2005 Arnold Martial Arts Festival

During the weekend of March 4th through March 6th, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger held the annual Arnold Martial Arts Festival at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, Ohio. The Festival was part of a full weekend of the Arnold Classic Fitness Expo, which gathered the top professionals in all areas of health and fitness, including body building, gymnastics, fencing, yoga, cheerleading, table tennis, personal training, and more. The Martial Arts Festival, which is hailed as the “World’s Largest Martial Arts Multi-Discipline Extravaganza”, was held in one of the large halls of the convention center and contained around 47 rings, including a full-sized boxing-ring, to support the competitors of various disciplines of martial arts, which included Akido, Breaking, Gracies Jiu Jitsu, Hapkido, Judo, Kali, Karate, Kendo, Sanshou, Tae Kwan Do and, of course, Chinese Martial Arts. Among the competitors were several celebrities and famous martial artists such as Wesley Snipes, Don “the Dragon” Wilson, Bill “Superfoot” Wallace, Bob Wall, Cung Le, Frank Shamrock and many others.

Alex Whitlow competed in the Juniors Division of the Chinese Martial Arts. Alex’s primary competition was against the competitor’s of the wushu team from Hefei, China. Alex captured three gold medals in northern longfist, southern fist and staff, a silver medal in broadsword and was named the Junior All-Around Champion. This is the second All-Around Champion award won this year by Alex, in as many tries, as he also won the Junior Wushu All Around Champion award at the Southern California Chinese Martial Arts Tournament in Anaheim, California that took place on January 15th earlier this year.


Alex holding All Around Champion trophy with Head Judge Sifu Nick Gracenin.


Alex with motion picture action movie star Wesley Snipes.


Alex with members of the Hefei Wushu Team from China.