Check out all of flexonline.com’s 2010 Arnold Sports Festival preview content
March 4, 2010
TEAM FLEX
FLEXONLINE.COM
We began unleashing our flurry of 2010 Arnold Sports Festival online preview content during the last week of February. There were training videos, photo journals, and in-depth looks at the Arnold Classic, Ms. International, Figure International and Fitness International. To sum it up, there was a lot of really cool stuff. In case you missed any of it, we’ve conveniently lassoed it together and put it on one page.
Keep checking back all weekend long for breaking news, prejudging galleries, reports and complete coverage of the 2010 Arnold Sports Festival.
THE BLADE GOES FOR FOURTH ARNOLD CLASSIC TITLE
With only a dozen champs in 44 contests, the Mr. Olympia is all about dynasties. In contrast, the Arnold Classic has had 13 winners in a mere 21 shows, and only four Arnold victors have repeated: Kevin Levrone (’94, ’96), Jay Cutler (’02, ’03, ’04), Dexter Jackson (’05, ’06, ’08), Flex Wheeler (’93, ’97, ’98, ’00).
2010 IFBB ARNOLD CLASSIC PREVIEW
With the 2010 Arnold Classic a mere five days away, all conversation will be focused on the favorites heading into the season’s first big show, names like Dexter Jackson, Phil Heath and Kai Greene. But there’s one more name to add, a competitor that may very well top that list: Branch Warren.
VIDEO: YAMAGISHI SIX DAYS OUT FROM THE 2010 ARNOLD CLASSIC
Hidetada Yamagishi, coming off a second-place finish at the 2010 IFBB Phoenix Pro on February 20, tells flexonline.com that he’s made changes to his training program to ensure he’ll be ready when he takes the stage Saturday, March 6 in Columbus, Ohio. We caught up with Yamagishi at Gold’s Gym in Venice, California six days out from the 2010 Arnold Classic.
2010 ARNOLD CLASSIC PREVIEW: KAI’S REPEAT?
Last year, Kai L. Greene upset heavy favorite Victor Martinez to capture the Arnold Classic and become bodybuilding’s Cinderella Man. Now, four days out from the 2010 Arnold, the defending champ will have to pull off another show-stopping performance against a field that includes Dexter Jackson, Phil Heath and Branch Warren.
2010 ARNOLD CLASSIC PREVIEW: THE GREATEST GIFT?
In what may be the most competitive lineup in Arnold Classic history, one man arguably stands more to lose, and gain, than his 12 rivals Phil Heath.
COLUMBUS DISCOVERIES
The Arnold’s presumptive top four is set (alphabetically): Kai Greene, Phil Heath, Dexter Jackson, Branch Warren. But there’s two more in the final six, those who make the posedown, take home the big checks and qualify for the Olympia.
PHOTO JOURNAL: MELVIN ANTHONY 10 DAYS OUT FROM THE ARNOLD
Photos of Melvin Anthony Jr. training at Gold’s Gym in Venice, California 10 days out from the 2010 Arnold Classic.
VIDEO: ANTHONY TRAINS LEGS LESS THAN TWO WEEKS OUT FROM THE ARNOLD
Melvin Anthony Jr. didn’t have much time to celebrate after winning the 2010 IFBB Phoenix Pro on February 20. Why? Because the ’10 Arnold Classic is right around the corner. A stellar showing at the Arnold would help “The Marvelous One” continue his quest to forget the disappointment of ’09 (he placed 4th at the Atlantic City Pro and tied for 11th with Silvio Samuel at the O).
2010 MS. INTERNATIONAL PREVIEW
Four. That’s the championship tally for Iris Kyle as she attempts to defend her title at the 2010 Ms. International on March 5 in Columbus, Ohio. That, combined with five Ms. Olympias [in ’01, Kyle won the heavyweight division but lost the overall to lightweight winner Juliette Bergmann], has made Kyle the dominant force in female bodybuilding for a good part of the past decade.
TOP 5 ARNOLD CLASSIC PHYSIQUES
Starting in 1989, with Rich Gaspari edging out Robby Robinson for the win, ‘The Arnold’ has seen its share of great bodybuilding champions leave Ohio not just with a massive check in hand, but the knowledge that they were now firmly ensconced forevermore in bodybuilding’s top echelon.
TALES FROM COLUMBUS
Once upon a time, in March 1989, in the blue-collar town of Columbus, Ohio, the first Arnold Classic Weekend was staged. Since then, much has been written about the yearly event. What you may know that Rich Gaspari won that inaugural edition, that Dexter Jackson and Jay Cutler won three, and Flex Wheeler a record four will not, for the most part, be repeated here. But, in celebration of its [then] 20-year tenure, we review some of the more interesting story lines that have marked the prestigious event’s history as we take you behind-the-scenes to reveal facts and anecdotes you may not have heard. Be warned: in these tales, not everyone lives happily every after.
2010 FIGURE INTERNATIONAL PREVIEW
In 2009 at the age of 25, Nicole Wilkins-Lee became the youngest competitor in IFBB history to capture the Figure Olympia, the sports most prestigious honor. Now, the third-year pro looks to make the 2010 Figure International another history-making event.
VIDEO: WILKINS-LEE’S ARNOLD PREP
On Wednesday, February 24, flexonline.com caught up with Nicole Wilkins-Lee at Gold’s Gym in Venice, California, 10 days out from the 2010 Figure International on March 5. Wilkins-Lee is preparing to rewrite the history books by becoming the first competitor in IFBB history to simultaneously hold both the Figure O and Ms. International titles.
2010 FITNESS INTERNATIONAL PREVIEW
Competition will be high, as in high flying, when the world’s best fitness athletes tumble, flip and quarter turn their way to center stage at the 2010 Fitness International on March 5 in Columbus, Ohio. One of the early favorites is two-time winner and crowd favorite Adela Garcia.
VIDEO: GRISHINA 6 DAYS OUT FROM THE 2010 FITNESS INTERNATIONAL
Flexonline.com caught up with Oksana Grishina at Gold’s Gym in Venice, California just six days before the 2010 Fitness International on March 5. Grishina will have her hands full as she looks to dethrone two-time champ Adela Garcia and claim her first Fitness International title.
ARNOLD EXPO LOWDOWN
It’s no secret by now that the Arnold Sports Festival is far more than just bodybuilding, figure and fitness competitions. For the past two decades the March classic has continually grown by leaps and bounds, each year adding more attractions to its expansive expo. The 2010 iteration promises to be the biggest and best expo yet.
BIKINI JOINING ARNOLD SPORTS FESTIVAL IN 2011
The Arnold Sports Festival, the largest multi-sport festival in the nation and home of the prestigious Arnold Classic since 1989, will add a professional bikini competition to its lineup of IFBB-sanctioned professional competitions in 2011.
