2024 Arnold Classic Men’s Wheelchair Pro Show Preview
The eighth edition of the Arnold Classic Men’s Wheelchair Pro bodybuilding show will be held at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, OH, on Saturday, March 2, 2024, as a part of the 2024 Arnold Sports Festival.
Nine competitors will compete in this show, two of whom are the only Arnold Classic champions in the division’s history. Aside from the trophy and championship ring, the winner also qualifies for the 2024 Olympia in Las Vegas, NV, if they were not already qualified. The competitors are listed below with names in alphabetical order:
2024 Arnold Classic Wheelchair Roster
- Gabriele Andriulli
- Bradley Betts
- Tyler Brey
- Josue Fabiano
- Gaylon Grigsby
- Leonard Harmon
- Rajesh John
- Harold Kelley
- Antoni Khadraoui
Note: Chad McCrary was on the original roster to compete in this contest, but he passed away on Jan. 2, 2024, at the age of 49. No official cause of death was announced.
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Past Champions
The only two champions of this show are six-time defending champion Harold “King Kong” Kelley and 2022 winner Gabriele Andriulli. They are the favorites entering the 2024 stage.
Kelley is coming off his first-ever loss at the Olympia when he placed second to Karol Milewski at the 2023 Wheelchair Olympia in Orlando, FL. The Arnold will display how well he can rebound from a career-first.
Andruilli ranked fifth at the 2023 Olympia. His last pro victory came at the 2022 Arnold Classic UK show. He will aim to change that in Columbus — he’s the only athlete in the lineup to have beaten Kelley.
Top Contenders
Aside from Kelley, the highest-ranking athlete from the 2023 Arnold Classic in this lineup is 2023 bronze-medalist Bradley Betts. Betts ranked second at the 2023 Dallas Pro and ninth at the 2023 Olympia. Betts will likely reach the first callout against the past two champions.
Tyler Brey defeated Betts in that 2023 Dallas Pro and will make his first Arnold appearance since 2019. Brey finished fifth at the 2019 Arnold Classic and has improved significantly since then.
Antoni Khadraoui’s best finish at the Arnold was fifth. He hasn’t competed in this contest since 2018.
Arnold Debuts
2024 will be the Arnold Pro Wheelchair debuts for multiple contenders, including Josue Fabiano, who ranked third in the 2023 Wheelchair Olympia. He poses a serious threat to the past champions’ winning chances.
Gaylon Grigsby will make his IFBB Pro League debut at the 2024 Arnold Classic. He earned his pro card at the 2023 Wheelchair Nationals. Similarly, the Arnold Classic will be the first time fans will see Leonard Harmon and Rajesh John on a pro-contest stage.
How to Watch
The 2024 Arnold Classic will be held on the Expo stage in the Greater Columbus Convention Center. Fans who have expo tickets or VIP passes will catch all the action live. Fans who can’t make it to the Buckeye State for the weekend can still watch live via the free live stream, details of which can be found on the Arnold Sports website.
Featured Image: @arnoldsports on Instagram
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