Ronny Rockel

Profile

Birth July 12, 1972 (1972-07-12) (age 38)
Schlema, Germany

Height 5'6"

Weight 230-235 lbs. (In Season)
240-250 lbs. (Off-Season)

Professional Career
Pro-debut IFBB Grand Prix Holland, 1991

Best win 2006 Grand Prix Australia Champion, 2006

Biography

Ronny Rockel was born and raised in Germany. Like many other professional bodybuilders from Europe such as Milos Sarcev and Pavol Jablonicky, Rockel grew up under communist rule. Because of this Rockel was not aware of bodybuilding and other things of the outside world. This soon changed in 1989 when the Berlin Wall was taken down. At seventeen years of age, 143 pounds decided that he wanted a body like Arnold Schwarzenegger's after seeing the film Conan the Barbarian, but at the time commercial gyms in his hometown of Chemnitz, East Germany, were non existent. Instead of abandoning his interest in bodybuilding, he created his own weight set. Following the demise of communism, entrepreneurial activities in the East of Germany spawned and with that the first gym opened in Ronny's hometown. He soon joined and began absorbing information about diet and weight training from other members and fitness magazines. At his first competition, the Hessian Championships, he placed last in his class. But he did not became discouraged, he came back a year later and won the 1995 NABBA German Nationals and placed third at the NABBA Mr. Universe. From then Rockel decided that he had the potential to become a professional bodybuilder. It was not until 2002 that Ronny Rockel achieved professional status by winning the International German Championships. After this victory he won a contract with a nutritional company and relocated with his girlfriend to Venice, California for some time while competing.

Contest history

* 1994 NABBA Hessian Championships, Did not place

* 1995 NABBA German Nationals Championships, 1st

* 1996 NABBA World Championships, Medium, 3rd

* 1998 NABBA Mr Universe, Medium, 2nd

* 1999 NABBA Mr Universe, Medium, 2nd

* 2000 NABBA Mr Universe, Medium, 2nd

* 2000 WABBA World Championships, Short, 1st

* 2002 WABBA International German Championships, 1st (HW and Overall) (Pro Card)

* 2003 IFBB Grand Prix Holland, 7th

* 2003 IFBB Grand Prix Hungary, 4th

* 2003 IFBB Maximum Pro Invitational Grand Prix, 6th

* 2003 IFBB Night of Champions, 15th

* 2004 IFBB Grand Prix Australia, 7th

* 2004 IFBB Grand Prix England, 7th

* 2004 IFBB Grand Prix Holland, 7th

* 2004 IFBB Hungarian Pro Invitational, 6th

* 2004 IFBB Ironman Pro Invitational, 10th

* 2004 IFBB Night of Champions, 14th

* 2005 IFBB Grand Prix Australia, 3rd

* 2005 IFBB Mr. Olympia, 17th

* 2006 IFBB Grand Prix Australia, 1st

* 2006 IFBB Mr. Olympia, 16th (tied)

* 2006 IFBB Grand Prix Austria, 5th

* 2006 IFBB Grand Prix Holland, 3rd

* 2007 IFBB Arnold Classic, 8th

* 2007 IFBB Grand Prix Australia, 2nd

* 2007 IFBB Colorado Pro, 4th

* 2007 IFBB Santa Susanna Pro, 3rd

* 2007 IFBB Mr. Olympia, 11th

* 2008 IFBB Arnolds Classic, 13th

* 2008 IFBB Grand Prix Australia, 6th

* 2008 IFBB Grand Prix New Zealand, 6th

* 2008 IFBB New York Pro Championships, 3rd

* 2008 IFBB Mr.Olympia 14th

* 2009 IFBB Mr.Olympia 7th

* 2010 IFBB Arnolds Classic, 6th

* 2010 IFBB Mr Europe, 1st

* 2010 IFBB Mr.Olympia, 6th

Robert Piotrkowicz

STATS


Full Name: Robert Piotrkowicz

Place of Birth: Poland.

Height: 5'9 / 175cm

Contest Weight: 250 Lbs.

Off-Season Weight: 290 Lbs.

Occupation: Professional bodybuilder.


Competitive History

Year Competition Placing

2005 IFBB World Amateur Championships Light-HeavyWeight, 3rd

2006 IFBB World Amateur Championships HeavyWeight, 1st

2007 IFBB European Amateur Championships HeavyWeight, 1st

2007 IFBB World Amateur Championships HeavyWeight & Overall, 1st

2008 IFBB Arnold Amateur Super-HeavyWeight, 2nd

2008 Elite Tour 1st

2008 IFBB World Amateur Championships Super-HeavyWeight, 2nd

2009 IFBB Atlantic City Pro 6th

2009 IFBB Europa Supershow Open, 5th

2009 IFBB Sacramento Pro 3rd

2009 IFBB Tampa Bay Pro Open, 15th

2010 IFBB Arnold Classic 10th

Fouad Abiad

Fouad Abiad

Born in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, Fouad Abiad began training at the age of 21. Fouad cites his father as his biggest influence. Fouad is a Shiite Muslim.

Stats

Height: 5'10"

Off Season Weight: 280 lb.

Competition Weight: 245 lb.

Contest history


2011 IFBB Flex Pro Show
3rd


2009 IFBB Europa Super Show & Supplement Expo
4th



2009 IFBB Tampa Pro Bodybuilding Weekly Championships
2nd



2008 IFBB Olympia
17th



2008 IFBB 15th Annual Sports/Fitness Weekend & Europa IFBB Super Show
3rd


2008 IFBB Houston Pro Bodybuilding, Fitness & Figure Contest
7th



2008 NPC Tampa Bay Bodybuilding & Figure Contest
5th



2007 IFBB Atlantic City Pro Bodybuilding, Fitness And Figure Contest
8th


2007 IFBB Montreal Pro Classic
5th


2006 IFBB Atlantic City Pro
15th


2005 CBBF Canadian Championships
1st


2003 CBBF Canadian Championships
5th

22nd Arnold Classic Contenders

*The Arnold Classic, sanctioned by the International Federation of Body Building and the world's most prestigious title for professional male bodybuilders, will be held Saturday, March 5 at Veterans Memorial as part of the Arnold Sports Festival. Prejudging will begin a noon and finals at 7 p.m. Two-time defending champion Kai Green will not compete in 2011, leaving Dexter Jackson, winner in 2005, 2006 and 2008, leading a field of 15 who will vie for the coveted Arnold Classic crown.

Evan Centopani



United States

Age: 29

Height: 5’11”

Weight: 250 pounds

Centopani is not your typical 97-pound weakling who turned to bodybuilding to gain weight. At 12 years old he was 220 fleshy pounds and started gym work to decrease the bulk. This 2007 NPC Nationals overall champ is touted as an emerging star of the next decade; a rep he fully backed up by winning the 2009 New York Pro Show in his pose-for-pay debut. He has the muscle and conditionwise he promises to be in the same mode as the last syllable of his home state, Connecticut.


Roelly Winklaar



Netherlands

Age: 33

Height: 5'7"

Weight: 250 pounds

The winner of the 2009 Arnold Amateur title made a sensational seventh place pro debut at last year's Classic. He then went on to win the New York Pro Show. Originally from the Dutch Antilles (in the Caribbean) he now calls Rotterdam home where Ditch fans have anointed him as The Beast. Known for his outgoing personality he devotes quite a bit of time to helping causes for disadvantaged children. With a smile as wide as his lat spread he's guaranteed to light up the Columbus stage.


Branch Warren



United States

Age: 36

Height: 5'7"

Weight: 245 pounds

Warren turned pro by winning the heavyweight division at the 2001 NPC Nationals, and is today a threat in any contest he enters. He's been an ever-present at the last five Arnold Classics with a record that includes one second place (2006) and two thirds (2009 and 2010). This Texas Tornado is renowned for his Herculean physique and blue-collar take-no-prisoners approach to training. Having won the Most Muscular trophy four times in his Columbus career he states he'd give them all up for being named 2011 Arnold Classic champ.

Dexter Jackson



United States

Age: 41

Height: 5'6-1/2"

Weight: 235 pounds

Dexter Jackson has entered more Arnold Classic contests than any other competitor in the event’s history and this marks his eleventh appearance on the Columbus stage. The 2008 Mr. Olympia has in fact been triumphant three times (2005, 2006 and 2008) in this contest and he is in all-guns-blazing mode this year to equal Flex Wheeler’s record of four Arnold victories. With his classy physique and presentation don’t bet against the Jacksonville, Florida native being the last man standing tonight.

Victor Martinez



Donminican Republic

Age: 37

Height: 5'9"

Weight: 255 pounds

The 2000 NPC Nationals overall champ has been on flexing duty at five previous Arnold Classics – the best results for the adopted New Jerseyite being first in 2007, second in 2009 and third in 2006. Somewhat derailed by a serious leg injury in 2008 and the murder of his sister in 2009 the likeable Martinez is determined to return to winning ways in 2011 and put his disappointing eighth place at last year’s Olympia showdown behind him.

Johnnie Jackson



Age: 40

Height: 5’8”

Weight: 255 pounds

This is the fifth Arnold Classic outing for this Fort Worth, Texas, resident, with his best finish being 9th in 2008 and 2009. A veteran of the Gulf War, Jackson’s workouts are legendary for the blood-and-guts efforts he puts into them in tandem with training partner and Arnold rival Branch Warren. Having won the title of The World’s Strongest Bodybuilder in 2009 he’s looking to lift his heaviest ever Arnold check this time around.

Dennis Wolf



Germany

Age: 32

Height: 5'11"

Weight: 270 pounds

Dipping his toe, for the first time, into the dispute for Arnold Classics honors is The Big Bad Wolf. With one of the most spectacular physiques ever seen the native-born Russian had a bit of a down period in 2009 and early 2010 before rebounding to top tier eminence with fifth spot at last year's Olympia. Now living in Las Vegas he has adopted a “no more gurus" approach to contest preparation and mindful of that strategy we await and see if this particular Wolf can huff and puff his way to Columbus glory and take the Arnold at his first attempt


Essa Obaid




United Arab Emirates

Age: 31

Height: 5'10"

Weight: 250 pounds

Last March Obaid -- with a blend of size, shape and condition -- won the overall title at the Arnold Amateur Championships, in the process earning an IFBB pro card. Sensationally he then joined an elite class of bodybuilders by entering and winning his first pro contest -- in his case the 2010 Europa Supershow in Dallas. His success may well be a precursor for the emergence of world-class bodybuilders from the Middle East as the sport in that region is booming.

Robert Piotrkowicz




Poland

Age: 37

Height: 5'8"

Weight: 250 pounds

Visually, and in the prodigious weights he throws around, Piotrkowicz seems like Eastern Europe's answer to Branch Warren. Born in Warsaw and initially a karate exponent, he took up bodybuilding in 2002 and entered his first contest in 2005. He earned his pro card in 2009 and made his Arnold Classic debut with 10th place last year. Known in his homeland as The Terminator he may fast become a fixture at the contest promoted by the original “I'll be back" action hero.

Ronny Rockel



Germany

Age: 38

Height: 5'6"

Weight: 225 pounds

There's maybe no pro on the current scene who is as hard and full as Germany's Rockel: which perhaps prompts the introduction of the nickname, Herr Conditioner? Whatever, his progress from being a 143 pound 18-year old to being one of the best bodybuilders on the planet is an inspiring tale. In four previous Arnold Classic soirees his best placing was 6th in 2010. Herr Conditioner looks to be a blast and build on the momentum of last year so as to do better than sixth place this time around.

Ben Pakulski



Canada

Age: 29

Height: 5'10"

Weight: 255 pounds

This Toronto native annexed his pro card by winning the Superheavyweight and overall titles at the 2008 Canadian Championships. He's now a Venice, California resident, having moved there last year to work under the supervision of training legend Charles Glass. With his surname engendering the moniker Pak-Man this Canadian export looks to be pressing all the right buttons for his Arnold Classic debut. Check out his crazy calves: it looks like muscle fibers were poured into them and someone forgot to say, "When."


Toney Freeman



United States

Age: 44

Height: 6’2”

Weight: 295 pounds

After making his Arnold Classic debut in 2005 this is Freeman’s seventh appearance here in Columbus, with his best showing being third in 2007. Born in South Bend, Indiana he is blessed with a massive but shapely (narrow-waisted) frame that has bequeathed him the sobriquet, The X-Man. He will enter the 2011 Arnold Classic looking for his best ever finish and promises to be at an all-time peak to underline succinctly that The X-Man is not becoming The Ex-man.

Sergey Shelestov



Russia

Age: 32

Height: 5’10”

Weight: 245 Pounds

After sitting out the 2010 competitive season Abiad returned to competition at the FLEX Pro contest two weeks ago. Prior to that his best showing was second at the 2009 Pro Bodybuilding Weekly Championships. This is his first Arnold appearance and the 2006 Canadian overall champ, whose power pecked physique has earned him the nickname Hoss, hopes to be in home straight action as the field gallops toward the finish line.

Mohammed Touri




Morocco

Height: 5’ 8”

Weight: 215 pounds

With teak hard muscularity Touri was a clear winner of the heavyweight and overall titles at the 2010 IFBB World Amateur Championships, staged in Qatar last November. Lauded as Morocco’s best ever bodybuilder he has hurtled up the amateur rankings in recent years with his Qatar victory earning him enlistment in the pro division. Like Essa Obaid his rise signals that bodybuilding is fast growing across the globe and that we should expect more overseas competitors to swell the IFBB ranks in future years.

Fouad Abiad




Canada

Age: 32

Height: 5’10”

Weight: 245 Pounds

After sitting out the 2010 competitive season Abiad returned to competition at the FLEX Pro contest two weeks ago. Prior to that his best showing was second at the 2009 Pro Bodybuilding Weekly Championships. This is his first Arnold appearance and the 2006 Canadian overall champ, whose power pecked physique has earned him the nickname Hoss, hopes to be in home straight action as the field gallops toward the finish line.

2011 Mr. Olympia Contest Date Change

The 46th Annual, Joe Weider-
Mr. Olympia Contest will be held at the
Orleans Arena
on

September 16 & 17th, 2011.