Gabriele Andruilli is now a two-time Arnold Classic UK Pro Wheelchair champion. Andruilli was a late entry into the 2024 edition of the contest, which took place in Birmingham, England, on Saturday, Mar. 16.
Andruilli’s decision to enter the show paid off as he left with the championship trophy over second-place finisher Nick Hewitt, representing the host country. They were the only two athletes onstage for the competition.
2024 Arnold Classic UK Wheelchair Results
- Gabriele Andruilli (Italy)
- Nick Hewitt (UK)
Anand Arnold of India was initially scheduled to compete but did not appear onstage for comparisons. No reason was shared for his absence.
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The competition took place on the Expo stage. There was only one round for the head-to-head battle. After introductions, the judges compared them through each mandatory pose before making a final decision.
Andruilli won this competition in 2022. He was coming off a runner-up finish to Rajesh John in the 2024 Arnold Classic Pro Wheelchair US event in Columbus, OH, on March 2, 2024.
With this win, Andruilli joins the qualified athletes for the 2024 Olympia Weekend in Las Vegas, NV, on Oct. 10-13, 2024. Unless he chooses to compete before the Olympia, he will set his sights on 2023 Olympia winner Karol Milewski, hoping to secure his first Olympia title.
The 2024 edition of this contest is expected to be the most anticipated in the division’s history thanks to Milewski, John, Andruilli, and five-time Olympia champion Harold Kelley, all expected to be in the lineup.
Andruilli was the fourth winner to be crowned out of the seven IFBB Pro League shows taking place in Birmingham. The other three champions thus far are Jaclyn Baker (Fitness), Leonida Ciobu (Wellness), and Wesley Vissers (Classic Physique). The champions for Men’s Open, Men’s Physique, and Bikini divisions were still to be determined as of this writing.
Fans who want to watch the action live can do so by registering to watch the free ADL Pro livestream on the Arnold Sports UK website.
Featured Image: @arnoldsports on Instagram