The chance for Rose Black to gain a pro card and professional accreditation is the most exciting aspect of the Arnold Classic for a group of Dubbo athletes.
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Black is one of the five heading to Melbourne for the three-day spectacular, which is expected to bring roughly 30,000 people through the gates.
There is a mountain of sports and competition on offer but the bodybuilding is always a headline event.and that’s where each of the Dubbo athletes will compete.
Black, who has been training and competing for close to a decade, is favoured to take out the Open Figure division while Bec Stubbs will contest the Figure Masters, Rowel Tancio the Men’s Under 70kg, Jarrod Miller the Junior Bodybuilding section and Dave Hghes will take part in the Men’s Heavyweight competition.
“It’s open to all Australian and international competitors and we had to qualify, which we did a couple of weeks ago at a state event,” Hughes said.
She ... is now a red-hot favourite to take home a pro card and become professional.
- Dave Hughes on Rose Black
“Rose did particularly well there, she was top overall figure and is now a red-hot favourite to take home a pro card and become professional.”
That would allow Black to compete on the elite international scene, something Hughes said would be akin to a rugby league player from Dubbo competing in State of Origin.
Hughes, who will roughly be around the 100kg mark when he competes on stage, will also be competing in what is expected to be a top-level lineup.
“It’s been touted as the best lineup in Australian amatuer history,” he said.
“There’s going to be five or six really big names who are good. But I’d rather stand next to the best and see where I’m at.”
Hughes stated Miller had done “exceptionally well” as he is only 19 years of old while the Arnold Classic will be just the second tournament for Tancio after he finished second at the state qualifying event.
More than just training, each of the five Dubbo athletes have had to make a lifestyle commitment in order to be the best they can on stage.
“It’s 24/7,” Hughes said, having trained for 10 years.
“Every meal, every training session is recorded, how much water you drink. It all adds up and goes towards you being able to have the best physique on show.
“I don’t think people know what goes into it.”
As well as working towards competition, Hughes was keen to state how well conditioned he and his fellow athletes were.
Hughes went as far to say he’s never been in better shape or healthier in his life as he is right now at 37 years of age.
Dubbo has rarely sent more than one or two athletes to the Arnold Classic and Hughes said having five was “special”.
The event, named after Arnold Schwarzenegger, runs from Friday through to Sunday.