Arnold Classic 2019 - Roelly Winklaar lost, Brandon Curry took the title!

Author: František Randáček

03.03.2019

5 minut čtení

From 28 February to 3 March, the traditional Arnold Sports Festival takes place in Columbus, USA, with the Arnold Classic, a competition whose history dates back to 1989.
After Mr. Olympia, it is considered the second most prestigious competition in the world of professional bodybuilding.

This year's edition was full of expectations, as it was supposed to be the best Arnold Classic in recent years. Not only the three winners of this competition, Victor Martinez (winner in 2007), Cedric McMillan (winner in 2017) and William Bonac (winner in 2018), but also the fighters who reached the Top 5 at last year's Mr. Olympia, Brandon Curry, Roelly Winklaar and the aforementioned Bonac.

The biggest favorites to win, just considering the above, were Bonac, Winklaar and Curry.

The massive Roelly had long been considered the very biggest favourite, but just two weeks before the race it was obvious that it didn't look like a triumph. He had shown his form during the Nepal exhibition, and it wasn't exactly exhibition. He had plenty of mass on him, as always, but he also had plenty of water under his skin.
He couldn't get this water out of his body even in Columbus, and so his dreams of triumph vanished.

Immediately from the first semifinal comparison, in which the six of Curry, Bonac, Lenartowicz, Brandao, Sandoe and the aforementioned Winklaar posed next to each other, it was obvious that the Bonac-Curry pair would be the ones to beat, and Winklaar would have his work cut out for him to at least make it into the Top 3.
Further progress of the semi-final then showed that Roelly was also forbidden to make TOP 3.

First semifinal comparison:

Last semifinal comparison:

Semifinal matchup:

Lifelong form, excellent physique, an exemplary "V" torso shape and perfect stage presence ultimately led Brandon Curry to victory. As in the case of Mr. Olympia, Curry had been training away from his family at the Oxygen Gym in Kuwait.

Curry thus added a third victory to his collection from the competition bearing Arnold Schwarzenegger's name. He previously dominated the Arnold Classic Brasil (2013) and Arnold Classic Australia (2017).

Immediately after the competition, he let it be known that he intends to spend the summer with his family, which he has neglected during his preparation, and then he will move to Kuwait again to prepare for the 2019 Mr. Olympia. There he would like to at least repeat his success from last year's event, where he finished in an excellent fifth place.

Full and round muscles, a strong 3D effect and very good form were enough, in the case of William Bonac, "only" for second place. He did not hide his disappointment at not being able to defend last year's victory, but he certainly had nothing to be ashamed of.

A small sensation then took place in the case of third place. Luke Sandoe was able to take the third place. He was not only in the form of his life here, but also offered a very attractive figure.

Fourth place was taken by the 2017 winner Cedric McMillan. He too, like Bonac, possessed full and round muscles. However, he offered a thin film of water in his subcutaneous tissue, which spoiled his final form a bit.

In the end, the aforementioned Roelly Winklaar made it into the Top 5, according to the judges. From their side it was more of a gift than an objective evaluation. With his poor qualities, he could have finished much worse this time!

Among the other fighters, let's especially highlight Rafael Brandao, who was ranked seventh by the judges. He may not have as much mass on his frame as his rivals, but his stage presentation, final preparation and loose formation were among the absolute best to be seen at this year's event!

Even Arnold himself was very impressed with his performance. He said in connection with him that he is a classic and very likable character that has been missing for a very long time.
He wasn't even afraid to compare him to an aesthetic icon like Berry DeMey!

Brandon Curry - free lineup: