Wallace Dorasamy Prepares for Arnold Classic Ohio Bodybuilding Competition
VICTORIA, Seychelles — Seychelles bodybuilding champion Wallace Dorasamy is preparing for the biggest challenge of his career at the Arnold Sports Festival in Columbus, Ohio, scheduled from March 5 to 8, becoming the first Seychellois bodybuilder to compete at what is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious fitness and bodybuilding events in the world. Dorasamy, who was named the country’s best male athlete of the year, follows in the footsteps of his father, legendary St Louis and Seychelles international striker Bernard Dorasamy, who was crowned best male athlete in 1988, making the pair the only parent and child duo to achieve this distinction in Seychelles sporting history.
Dorasamy’s participation carries symbolic importance for a small island nation often overlooked on the global sporting stage, demonstrating that talent, discipline, and unwavering faith can rise from even the smallest nations to compete against the world’s elite. His appearance at the Arnold Classic Ohio represents a statement that Seychellois athletes are capable of reaching international platforms traditionally dominated by larger countries with far greater resources.
His journey to the elite of bodybuilding began unexpectedly in 2010 when a serious knee injury sustained while playing football for St Michel United required surgery and a long rehabilitation period, during which weight training was prescribed as part of his recovery. What began as a clinical exercise regimen gradually transformed into a passion, with the gym becoming a place where setbacks were conquered and a new ambition was born. He stepped onto the bodybuilding stage for the first time in 2015 and has since claimed gold at the British Championship Pro Qualifier in Manchester and at a Pro Qualifier in Cape Town, South Africa, each time in the Bodybuilding Open Class, while also earning a silver medal in Classic Physique in Manchester.
The Arnold Sports Festival, founded in 1989 by Arnold Schwarzenegger and promoter Jim Lorimer, features elite athletes from the International Fitness and Bodybuilding Federation Pro League across divisions including classic physique, men’s open, fitness international, figure, and bikini, alongside the renowned Arnold Strongman Classic. Hundreds of amateur athletes compete across multiple categories at the Greater Columbus Convention Center, making the festival one of the most diverse sporting weekends in the United States.
Dorasamy expressed deep gratitude to his support network, including his father Bernard, his partner and fellow competitor Tara De La Fontaine, who will herself make her international debut in the Open Class Figure competition in Ohio, and his professional coach Jamie Dorego. He also thanked sponsors, supporters, and organisations that have assisted him along the way, noting that every achievement is as much a testament to this network as to his own dedication.
Dorasamy’s story, from a football pitch injury to one of the world’s greatest bodybuilding stages, is a reminder that adversity can redirect individuals toward their true path.
