Ramon Rocha Queiroz has won the Classic Physique event at the 2023 Arnold Classic, which happened Mar. 3 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, Ohio. He managed to ward off the threat of Urs Kalecinski, who finished runner-up ahead of Alex Cambronero in the third spot.
Men’s Classic Physique has gained a lot of momentum in the last few years. It hosts some of the most popular competitors such as the four-time Olympia champ Chris Bumstead. Bodybuilding legend Arnold Schwarzenegger, who founded the ASF contest in 1989, believes the Classic Physique athletes boast a physique fit for the title of Mr. Olympia instead of the contemporary Open class competitors.
Brazilian standout Ramon Rocha Queiroz entered the show as the highest-ranked Olympian having placed second on stage in Las Vegas three months ago. He was looking to capitalize on the momentum and potentially win his first Arnold Classic title. Joining him in the lineup was German sensation Urs Kalecinski who’s coming off a third-place finish at the Olympia. Alex Cambronero was the only former champion on the roster. He came in more motivated than ever after an uneventful appearance at the Olympia last December. Seasoned pro Mike Sommerfeld was another strong contender who presented a tough challenge to the budding prospects.
Two-time champ Terrence Ruffin did not return to defend the title, leaving the door wide open for a new contender to take the throne. Darwin Uribe was another participant who was not in attendance as he withdrew a few days earlier due to health concerns. With Ruffin out of the way, the rest of the athletes battled it out for the top prize.
During the prejudging, Ramon Dino put himself in the driving seat by presenting a significantly improved package than his prior appearance at the Olympia. He faced intense competition from Kalecinski with Sommerfeld and Cambronero also bringing the heat on stage. Head judge Steve Weinberger had Kalecinski and Queiroz go head-to-head a final time to determine the victor.
Eventually, Ramon Rocha Queiroz came out victorious in Men’s Classic Physique at the 2023 Arnold Classic. He came more prepared than ever with a dry and hard physique. Although Kalecinski got close, it wasn’t enough as Ramon boasted a significantly better package.
2023 Arnold Classic Physique Results:
- Winner — Ramon Rocha Queiroz ($60,000)
- Second Place — Urs Kalecinski ($30,000)
- Third Place — Alex Cambronero ($20,000)
- Fourth Place — Mike Sommerfeld ($7,000)
- Fifth Place — Courage Opara ($4,000)
- Sixth Place — Junior Javorski ($2,000)
- Seventh Place — Jason Brown
Best Poser Award
- Classic Physique Poser Award — Urs Kalecinski (wins $10,000)
Past Classic Physique Champions
- 2022: Terrence Ruffin
- 2021: Terrence Ruffin
- 2020: Alex Cambronero
- 2019: George Peterson
- 2018: Breon Ansley
Classic Physique Scorecard
