The 2024 Arnold Classic Physique contest features two past champions. Two-time defending champion Ramon “Dino” Rocha Queiroz and inaugural winner Breon Ansley are joined at the beginning of March by several elite competitors of the Classic Physique division for the competition in Columbus, OH. Among them is Urs Kalecinski, who had one of the longest lines in the Meet and Greet on Feb. 29, 2024, the day before the competition began.
All the athletes who ventured to Columbus gathered on the Arnold Expo stage for the opening round of the competition on Friday, March 1, 2024. There was a lot of buzz during the contest’s buildup, and the athletes were ready to deliver.
[Read More: How Bodybuilding Is Judged, Different Divisions, and Scoring]
The Classic Physique competitors were introduced to the crowd in the following order:
2024 Arnold Classic Classic Physique Roster
- Urs Kalecinski
- Damien Patrick
- Wesley Vissers
- Ramon Rocha Queiroz
- Michael Daboul
- Kandahl Richmond
- Emanuele Riccotti
- Eric Brown Jr.
- Darren Farrell
- Breon Ansley
*Antoine Loth and Courage Opara were on the roster, but neither athlete was on stage. No reason for their absence was given.
With formal introductions out of the way, it was time for the judges to get to work. These callouts helped the judges determine who the front runners for the title would be heading into the finals, scheduled to occur later the same evening. Below are the callouts:
Callout One
- Urs Kalecinski
- Wesley Vissers
- Ramon Rocha Queiroz
- Breon Ansley
Callout Two
- Kandahl Richmond
- Emanuele Riccotti
- Damien Patrick
- Michael Daboul
- Darren Farrell
- Eric Brown Jr.
Callout Three
- Urs Kalecinski
- Ramon Rocha Queiroz
- Wesley Vissers
- Breon Ansley
Kalecinski had supporters in the crowd, but the loudest cheers were for the defending champion. Both were in the first call-out, which also featured Vissers and Ansley.
Those four were the clear front runners in the judges’ eyes. Kalecinski, Queiroz, Vissers, and Ansley competed through two posing rounds in the first call-out. Fans saw them again in the final callout that featured Queiroz and Vissers in the center. It appeared that the larger Vissers made a strong charge at the champ on the judges’ scorecards.
Stay tuned to BarBend for continuing coverage of this and all seven IFBB Pro League contests of the 2024 Arnold Classic weekend. The show is free to watch on the Arnold Sports livestream via registering on their website.
Featured image: Pro Fitness Photos
