Bodybuilding

There is a new Mr. Olympia and his name is Derek Lunsford.

One year after finishing in the runner-up spot, made history by not only winning the Sandow Trophy but by becoming the first bodybuilder to ever win two different divisions.

The 2021 212 winner bested last year's champion, Hadi Choopan, to win this year's competition, swapping finishing positions from 2022.

Where did the other top performers rank and how much were this year's payouts to the winner and his runners-up?

Find out with this recap of the event.

2023 Mr. Olympia Results and Prize Money

1. Derek Lunsford ($400,000)
2. Hadi Choopan ($150,000)
3. Samson Dauda ($100,000)
4. Brandon Curry ($40,000)
5. Andrew Jacked ($35,000)

The announcement of Lunsford as this year's winner was not without controversy as last year's victor, Choopan, left the stage early upon learning that he would not be repeating as Mr. Olympia.

Be it out of frustration or disappointment, it is a moment that the respected Choopan is going to have to answer for eventually.

It was apparent even in the prejudging round that the competition would likely come down to Lunsford, Choopan, and Samson Dauda and that is exactly what happened, with the latter taking third place in the 2023 event.

It should be of no real surprise to anyone if, a year from now, we are right back here discussing the same three battling for the Sandow Trophy.

Choopan and Lunsford are at the top of their game and barring injury or any other unfortunate development, should be able to find their way back to this stage again. Dauda may be the biggest X-factor.

He moved up three spots from his finish a year ago and looks like a competitor nearing peak form.

Nick Walker missed this year's event and should be back in 2024, but he will return to a field of bodybuilders who were in as good a shape as any three could have expected to have been.

Lunsford was unstoppable in 2023, winning the People's Choice Award to go along with his trophy. Given his performance this year, and the history he has already made, there is no reason to believe he cannot run it back.

Derek Lunsford was named 2023 Mr. Olympia on Saturday night at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida.

In bodybuilding's most prestigious event, Lunsford came out on top.

After finishing second in 2022, Lunsford was once again in a two-man race between himself and Hadi Choopan. Choopan was last year's winner, as "The Persian Wolf" became the first Iranian to take the top prize at this event.

Both Lunsford and Choopan were among the top three in the final callout during the pre-judging round.

Mamdouh "Big Ramy" Elssbiay, who was named Mr. Olympia in 2020 and 2021, did not participate. Elssbiay's last show was the 2023 Arnold Classic, an event in which he finished in fourth place.

Lunsford became the first athlete to secure Olympia titles across multiple divisions, having previously been named Olympia 212 winner in 2021. He also took home the 2023 People's Olympia Champ award.

Here are the final results and payouts in the men's open division, per Generation Iron.

1. Derek Lunsford ($400,000)
2. Hadi Choopan ($150,000)
3. Samson Dauda ($100,000)
4. Brandon Curry ($40,000)
5. Andrew Jacked ($35,000)
6. Hunter Labrada
7. Michal Krizo
8. Tonio Burton
9. Regan Grimes
10. Charles Griffen

Choopan's second place finish was still impressive, as his performance clearly impressed the judges despite not being enough to top Lunsford.

Samson Dauda's third-place finish was also commendable, as the 31-year old improved upon a sixth-place result in 2022.

However, the star of the night is obviously Lunsford. After making the move to the Men's Open division in 2022, he immediately proved himself to be one of the best. On Saturday night, he finally showed that he's worthy of bodybuilding's most distinguished honor.

Hadi Choopan arrived in Orlando Saturday looking to make it two Mr. Olympia titles in a row.

The former 212 competitor had transitioned into the Men's Open division in 2019 and worked for years to perfect his body in pursuit of the coveted Sandow Trophy.

In 2022, he accomplished his lifelong dream, openly crying as he accepted his prize.

Choopan faced a competitive field Saturday night at the Orange County Convention Center that included the runner-up from a year ago, his toughest competitor, Derek Lunsford.

Was he able to run it back or did Lunsford, his dreams dashed in Las Vegas, emerge victoriously on bodybuilding's most prestigious night?

2023 Mr. Olympia Results and Prize Money

1. Derek Lunsford ($400,000)
2. Hadi Choopan ($150,000)
3. Samson Dauda ($100,000)
4. Brandon Curry ($40,000)
5. Andrew Jacked ($35,000)

Results and prize money via Fitness Volt.

Lunsford became the first double champ in Mr. Olympia history, having won both the 212 and Sandow trophies by way of his victory Saturday.

A close competition saw last year's runner-up propel himself to the No. 1 spot and a People's Choice Award put the exclamation point on a momentous 2023 event.

Choopan swapped places with Lunsford, failing to the second-place position. His performance was on par with last year's, but his toughest competitor showed up and showed out, leaving no doubt as to who the championship bodybuilder was in this event.

On the heels of an impressive first showing in 2022, "Nigerian Lion" Samson Dauda rose four spots from his previous finish to the No. 3 position. Should stay on track over the next year and continue to show the same evolution as a performer, it is not a stretch to suggest that he may be the next first-timer to hoist the Sandow trophy.

Veteran Brandon Curry, at age 41, retained his fourth-place finish from a year ago.

The Super Bowl of bodybuilding is ready to crown a new champion as Mr. Olympia 2023 wraps up Saturday with all of its marquee competitions set to take place at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida.

All eyes and targets will be fixed squarely on the broad and tanned back of reigning champion Hadi Choopan, who became the competition's first-ever champion from Iran in 2022, as he was heads and shoulders ahead of everybody else in the field.

Choopan won't have an easy road to a title defense, however, as he'll once again have to outclass and outlast a loaded field of competitors.

Dereck Lunsford and Nick Walker, who placed second and third in 2022, respectively, will both be back with a vengeance as they eye their first Mr. Olympia title. Former champion Brandon Curry will also be in the mix.

The 2019 winner finished in fourth last year and will be looking to get back on top.

Of those challengers it appears that Lunsford is the favorite to take the leap to bodybuilding immortality and win the $400,000 grand prize.

Eight-time champion Ronnie Coleman doesn't believe that Choopan will be able to defend his title and thinks that Lunsford is primed for an upset win in Orlando.

"It's going to be one of the biggest upsets in the sport of bodybuilding ever," Coleman said via BarBend's Terry Ramos.

Mr. Olympia pre-judging occurred Friday night, setting the stage for the biggest night in bodybuilding.

Here's the schedule for the remaining events at Mr. Olympia.

Remaining Event Schedule for Saturday, November 4

Beginning at 7 p.m. ET, Finals for:

• Mr. Olympia
• Men's Physique Olympia
• Bikini Olympia
• Classic Physique Olympia

Full schedule can be found on the Mr. Olympia Official Site.

Past Winners and Preview

While this year's field is still ultra-talented, there is one very notable name that won't be competing.

Two-time champion and one of the greats of this generation, Ramy "Big Ramy" Elssbiay announced back in September that he wouldn't be able to attend Mr. Olympia due to ongoing elbow problems.

Elssbiay was the favorite to three-peat in 2022 before losing out to Choopan. The 39-year-old was certainly viewed as one of the top contenders this time around but will have to wait a bit longer to enter the sacred ground of three-time champs.

"We are working towards improving ourselves for future shows, so I believe it is the best choice for me right now," Elsbbiay said.

At two titles, Elssbiay is tied with Franco Columbu and Larry Scott for the ninth-most in history. Ronnie Coleman and Lee Haney are the record holders at eight championships apiece.

Some other legends of the event include Arnold Schwarzenegger (7 titles), Phil Heath (7), Dorian Yates (6), Jay Cutler (4), Frank Zane (3) and Sergio Oliva (3).

And now, Choopan will have an opportunity to enter some of that company if he's able to go back-to-back on Saturday night.

Or there could be another legend in the making that begins to write their own story.

Mika Sihvonen successfully defended his crown in the IFBB Elite Pro World Championships at the 2023 Arnold Classic Europe on Saturday.

Sihvonen fended off Eddy Wilson to win the men's bodybuilding competition for the second straight year, per Evolution of Bodybuilding.

Here are the major winners from the weekend:

Arnold Classic Europe Winners

• Bodybuilding: Mika Sihvonen (Finland) 
• Men's Physique: Dmytro Horobets (United States) 
• Classic Physique: Yuri Valentim (Angola) 
• Women's Bikini Fitness: Marina Mocanu (Czech Republic)
• Women's Bodyfitness: Alina Yaman (Ukraine)

Wilson did his best to dethrone Sihvonen, and he's unlikely to come away disappointed from a runner-up finish. Coming out on top against the 50-year-old only burnishes Sihvonen's reputation on the biggest stage.

In the men's physique competition, Dmytro Horobets extended his reign of dominance and won his fourth straight title. He has collected seven total trophies across the Arnold Classic in Europe and Africa.

Thierry Bayala was the runner-up to Horobets for the first three of those triumphs. Without Bayala in the field, Isaac Ebagnilin improved upon his third-place position in 2022 and wound up second behind Horobets.

Carrying on the theme, Alina Yaman went back to back in women's bodyfitness, besting countrywoman Alla Matsehora. Ulia Shykula, who was the 2022 runner-up, had to settle for third place.

The 35th Arnold Sports Festival came to a close Sunday at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, Ohio. The event saw some of the world's best bodybuilding and weightlifting athletes compete over four days.

While some of the bigger competitions, such as the strongman/strongwoman and the Arnold Classic, already passed, Sunday still had plenty of exciting moments that showed off incredible feats of strength.

Sunday's headliner was the ROGUE Record Breakers event.

Started in 2015, ROGUE Record Breakers is a series that has athletes participate in unique competitions to show off their strength and attempt to break the event's previous record.

If any of the participants break records—as several did Sunday—they get to take home a cash prize.

Here are the full results from Sunday.

Dinnie Stone Walk:

• Kevin Faires sets record of 31'7".

Dinnie Stone Hold:

• Gabi Dixson sets record of 6.86 seconds.

Thor's Hammer Hold (M):

• Trey Mitchell sets record of 63 seconds.

Thor's Hammer Hold (W):

• Gabi Dixson sets record of 49.15 seconds.

Stone over Bar:

• Trey Mitchell sets record of five reps.

Mitchell and Dixson were clearly the biggest winners of the day, setting two records apiece. It was a particularly good day for Mitchell, who redeemed himself after coming up just shy of the podium in the Arnold Strongman Classic.

Mitchell led the ASC for the majority of the event, but a bad performance in the Timber Frame Carry cost him a spot in the top three. He ended up beating ASC winner Mitchell Hooper in the hammer hold event, so he got some revenge.

Mitchell beat his own previous record of a 60.72-second hold of the 65-pound hammer.

Dixson was dominant as well, winning the Dinnie stone hold and the hammer hold. She shattered the previous Dinnie stone record of 1.33 seconds set last year by Chloe Brennan.

She beat out Nadia Stowers, who set the record first with 5.69 seconds before being topped.

Meanwhile, Faires beat his own record in the Dinnie stone walk, which he set last year. He beat his previous record, 25'8" by a wide margin.

It was a loaded docket Saturday at the 35th Arnold Sports Festival in Columbus, Ohio. The penultimate day of the event featured some of the most anticipated competitions of the entire festival, namely men's Physique, the Arnold Classic and the bikini international.

The Arnold Classic is one of the premier bodybuilding competitions in the world. This year's event includes some of the best athletes in the history of bodybuilding. It is headlined by two-time champion William "The Conqueror" Bonac.

Nick Walker, the 2021 Arnold Classic winner and two-time Mr. Olympia champion Mamdouh Elssbiay also competed.

Samson Dauda won the Arnold Classic, while Erin Banks won the men's physique, going back-to-back. Lauralie Chapados took home the bikini international crown for the second consecutive year as well.

Here are the results from some of Saturday's main events.

Arnold Classic:

• First Place: Samson Dauda
• Second Place: Nick Walker
• Third Place: Chinedu Andrew Obiekea
• Fourth Place: Mamdouh Elssbiay
• Fifth Place: Shaun Clarida
• Sixth Place: Akim Williams
• Seventh Place: William Bonac
• Eighth Place: Justin Rodriguez
• Ninth Place: Kamal Elgargni
• Tenth Place: Patrick Moore

Men's Physique:

• First Place: Erin Banks
• Second Place: Diogo Montenegro
• Third Place: Emanual Hunter
• Fourth Place: Vitor Chaves
• Fifth Place: Carlos DeOliveira
• Sixth Place: Edvan Ferreira Palmeira

Bikini International:

• First Place: Lauralie Chapados
• Second Place: Maureen Blanquisco
• Third Place: Jennifer Dorie
• Fourth Place: Ashley Kaltwasser
• Fifth Place: Romina Basualdo
• Sixth Place: Ivanna Escandar

Pro Wheelchair:

• First Place: Harold Kelley
• Second Place: Tory Jones
• Third Place: Bradley Betts
• Fourth Place: Woody Belfort
• Fifth Place: James Berger
• Sixth Place: Tim Caldwell

Arnold Strongwoman Classic:

• First Place: Victoria Long 
• Second Place: Rebecca Roberts 
• Third Place: Andrea Thompson 
• Fourth Place: Olga Liashchuk 
• Fifth Place: Inez Carrasquillo
• Sixth Place: Donna Moore
• Seventh Place: Samantha Belliveau 
• Eighth Place: Melissa Peacock
• Ninth Place: Hannah Linzay 
• Tenth Place: Tamara Walcott

Arnold Strongman Classic:

• First Place: Mitchell Hooper 
• Second Place: Mateusz Kieliszkowski 
• Third Place: Bobby Thompson 
• Fourth Place: Trey Mitchell 
• Fifth Place: Tom Evans
• Sixth Place: Pavlo Nakonechnyy
• Seventh Place: Tom Stoltman 
• Eighth Place: Rob Kearney 
• Ninth Place: Kevin Faires
• Tenth Place: Luke Stoltman

As last year's winner, Brandon Curry, was not competing in the 2023 edition of the competition, a fresh Arnold Classic Champion was set to be crowned. Dauda stood out among the rest, taking home the $300,00 prize and the competition's trophy.

The Arnold Classic's prejudging took place early Saturday morning and was quite the spectacle as Walker, Dauda and Chinedu Andrew Obiekea all made the final round.

Obiekea ended up winning the best poser award, while Walker won the most muscular.

Meanwhile, Banks and Chapados continued their dominance in their respective divisions, defending their titles and looking like favorites going into other competitions later in the year.

The 35th Arnold Sports Festival continued Friday from the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, Ohio. The event welcomed thousands of events for different sports and competitions including weightlifting, bodybuilding, strongman competitions, martial arts and gymnastics.

It will feature over 60 sports and events this year with an estimated 12,000 athletes from all over the world attending to compete.

The festival is named after legendary bodybuilder, actor and politician Arnold Schwarzenegger, who is a co-founder of the event.

A few of the festivals main events took place Friday night namely the class physique, fitness international, wellness international. The classic physique is one of the most prestigious competitions in all of bodybuilding.

Ariel Khadr defended her title and the won fitness international while Kassandra Gillis took home wellness international. Ramon Rocha Queiroz won his first classic physique title, earning himself the biggest prize of the night.

The full results are below:

Fitness International Results:

• First Place: Ariel Khadr
• Second Place: Jaclyn Baker
• Third Place: Michelle Freda-Mensah
• Fourth Place: Allison Kramer
• Fifth Place: Terra Plum
• Sixth Place: Tiffany Chandler

Wellness International Results:

• First Place: Kassandra Gillis
• Second Place: Angela Borges
• Third Place: Rayane Fogal
• Fourth Place: Alexis Adams
• Fifth Place: Marissa Andrews
• Sixth Place: Andrea Hrenko

Classic Physique Results:

• First Place:  Ramon Rocha Queiroz
• Second Place: Urs Kalecinski
• Third Place: Alex Cambronero
• Fourth Place: Mike Sommerfeld
• Fifth Place: Courage Opara
• Sixth Place: Junior Javorski

Khadr has now solidified herself as one of the best of the game with back-to-back titles and will look to take over the top title at Olympia 2023 where she'll again look to unseat Missy Truscott, who she upset at the Arnold Sports Festival last year.

A finalist at Olympia 2022, Gillis was able to finally get to the mountaintop and knock out Angela Borges, who she lost out to in December.

Much like Gillis, Queiroz was able to come back from a loss at Olympia, where he finished second after losing to Chris Bumstead, who has won four-consecutive titles. Queiroz rode a big lead that he earned in prejudging all the way to a win, edging out Urs Kalecinski.

The annual Mr. Olympia bodybuilding competition ended with an upset of sorts on Saturday night with Hadi Choopan earning first place and the prestigious Sandow Trophy.

Going into the event, it was easy to predict Mamdouh "Big Ramy" Elssbiay would take down his third in a row in a sport defined by massive runs, most recently by Phil Heath, Jay Cutler and Ronnie Coleman.

Instead, Choopan sported unbeatable conditioning and waist control for his size and took home the top spot at Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.

The final five, where Elssbiay just clung to the last spot:

1. Hadi Choopan
2.  Derek Lunsford
   
3. Nick Walker
   
4. Brandon Curry
   
5. Mamdouh Elssibay
   

As for prize money payouts, Elssibay took home $400,000 a year ago. Second place got $150,000 and third $100,000. This year's entire event purse was $1.6 million, a tick higher than the previous record number, so the payouts will be similar (the purse is split between all competitions, not just Mr. Olympia).

It's all about Choopan in the aftermath, though. He finished third at the contest last year and didn't occupy the biggest spotlight going into this event.

Wildly enough, it was Big Ramy himself who predicted Choopan would finish second behind him before the competition during an interview with Ronnie Coleman (h/t Vishnu Mohan of Sportskeeda): "I don't like to talk about myself, but I can say for the other people. I can say Hadi [Choopan], he will be fine. And also Brandon [Curry] — he will be dangerous. It's the most exciting show I think in the history because I think nobody knows who is going to win."

Besides Elssbiay, the spotlight tended to focus on Brandon Curry, the winner in 2019 who finished as a runner-up in 2020 before taking a one-year hiatus. A showdown once more with Elssibay was a natural top storyline before both finished outside the top three.

Going into the event, Nick Walker was also a favorite after drumming up some serious momentum at the 2021 Arnold Classic.

Derek Lunsford was a big upset in his own right. He occupied the center next to Choopan during comparison rounds late in the contest, sending Elssibay to the side—a stunning indication to onlookers that an upset was about to unfold. Saturday night, the drama shifted away from whether Elssibay would repeat and more to whether it would be Choopan or Lunsford taking the top spot on the podium.

Lunsford's story is wild as well. He was the Men's 212 Olympia champion in 2021, so his ascent has been swift and telling. The groundwork for a Lunsford-Choopan is now there and could be the sport's next big rivalry.

Choopan, by far one of the best stories in modern pro bodybuilding, immediately used his newfound platform, too:

So completes a stunning arc for Choopan, who just brought the best physique of his career to the most important event of his career. He first popped onto the scene in the 212 division in 2017 and quickly had noteworthy battles with the likes of Flex Lewis.

In 2019, Choopan overcame consistent visa issues at the last moment, arriving just before the competition that year—yet finished in third place anyway.

Fast foward a few years, Choopan has ascended all the way to the top of the sport amid a 2022 class generally agreed upon as one of the best and deepest in a long time for the sport.

In hindsight, Choopan's triumph on Saturday might go down as the beginning of something much, much bigger as the possible start of the Choopan era.