by Andrew Michalak
photo:Igor Kopcek (www.eastlabs.sk)
The first day of this year’s World Bodybuilding Championships were mainly devoted to Games Classic Bodybuilding and Classic Bodybuilding (all categories), with addition of the first 4 bodybuilding categories. The venue – marvelous Benidorm Palace – hosted the World Bodybuilding Championships for the 3rd time. It is located between the Deloix Hotel and the Melia Hotel, in which the participants are accommodated, so there was no problem with the transport.
Classic Bodybuilding was born in Europe 11 years ago, with the first World Championships in Ostrava, Czech Republic in 2006, so it was their 12th edition. Games Classic Bodybuilding was added in 2016. Traditional Bodybuilding has a much longer history as the 71st edition is celebrated in Benidorm this year.
Games Classic Bodybuilding had its unbeatable leader, Aristide Mbomni from Germany, who won the 175 cm class as well as the overall title and… one more gold medal in Classic Bodybuilding first category, up to 168 cm.
In Classic Bodybuilding Iran won 2 gold medals. The rest went to Germany, Spain and Korea, with the overall winner Jehung Ryu from Korea. He regained the title first won in 2012. His team-mate, three-time world champion Kikwan Seol, lost the title in 168 cm class being tied 23:23 with the winner Aristide Mbomni. It was his 6th participation in the World Championships and he never finished lower than 2nd!
2016 world champion in the over 180 cm category, Hesam Larijani from Iran, won his second gold medal. His team-mate Mohammadreza Sartomi moved from his 3rd place last year up to the top in the 180 cm class. And we saw the great comeback of the Spanish star Jesus Rodal, who won the 171 cm category.
The first four Bodybuilding categories were dominated by the Korean stars, who won 3 gold medals. Kyeongmo Park (65 kg class) and Kyoungyun Nam (75 kg class) regained titles won last year, Seonghwan Kim (80 kg class) dethroned Masashi Suzuki (Japan) moving up to the top after his silver medal last year. The other 2016 world champion Mahdi Heydari (Iran, 70 kg category) also regained the title, so these World Championships are lucky for the last year champions.
The first day it was a match Korea vs. Iran, with Korea winning 11 medals (4 gold, 5 silver, 2 bronze) and Iran winning 4 medals (3 gold, 1 silver). To be continued on Sunday.
GAMES CLASSIC BODYBUILDING
Up to 175 cm category
Games 1: 2017 IFBB Games Classic Bodybuilding up to 175 cm category world champion: Aristide MBOMNI (Germany).
Games 2: 2017 IFBB World Games Classic Bodybuilding Championships up to 175 cm category medal winners (from L to R): (4th place); Tomas SMREK (2nd place); Aristide MBOMNI (1st place); Kiho MUN (3rd place); (Brazil).
Games 3: 2017 IFBB World Games Classic Bodybuilding Championships up to 175 cm category finalists (from L to R): Erik HALASKA (4th place); Tomas SMREK (2nd place); Aristide MBOMNI (1st place); Kiho MUN (3rd place); Juscelino SANTOS (5th place).
Over 175 cm category
Games 4: 2017 IFBB Games Classic Bodybuilding over 175 cm category world champion: Michal ZAUKOLEC (Slovakia).
Games 5: 2017 IFBB World Games Classic Bodybuilding Championships over 175 cm category medal winners (from L to R): Myeongho PARK (2nd place); Michal ZAUKOLEC (1st place); Jan PALENÍCEK (3rd place).
Games 6: 2017 IFBB World Games Classic Bodybuilding Championships over 175 cm category finalists (from L to R): Ziyaad MARTIN (6th place); Reno BANKS (4th place); Myeongho PARK (2nd place); Michal ZAUKOLEC (1st place); Jan PALENÍCEK (3rd place); Martin ZILIAK (5th place).
Games 7: 2017 IFBB World Games Classic Bodybuilding Championships overall winner Aristide MBOMNI (Germany), congratulated by the officials.
Games 8: 2017 IFBB World Games Classic Bodybuilding Championships overall winner Aristide MBOMNI (Germany).
CLASSIC BODYBUILDING
Up to 168 cm category
168 cm – 1: 2017 IFBB Classic Bodybuilding up to 168 cm category world champion: Aristide MBOMNI (Germany).
168 cm – 2: 2017 IFBB World Classic Bodybuilding Championships up to 168 cm category medal winners (from L to R): Kikwan SEOL (2nd place); Aristide MBOMNI (1st place); Francisco MOYANO (3rd place).
168 cm – 3: 2017 IFBB World Classic Bodybuilding Championships up to 168 cm category finalists (from L to R): Yeongseok KIM (6th place); Kohei WATANABE (4th place); Kikwan SEOL (2nd place); Aristide MBOMNI (1st place); Francisco MOYANO (3rd place); Xu DEMIN (5th place).
Up to 171 cm category
171 cm – 1: 2017 IFBB Classic Bodybuilding up to 171 cm category world champion: Jesus RODAL (Spain).
171 cm – 2: 2017 IFBB World Classic Bodybuilding Championships up to 171 cm category medal winners (from L to R): Burak EKIT (2nd place); Jesus RODAL (1st place); Alejandro ZITTA (3rd place).
171 cm – 3: 2015 IFBB World Classic Bodybuilding Championships up to 171 cm category finalists (from L to R): Zhao ZHANGLEI (6th place); Zao WEI (4th place); Burak EKIT (2nd place); Jesus RODAL (1st place); Alejandro ZITTA (3rd place); Feng HE (5th place).
Up to 175 cm category
175 cm – 1: 2017 IFBB Classic Bodybuilding up to 175 cm category world champion: Jehyung RYU (Korea).
175 cm – 2: 2017 IFBB World Classic Bodybuilding Championships up to 175 cm category medal winners (from L to R): Jiri KOCVARA (2nd place); Jehyung RYU (1st place); Abuaglia ABURAS (3rd place);
175 cm – 3: 2017 IFBB World Classic Bodybuilding Championships up to 175 cm category finalists (from L to R): Hugo YANAGIHARA (6th place); Lukas TOPINKA (4th place); Jiri KOCVARA (2nd place); Jehyung RYU (1st place); Abuaglia ABURAS (3rd place); Wu Yong HAO (5th place).
Up to 180 cm category
180 cm – 1: 2017 IFBB Classic Bodybuilding up to 180 cm category world champion: Mohammadreza SARTOMI (Iran).
180 cm – 2: 2017 IFBB World Classic Bodybuilding Championships up to 180 cm category medal winners (from L to R): Juhoon LEE (2nd place); Mohammadreza SARTOMI (1st place); Patryk JASKIEWICZ (3rd place).
180 cm – 3: 2017 IFBB World Classic Bodybuilding Championships up to 180 cm category finalists (from L to R): Reno BANKS (6th place); Jakub VILIMEK (4th place); Juhoon LEE (2nd place); Mohammadreza SARTOMI (1st place); Patryk JASKIEWICZ (3rd place); Sajad CHEGENI (5th place).
Over 180 cm category
Over 180 cm – 1: 2017 IFBB Classic Bodybuilding over 180 cm category world champion: Hesam LARIJANI (Iran).
Over 180 cm – 2: 2017 IFBB World Classic Bodybuilding Championships over 180 cm category medal winners (from L to R): Sam MIKAELSSON (2nd place); Hesam LARIJANI (1st place); Jasim MARHOON (3rd place).
Over 180 cm – 3: 2017 IFBB World Classic Bodybuilding Championships over 180 cm category finalists (from L to R): Mateusz KOLKOWSKI (6th place); Eric LOMPARD (4th place); Sam MIKAELSSON (2nd place); Hesam LARIJANI (1st place); Jasim MARHOON (3rd place); Jose PEREZ (5th place).
Classic Bodybuilding Overall:
1 Jehyung RYU Korea 9
2 Hesam LARIJANI Iran 11
3 Mohammadreza SARTOMI Iran 15
4 Jesus RODAL Spain 20
5 Aristide MBOMNI Germany 21
CBB overall – 1: 2017 IFBB World Classic Bodybuilding Championships overall winner Jehyung RYU of Korea congratulated by the IFBB officials.
CBB overall – 2: 2017 IFBB World Classic Bodybuilding Championships overall winner Jehyung RYU (Rep. of Korea).
CBB overall – 3: Overall winner Jehyung RYU (Rep. of Korea).
