Anything But Amateur

By Joe Pietaro
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Updated: May 27, 2008

2008 Arnold Classic Bodybuilding, Fitness & Figure Championships

In a world that revolves around money, even the sport of bodybuilding must make adjustments. The difference between amateurs and professionals in sanctioned International Federation of Body Building events is prize money being awarded to the winners. At the recent Amateur IFBB Bodybuilding, Fitness and Figure Championships held at the Arnold Schwarzenegger 2008 Sports Festival in Columbus, Ohio, money was no object.

The competitors were all there to impress on the Hall D EXPO Stage. The panel of judges had their work cut out for them with the mass of muscle that was paraded in front of them.

The Overall Men’s Bodybuilding winner was Tarek Elsetouhi. The ladies had no reason to back down from the guys in these categories and actually outnumbered the men, three to one. Mari Carmen Gomez Segura took home the Overall Women’s Bodybuilding trophy. The Overall Fitness champion was Allison Ethier, and Candice Houston was chosen as the top Overall Figure winner.

In addition to their beautiful trophies, the four winners also received tickets to the Arnold Classic Bodybuilding Finals, which were held that evening at the Veteran’s Memorial. Jacksonville’s own Dexter Jackson was presented with a $130,000 check, in addition to the championship trophy and other prizes.

Archived from the May 2008 issue of “New York Sportscene” magazine.