COLUMBUS – For the 30th year, thousands of athletes will crowd into Columbus for four days of weight-lifting, posing, flexing, pickleball…
Wait – “pickleball?”
More on that in a minute.
The Arnold Sports Festival – March 1-4/Greater Columbus Convention Center, Ohio Expo Center and other venues. Events begin Thursday 10:00 a.m. and conclude Sunday 6:00 p.m. Arnold Fitness EXPO hours: Fri.-Sat. 9:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m.; Sun. 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Arnold SportsWorld Kids & Teens EXPO hours: Sat. 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.; Sun.10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Admission: $15/day in advance or $20 at door; children 14 and under free
The Arnold Sports Festival celebrates its 30th anniversary this year and is expected to attract 18,000 athletes and an estimated 200,000 fans who will watch them compete in 78 events, including new additions this year: axe throwing, body painting, equestrian, racquetball and pickleball, a paddle sport that combines elements of badminton, tennis, and table tennis, according to the sport’s Wikipedia entry. Two, three, or four players use solid paddles to hit a perforated ball, similar to a wiffle ball, over a net.
The expanded Arnold SportsWorld Kids & Teens EXPO (March 3-4 at the Ohio Expo Center) features archery, baton twirling, boxing, cheerleading, equestrian, gymnastics, martial arts, table tennis and XPC Powerlifting/POWER X.
The first Arnold Sports Festival USA was held in Columbus in 1989.