2022. He placed sixth at that year’s New York Pro.
This was the third-year pro’s first appearance of the 2023 season, and he will have to compete again and win a show to score an Olympia qualification. The German scored straight third-place votes.
2023 Arnold Classic South America Results — Men’s Wheelchair
The Men’s Wheelchair bodybuilding show featured an upset. Brazil’s Josue Gorila Albino was an amateur at this show but won the amateur contest to turn professional. The final results for all five athletes are below:
- Josue Gorila Albino
- Tory Jones
- Woody Belfort
- Tim Caldwell
- James Berger
Gorila Albino then won the pro show to qualify for the 2023 Wheelchair Olympia. Going from an amateur to an Olympia-qualified athlete in one weekend is a stellar result.
Featured image: @arnoldsouthamerica on Instagram
