Arnold Classic 2020: Results, Winners, & Prizes

The 2020 Arnold Classic took place on the weekend of March 6th-7th, 2020.

It was the most controversial in the 32 years of the Arnold Classic because of the pressure to cancel the contest due to the increasing epidemic of the coronavirus that has been spreading across the world.

The promoters of the Arnold Classic were forced to cancel the large Arnold Classic Expo but they were still allowed to hold the bodybuilding events and the strongman events with a limited audience. 

Despite the unexpected cancellation of the expo and many other events, the 2020 Arnold Classic had some great competition in the Bodybuilding events. Below are the winners in the 2020 Arnold Classic:

List of The Arnold Classic 2020 Winners & Runner Ups

Pro Wheelchair – Harold ‘KING KONG’ Kelley $3,000

Only four competitors were entered in the Pro Wheelchair competition.

Harold Kelley from Grand Prairie, Texas was a repeat winner in this event with his excellent development. A highlight of the weekend was when 4x Arnold Classic winner Flex Wheeler helped present the award to Kelley onstage.

Flex recently had his lower right leg amputated due to circulation problems. Flex got emotional when he was given the microphone and asked about his recent challenge in getting his leg removed. 

1. Harold Kelley
2. Antoni Khadraoui
3. Bradley Betts
4. Johnny Quinn

Women’s Physique – Natalia Abraham Coelho $7,000

23-year-old Natalia Coelho from Florida was the dominating winner in the Women’s Physique division scoring all 1’s from the judges. Natalia is one of the best women physique competitors in the world and she was second in the Women’s Physique Olympia last year. 

Anne-Lorraine Mohn from France was in second place with Margita Zamolova from the Czech Republic in third place. Desunka Dawson from Arlington, Texas finished fourth with Jennifer Taylor from Zephyrhills, Florida in fifth place.

Claudia Diaz from Yuma, Arizona rounded out the top six in the ten-person field. 

1. Natalia Abraham Coelho
2. Anne-Lorraine Mohn
3. Margita Zamolova
4. Desunka Dawson
5. Jennifer Taylor
6. Claudia Diaz

Bikini International – Elisa Pecini $7,000

16 professional bikini competitors entered the Bikini International in 2020. Elisa Pecini, the reigning Bikini Olympia champion, was the easy winner with a unanimous decision from the judges. The beautiful Pecini is from Brazil and she has the look and the body that the judges love. 

Angelica Teixeira from Texas, a former Bikini Olympia winner, was in second place. Janet Layug, a former Bikini International winner at the Arnold Classic, was closely behind in third place.

Priscila Leimbacher from Switzerland was in fourth place with Etila Santiago Santos from Brazil in fifth. Jennifer Ronzitti from Pasadena, Maryland rounded out the top six. 

1. Elisa Pecini
2. Angelica Teixeira
3. Janet Layug
4. Priscila Leimbacher
5. Etila Santiago Santos
6. Jennifer Ronzitti

Fitness International – Missy Truscott $25,000

Missy Truscott from Redmond, Washington won the Fitness International with both an impressive physique and an outstanding fitness routine. Missy was second at the Fitness Olympia last year and this was the biggest win of her career. She was fourth at this event last year.

Ariel Khadr from Boynton Beach, Florida was in second place. Ariel is a former gymnast and was probably the youngest competitor in the fitness division.

Tiffany Chandler from Alabama was in third place with Deina Wilson from New York in fourth. Darrian Borello from Bradenton, Florida was in fifth place with Marta Aguilar from Uruguay rounding out the top six. 

1. Missy Truscott
2. Ariel Khadr
3. Tiffany Chandler
4. Deina Wilson
5. Darrian Borello
6. Marta Aguilar

Figure International – Natalia Soltero – $16,000

In fantastic form, the stunning Natalia Soltero, Mexico took 1st in this year’s Arnold Classic Figure International. While last year she came in fourth, she truly went above and beyond to take home the prize in 2020 – the prize this year being $16,000 handed off by Arnold along with a Tony Nowak Official Champions Jacket.

Taking second place at 5’1” was Bojana Vasiljevic, CA with a prize of $10,000. Bojana turned pro in 2013 and has had an impressive career since.

Third place went to Jessica Reyes Padilla, Puerto Rico followed by Ashley Soto, NC in fourth. Anna Banks coming all the way from Poland finished in Fifth with Lola Montez of Canada rounding out the pack in 6th.

1. Natalia Soltero
2. Bojana Vasiljevic
3. Jessica Reyes Padilla
4. Ashley Soto
5. Anna Banks
6. Lola Montez

Arnold Men’s Physique – Andre Ferguson $7,000

Andre Ferguson from New York won his third consecutive Arnold Men’s Physique in 2020. Andre has been second in the Men’s Physique Olympia twice but he always shines at the Arnold Classic winning three titles in a row. 

Brandon Hendrickson placed second to Andre in the Arnold’s Men’s Physique. He is a former Olympia Men’s Physique winner in 2017 and an Arnold Men’s Physique champion in 2018. He and Andre have a great rivalry in the Men’s Physique division.

Steven Cao from Florida was in third place with George Brown from Columbus, Ohio in fourth. Carlos DeOliveira from Massachusetts took fifth place with Yasser Fernando Chiala Blandon from Colombia rounded out the top sixth. 

1. Andre Ferguson
2. Brandon Hendrickson
3. Steven Cao
4. George Brown
5. Carlos DeOliveira
6. Yasser Fernando Chiala Blandon

Arnold Classic Physique – Alex Cambronero $7,000

Alex Cambronero from Florida was a very impressive winner in the Classic Physique division at the 2020 Arnold Classic. Alex displayed a tiny waist with a great V-taper and an excellent vacuum. His extreme sharpness and classic shape made him a unanimous winner with the judges.

Terrence Ruffin from Tampa, Florida was in the best shape of his life in second place. Ruffin has incredible shape and symmetry and he was dialed into the best shape of his life at this event.

Terrence also displayed his physique with a classic, old school posing routine that was one of the highlights of the weekend. Many people in the audience could have seen either Cambronero or Ruffin as the winner. 

Steve Laureus from New York was one of the pre-contest favorites going into the Arnold Classic. Laureus is a tall competitor with amazing form and aesthetics. He has a tiny waist, wide shoulders, excellent muscle mass, and extreme definition. In any other contest, he would be a clear winner but this contest was extremely competitive. 

Abner Logan from Massachusetts was in fourth place with Rickey Moten in fifth and Santiago Aragon rounding out the top six.

1. Alex Cambronero
2. Terrence Ruffin
3. Steve Laureus
4. Abner Logan
5. Rickey Moten
6. Santiago Aragon

Arnold Classic – 1st Place and $130,000 Prize Money Goes To…

In one of the more highly competitive Arnold Classic competitions in years, William Bonac won the 2020 Arnold Classic in dominating fashion. Bonac won the Arnold Classic two years ago so he is now a two time Arnold Classic winner. Last year, William took second place to Brandon Curry at both the Arnold Classic and the Olympia. 

William showed tremendous thickness and density in his physique along with extreme hardness and definition.

In the first comparison with Dexter Jackson and Big Ramy, Bonac showed much more conditioning that allowed him to separate from the top contenders. At the finals, William did not lose any of that momentum and he was a unanimous winner from the judges. 

Second Place – Dexter Jackson $75,000

Dexter Jackson at 50 years old continues to amaze the bodybuilding world with his incredible consistency. Dexter has been a professional bodybuilder since 1999 and he recently announced that this would be his last year competing.

At the 2020 Arnold Classic, Dexter was very lean and conditioned and in even better shape than last year at the Mr. Olympia contest. He was tied with Big Ramy after the prejudging but he pulled ahead in the finals and took second place by one point.

The audience gave Dexter a standing ovation at the finals as this would be his last time on the Arnold Classic stage.

Third Place – Mamdouh Elssbiay $50,000

Mamdouh Elssbiay (“Big Ramy”) made a great comeback after taking a year off in 2019 because of an injury. Big Ramy is the biggest bodybuilder competing today and he brought much-improved conditioning to the stage at the 2020 Arnold.

Once the comparison started with Bonac and Dexter, it was obvious that Ramy could have been even leaner. With his incredible size and thickness, if Big Ramy ever does compete extremely dry and conditioned, he should easily beat anyone in the world.

At the finals, Big Ramy was awarded the first-ever Franco Columbu award which replaced the Most Muscular award that was normally given out at the Arnold Classic. 

Fourth Place – Steve Kuclo $30,000

Steve Kuclo from Texas continued his momentum from the 2019 Mr. Olympia by taking a strong fourth place in this competitive line-up. Steve has a great structure with very wide shoulders, great muscle mass, and impressive legs.

He was in great shape at this contest and he earned his fourth place by beating some excellent bodybuilders.

Fifth Place – Sergio Oliva Jr. $15,000

Sergio Oliva Jr. also scored a major victory at the 2020 Arnold Classic by placing in the top five. Sergio was much bigger than any other time in his career and he was in fantastic condition.

He also performed a flamboyant, fluid posing routine at the finals which was good enough to award him the Best Poser award.

Another highlight of the 2020 Arnold Classic weekend was when Arnold Schwarzenegger awarded Sergio Jr. the Best Poser Award and reminisced about competing with his father 50 years ago at the 1970 Mr. World contest in Columbus, Ohio.

Sixth Place – Cedric McMillan $10,000

Former Arnold Classic winner Cedric McMillan rounded out the top six at the 2020 Arnold Classic. Cedric has the best potential of anyone in pro bodybuilding with a great structure and round, full muscle bellies.

Cedric, however, marches to the beat of his own drum and he often doesn’t show the drive or hunger to win these professional titles. Today, he was laid back and seemed content to place much lower than competitors who he could have beaten if he was at his best.

Even Cedric’s posing routine at the finals seemed to be cut short and he didn’t give it the energy and passion that he normally does.