News / Africa
Schwarzenegger to visit South Africa
07 Apr 2016 at 11:12hrs | Views
Local bodybuilders will get a chance to rub shoulders with actor Arnold Schwarzenegger when he brings his Arnold Classic contest to South Africa next month.
The Arnold Classic is a professional bodybuilding competition lunched in 1989 in the United States by the Hollywood stalwart, who won the Mr Olympia contest on seven occasions.
The competition has since expanded to create an international series of multi-sport festivals, driven by the Austrian-born actor with the Arnold Classic coming to Africa for the first time next month.
National Federation of Zimbabwe Bodybuilding and Fitness spokesperson Quiet Shangai said the country was privileged to participate in the inaugural Arnold Classic event.
"As Zimbabwe we are excited to be part of this big event. Arnold Classic Africa just like other Arnold Sport festivals will have many sports codes, including powerlifting, strongman, volleyball and karate among other codes with over 30 000 participants expected to compete," Shangai said.
Schwarzenegger — a renowned actor for his roles in blockbuster Hollywood movies like Commando, The Terminator, Predator and Eraser—broke into the limelight through bodybuilding.
Leading South African sports consulting firm Exposure Unlimited acting on behalf of the Arnold Classic Africa confirmed Schwarzenegger's attendance for the event to be held from May 27 to 29 in Johannesburg.
"One of the world's most inclusive and popular sports festivals will touch down in South Africa for the first time when bodybuilding legend Arnold Schwarzenegger hosts the inaugural Arnold Classic Africa,"read the statement.
The inaugural African event will host a number of strength-based contests, including amateur bodybuilding, arm wrestling, powerlifting and strongman challenge.
A lucrative R1,5 million is up for grabs as total prize money for boththe open men's and women's fitness divisions thus "giving local stars a rare opportunity to compete at the highest level on home soil."
South Africa National Bodybuilding Federation president Wayne Pricesaid the event is open to athletes of all ages.
"We invite people of all ages to join us in celebrating amateur and professional sport, as we promote health and fitness...", Pricesaid.
The Arnold Classic is a professional bodybuilding competition lunched in 1989 in the United States by the Hollywood stalwart, who won the Mr Olympia contest on seven occasions.
The competition has since expanded to create an international series of multi-sport festivals, driven by the Austrian-born actor with the Arnold Classic coming to Africa for the first time next month.
National Federation of Zimbabwe Bodybuilding and Fitness spokesperson Quiet Shangai said the country was privileged to participate in the inaugural Arnold Classic event.
"As Zimbabwe we are excited to be part of this big event. Arnold Classic Africa just like other Arnold Sport festivals will have many sports codes, including powerlifting, strongman, volleyball and karate among other codes with over 30 000 participants expected to compete," Shangai said.
Schwarzenegger — a renowned actor for his roles in blockbuster Hollywood movies like Commando, The Terminator, Predator and Eraser—broke into the limelight through bodybuilding.
"One of the world's most inclusive and popular sports festivals will touch down in South Africa for the first time when bodybuilding legend Arnold Schwarzenegger hosts the inaugural Arnold Classic Africa,"read the statement.
The inaugural African event will host a number of strength-based contests, including amateur bodybuilding, arm wrestling, powerlifting and strongman challenge.
A lucrative R1,5 million is up for grabs as total prize money for boththe open men's and women's fitness divisions thus "giving local stars a rare opportunity to compete at the highest level on home soil."
South Africa National Bodybuilding Federation president Wayne Pricesaid the event is open to athletes of all ages.
"We invite people of all ages to join us in celebrating amateur and professional sport, as we promote health and fitness...", Pricesaid.
Source - dailynews
