After a rookie International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB) campaign where he won the 2021 Arnold Classic, the 2021 New York Pro, and finished in fifth place at the 2021 Mr. Olympia — it’s easy to understand why Nick Walker seemingly brims with confidence these days.
He’s one of the best bodybuilders in the world and acts accordingly. His latest testimonial — roughly a month before he steps on stage at the next Olympia contest — is an example of a levelheaded star athlete putting himself in a focused competitive mindset.
On Nov. 7, 2022, Walker discussed his outlook for the 2022 Mr. Olympia with seven-time 212 Olympia champion James “Flex” Lewis on the latter’s YouTube channel. Among the more notable tidbits, Walker asserts his self-assurance, nutrition, training, and current thought process will make him the next Mr. Olympia.
As much as Walker has recently been fine-tuning his physique and getting set for a gauntlet of a field at the 2022 Olympia, he wasn’t always so laser-focused this year. In fact, Walker admitted to Lewis that the weight of high expectations started to bring him down almost immediately following the 2021 iteration of the Olympia. An ensuing and seemingly frustrating turn of events in the early off-season apparently somewhat led to Walker parting ways with his long-time coach Matt Jansen in summer 2022.
However, after Walker paid a visit to Jansen in Florida during the onset of Hurricane Ian in late September, the athlete noted that the two are now back together again. They have one singular mission: Winning the Olympia.
“It felt like home again,” Walker said of his reunion with Jansen. “Not so much being there [the visit itself] but just me and Matt [Jansen]. I always promised Matt, I said, ‘I’m going to start my [IFBB] Pro [League] career with you and I’m going to end it with you.’ I also promised him I’d be his first Mr. Olympia winner.”
A clear and ambitious mind appears to be what Walker carries with him now. When Lewis flatly asked the young bodybuilder if he’ll win the 2022 Mr. Olympia, Walker said yes. The confirmation wasn’t in the sense of a concrete guarantee, either. It was about a competitor believing they’re reaching their highest level of presentation and staying positive.
“Yes [I can win] 1000 percent. Everything I’ve said I was going to do, I’ve done it and I will be Mr. Olympia without a doubt,” Walker said. “I have a great support system for it, a great coach for it. Now I’m in the Dragon’s Lair. Who’s gonna stop me?”
Whether anyone can actually stop Walker this year remains to be seen. If he does indeed perform at his best, he could soon join a pantheon of worthy bodybuilding legends. The 2022 Mr. Olympia will take place on Dec. 16-18, 2022, in Las Vegas, NV.
Featured image: @nick_walker39 on Instagram
