Gold’s Gym Classic Pro 2026 NPC & IFBB PRO LEAGUE
The 2026 Gold's Gym Classic was an incredibly exciting weekend of bodybuilding action on August 29th, 2026, where NPC athletes competed against IFBB Pro League athletes in Raleigh, North Carolina. It took place at the Raleigh Convention Center and comprised four divisions of the IFBB Pro League Classic Physique, Men's Physique, Bikini, and Fit Model - as well as both Open and Masters 40+ divisions.
The Gold's Gym Classic was particularly special since it was set up as one of the remaining chances for Olympia qualification in the 2026 season. Additionally, there was more significance for the more experienced competitors, as it was also a 2027 Masters Mr Olympia Qualifier. The presentation featured NPC bodybuilding, NPC women's bodybuilding, NPC men's physique, NPC women's physique, NPC classic physique, NPC figure, NPC bikini, NPC wellness, and NPC fit model categories, as well as other amateur categories.
MEN’S CLASSIC PHYSIQUE – OPEN
|
# |
NAME |
COUNTRY |
JUDGING |
TOTAL |
PLACE |
|
12 |
Samuel Paquin |
Canada |
3 |
3 |
1 |
|
14 |
Zack Romano |
USA |
6 |
6 |
2 |
|
11 |
Aaron Owens |
USA |
10 |
10 |
3 |
|
6 |
Damien Patrick |
USA |
11 |
11 |
4 |
|
15 |
Nicolas Thibault |
Canada |
15 |
15 |
5 |
|
9 |
Eddie Lusk |
USA |
18 |
18 |
6 |
|
7 |
Tom Cox |
USA |
21 |
21 |
7 |
|
13 |
Michael Reilly |
USA |
24 |
24 |
8 |
|
16 |
Zachary Tyler |
USA |
27 |
27 |
9 |
|
8 |
Keith Jenkins |
USA |
31 |
31 |
10 |
|
17 |
Montrey Walter |
USA |
32 |
32 |
11 |
|
10 |
Joseph Moore |
USA |
37 |
37 |
12 |
|
5 |
Ryan Kingarthur |
USA |
38 |
38 |
13 |
|
1 |
Rodrigo Coelho |
Brazil |
42 |
42 |
14 |
|
2 |
Raynard Esquilin |
USA |
45 |
45 |
15 |
MEN’S CLASSIC PHYSIQUE – MASTERS 40+
|
# |
NAME |
COUNTRY |
JUDGING |
TOTAL |
PLACE |
|
6 |
Damien Patrick |
USA |
3 |
3 |
1 |
|
5 |
Ryan Kingarthur |
USA |
6 |
6 |
2 |
|
4 |
Christopher Headley |
USA |
9 |
9 |
3 |
|
1 |
Rodrigo Coelho |
Brazil |
12 |
12 |
4 |
|
2 |
Raynard Esquilin |
USA |
15 |
15 |
5 |
|
3 |
Jeshan Fernando |
USA |
18 |
18 |
6 |
MEN’S PHYSIQUE – OPEN
|
# |
NAME |
COUNTRY |
JUDGING |
TOTAL |
PLACE |
|
36 |
Rafael Oliveira |
Brazil |
3 |
3 |
1 |
|
32 |
Emanual Hunter |
USA |
6 |
6 |
2 |
|
37 |
Alexander Rogers |
USA |
10 |
10 |
3 |
|
28 |
Emile Walker |
UK |
11 |
11 |
4 |
|
21 |
Stevelon Dennis |
USA |
15 |
15 |
5 |
|
35 |
Gage Moran |
USA |
18 |
18 |
6 |
|
34 |
Jacques Lewis |
USA |
22 |
22 |
7 |
|
22 |
Aj Ellison |
Canada |
23 |
23 |
8 |
|
19 |
Shaun Blokker |
USA |
28 |
28 |
9 |
|
33 |
Larry Johnson |
USA |
29 |
29 |
10 |
|
40 |
Dorian Vranjes |
Croatia |
33 |
33 |
11 |
|
30 |
Bartarius Gramling |
USA |
36 |
36 |
12 |
|
38 |
Mohammad Samardzic |
USA |
39 |
39 |
13 |
|
29 |
Marcus Wright |
USA |
42 |
42 |
14 |
|
23 |
Travis Grant |
USA |
45 |
45 |
15 |
|
18 |
Andre Anderson |
USA |
48 |
48 |
16 |
|
20 |
Jamel Brandon |
USA |
48 |
48 |
16 |
|
24 |
Dankat Keswet |
USA |
48 |
48 |
16 |
|
25 |
Michael Mckenzie Sr. |
USA |
48 |
48 |
16 |
|
27 |
David Sykes |
USA |
48 |
48 |
16 |
|
31 |
Ricardo Hamer |
USA |
48 |
48 |
16 |
|
39 |
Rodney Taylor |
USA |
48 |
48 |
16 |
MEN’S PHYSIQUE – MASTERS 40+
|
# |
NAME |
COUNTRY |
JUDGING |
TOTAL |
PLACE |
|
28 |
Emile Walker |
UK |
3 |
3 |
1 |
|
21 |
Stevelon Dennis |
USA |
6 |
6 |
2 |
|
22 |
Aj Ellison |
Canada |
10 |
10 |
3 |
|
19 |
Shaun Blokker |
USA |
11 |
11 |
4 |
|
29 |
Marcus Wright |
USA |
15 |
15 |
5 |
|
23 |
Travis Grant |
USA |
18 |
18 |
6 |
|
25 |
Michael McKenzie Sr. |
USA |
21 |
21 |
7 |
|
24 |
Dankat Keswet |
USA |
25 |
25 |
8 |
|
26 |
Adrian Smith |
USA |
26 |
26 |
9 |
|
20 |
Jamel Brandon |
USA |
30 |
30 |
10 |
|
18 |
Andre Anderson |
USA |
33 |
33 |
11 |
|
27 |
David Sykes |
USA |
36 |
36 |
12 |
WOMEN’S BIKINI – OPEN
|
# |
NAME |
COUNTRY |
JUDGING |
TOTAL |
PLACE |
|
55 |
Jordan Brannon |
USA |
3 |
3 |
1 |
|
58 |
Roxana Marquez |
Mexico |
7 |
7 |
2 |
|
56 |
Brittany Hamilton |
USA |
9 |
9 |
3 |
|
57 |
Adrianna Kaczmarek |
Poland |
11 |
11 |
4 |
|
59 |
Gemma Nanista |
USA |
15 |
15 |
5 |
|
45 |
Rachel Farganis |
USA |
18 |
18 |
6 |
|
62 |
Kasey Wilson |
USA |
21 |
21 |
7 |
|
51 |
Angel Sun |
Canada |
24 |
24 |
8 |
|
43 |
Jenn Courim |
USA |
27 |
27 |
9 |
|
53 |
Gina Switzeny |
Canada |
30 |
30 |
10 |
|
61 |
Tamika Robinson |
USA |
33 |
33 |
11 |
|
52 |
Cheryl Sweeney |
USA |
36 |
36 |
12 |
|
42 |
Gigi Amurao |
USA |
39 |
39 |
13 |
|
47 |
Jill Humphrey |
USA |
42 |
42 |
14 |
|
63 |
Kenea Yancey |
USA |
45 |
45 |
15 |
|
44 |
Lindsey Etheridge |
USA |
48 |
48 |
16 |
|
60 |
Amber Pacholok |
USA |
48 |
48 |
16 |
WOMEN’S BIKINI – MASTERS 40+
|
# |
NAME |
COUNTRY |
JUDGING |
TOTAL |
PLACE |
|
45 |
Rachel Farganis |
USA |
3 |
3 |
1 |
|
51 |
Angel Sun |
Canada |
6 |
6 |
2 |
|
43 |
Jenn Courim |
USA |
9 |
9 |
3 |
|
53 |
Gina Switzeny |
Canada |
12 |
12 |
4 |
|
52 |
Cheryl Sweeney |
USA |
15 |
15 |
5 |
|
42 |
Gigi Amurao |
USA |
18 |
18 |
6 |
|
47 |
Jill Humphrey |
USA |
21 |
21 |
7 |
|
50 |
Jennifer Stanley |
USA |
24 |
24 |
8 |
|
44 |
Lindsey Etheridge |
USA |
26 |
26 |
9 |
|
49 |
Bianca Metzger |
USA |
31 |
31 |
10 |
|
48 |
Pamela John |
USA |
32 |
32 |
11 |
|
46 |
Mignon Hamilton |
USA |
36 |
36 |
12 |
|
54 |
Lee Uri |
USA |
39 |
39 |
13 |
WOMEN’S FIT MODEL – OPEN
|
# |
NAME |
COUNTRY |
JUDGING |
TOTAL |
PLACE |
|
76 |
Phuong Pearl Nguyen |
Vietnam |
4 |
4 |
1 |
|
78 |
Kristen Reilly |
USA |
5 |
5 |
2 |
|
75 |
Lindsay Martens |
Canada |
10 |
10 |
3 |
|
74 |
Marina Maliden |
Israel |
11 |
11 |
4 |
|
72 |
Kassandra Enriquez |
USA |
16 |
16 |
5 |
|
73 |
Myra Golloso |
Philippines |
17 |
17 |
6 |
|
77 |
Luisa Sofia Ramirez Carmona |
Mexico |
21 |
21 |
7 |
|
68 |
Ebony Alvarado |
USA |
24 |
24 |
8 |
|
64 |
Sarah Brown |
USA |
27 |
27 |
9 |
|
69 |
Shea Clark |
USA |
30 |
30 |
10 |
|
81 |
Veronica Turla |
USA |
33 |
33 |
11 |
|
80 |
Guljahon Turdikulova |
Uzbekistan |
36 |
36 |
12 |
|
71 |
Melanie Denick |
USA |
40 |
40 |
13 |
|
79 |
Kayla Truluck |
USA |
41 |
41 |
14 |
|
70 |
Alexa Corrales |
Costa Rica |
45 |
45 |
15 |
|
65 |
Kasey Gartner |
USA |
48 |
48 |
16 |
WOMEN’S FIT MODEL – MASTERS 40+
|
# |
NAME |
COUNTRY |
JUDGING |
TOTAL |
PLACE |
|
64 |
Sarah Brown |
USA |
3 |
3 |
1 |
|
67 |
Kate Orara |
USA |
6 |
6 |
2 |
|
66 |
Miriam Jenkins |
USA |
9 |
9 |
3 |
|
65 |
Kasey Gartner |
USA |
12 |
12 |
4 |
Event Highlights
The international representation at every level of the professional divisions was another big story in Raleigh. The IFBB Pro stage represented countries such as Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Poland, the UK, Vietnam, Israel, the Philippines, Uzbekistan, Costa Rica, and Croatia. There was some significant prize money involved, too.
The overall prize money for the four Open divisions was $10,000, $7,000, $6,000 and $4,000, respectively, according to the Gold’s Gym Classic event info. In addition, the NPC side provided amateur bodybuilders and athletes a chance to show off their muscles in many different bodybuilding and physique divisions, making the Gold's Gym Classic one of the biggest weekend sporting events for the amateur bodybuilder/athlete.
Final Thoughts
The 2026 Gold's Gym Classic Pro was an action-packed finish to the late-season IFBB Pro League calendar in Raleigh. The Classic Physique Competition took a turn for the Classic, with Samuel Paquin claiming the title; Rafael Oliveira went on to win the Men's Physique; Jordan Brannon won Bikini; and Phuong Pearl Nguyen won the title of the Fit Model.
The Gold's Gym Classic was more than just a professional show with NPC amateur sections, IFBB Pro League Open divisions, and Masters 40+ divisions. The event was a bodybuilding extravaganza featuring beginners, pros, and old-timers all in the same place. The 2026 Gold's Gym Classic was also one of the last big sledding events of the season, as the qualification deadline was right after the show. The victors from Raleigh now take their trophies with them, and the bodybuilding haven of the world shifts focus towards the 2026 Olympia.