Brandon Curry entered the 2022 Arnold Classic hoping to be the only multiple Arnold winners in the competition's 34-year history, alongside Kevin Levrone, Flex Wheeler, Jay Cutler, Kai Greene, Dexter Jackson, Branch Warren and William Bonac. t only did he do it, but he had to fend off a very competitive Bonac in the process.
Curry and Bonac had to face two complete comparisons before a winner could be determined. Curry also won the Ed Corney Best Poser Award while Bonac won the Franco Columbu Most Muscular Award. Aside from those honors, Curry also won the $200,000 first-place prize and plenty of momentum for the 2022 Olympia, where he hopes to reclaim the title from Mamdouh "Big Ramy" Elssbiay.
Third place went to Steve Kuclo for the second year in a row. In fourth place was the very impressive Samson Dauda, with Justin Rodriguez rounding out the top five.
2022 Arnold Classic Division Winner
Six more Pro Division titles were up for grabs between Friday and Saturday night, including the anticipated matchup in Classic Physique between Terrence Ruffin, Breon Ansley and Urs Kalecinski. Ruffin would emerge victorious and is now a consecutive 2021 and 2022 Arnold Classic Physique champion. Ramon Rocha Queiroz upset both Ansley and Kalecinski for second place in that division.
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In men's physics, Erin Banks and Emmanuel Hunter went back and forth in both the prelims and finals on March 5th. In the end, Banks earns his first Arnold title and now sets his sights on defending Olympian Brandon Hendrickson.
Four women's divisions were also contested at the Batelle Grand Ballroom. The biggest surprise came in fitness, where Ariel Khadr defeated reigning Fitness International Champion Missy Truscott to win her first Arnold Championship. Truscott was second.
There was no doubt that Cydney Gillon would take care of the Figure International competition. She now has two of these to match her five Olympic titles, and she plans to defend them in Las Vegas this December.
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After several runner-ups at major competitions, Lauralie Chapados finally won her first title and is now the 2022 Bikini International Champion. Maureen Blanquisco, Ashley Kaltwasser, Elisa Pecini and Jourdanne Lee completed the top five.
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In the new wellness division, Isabelle Nunes became the first Arnold Wellness Champion. In a close competition, she prevailed against Angela Borges, the 2021 Olympic silver medalist.
