COLUMBUS, OH - The First Annual Arnold Wrestling Challenge will debut this year at the 2006 Arnold Sports Festival, March 3-5 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center.  

The event will feature the USA Wrestling Ultimate Challenge Series for boys between 9 and 15 years of age and the USGWA Wrestling Challenge for females, elementary school through college age. 

"We are expecting 1000 wrestlers," said event chairman George Kun. "We anticipate up to 700 boys and 300 females, which would make it one of the biggest female events in the country."  

Clinics Friday night will highlight the Arnold Wrestling Challenge.  They will include technical clinics by Olympic Gold Medalists Rulon Gardner and Kurt Angle (now of the WWE). 

Gardner won a gold medal in Greco-Roman at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia, and added a bronze medal at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. Angle won an Olympic gold medal at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Ga.

Motivational clinics will be presented by Dr. Chris Stankovich, champion athletic consultant, and Kyle Maynard, author of "No Excuses."

The Rotary Club of Columbus will award two $1,000 college scholarships, one each to the top boy and girl wrestler.  The top six wrestlers in each weight class will also win awards.

 "Great opportunities come once in a lifetime," said event director Paul Bukky, "this is one of them.  Sign up now!"

To Register & Volunteer

Forms are available online at www.arnoldsportsfestival.com, click on "wrestling".

A $10 EXPO ticket includes access to all Arnold Fitness EXPO events, including Wrestling. Tickets are available at the Columbus Convention Center the day of the event or at Ticketmaster at (614) 431-3600. 

For more information see our websites: 
www.arnoldsportsfestival.com
www.arnoldclassic.com