On Jan. 12, 2023, Bumstead posted a video on his Instagram revealing he tore his right biceps muscle roughly three days before the beginning of the 2022 Olympia contest. Despite such a potentially massive setback, Bumstead persevered to victory, but it wasn’t exactly how he had planned.

Per Bumstead’s testimonial, he didn’t even notice anything was wrong with his arm until the morning of Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2022, three days before he was expected to step on stage. The superstar athlete said he felt “a little bit of pain” before his own personal weigh-ins but wasn’t initially sure what the issue was. The ensuing day, the Thursday before the start of the 2022 Olympia, Bumstead’s pain apparently grew, especially while posing. By Friday evening, the pain in his arm was so intense Bumstead avoided posing as much as he could. After all, his callouts and the Classic Physique Finals were scheduled on that Saturday, and he had to conserve energy where possible.

For this young titan, it became both a physical and mental journey through adversity. Given the high expectations and pressure he placed on himself, this biceps injury at the near-last moment was understandably not a welcome obstacle.

” … So we went on stage for prejudging and I still felt really good and I still felt confident,” Bumstead said. “My physique was great but I kept just thinking that here is this great physique I’ve built, probably the greatest package I ever brought to the stage, but my arm. Everybody is going to be seeing me and go like, ‘Why does his arm not look right?’ I just couldn’t get that out of my head. It was something that was pulling me out of the moment.”

Despite his insecurity over an injury that ultimately didn’t preclude him from another Classic Physique Olympia title, Bumstead did his best to keep his eye on the prize. He had to take a step back and ensure his mind was in the right place before doing the seemingly impossible — winning a fitness posing competition with one body part that might not have looked or performed “right.”

The way the best of champions do.

“I had one of my ‘C-Bum’ moments in the bathroom, crying,” Bumstead revealed on the day of the Classic Physique Olympia. “I got on my knees in front of this mirror and I looked at myself. I was just like, ‘What’s going on, man? … All this work you’ve put in, all the effort you’ve put into this, all the love you have for this, the years and many times you’ve done this. And you’re stressing about it now? … All the fans and friends who’ve supported you, who are excited to be here. You should be excited for that. Not even ‘you should,’ but that you get the opportunity to be here and enjoy this. … This is a privilege and a blessing to be here. I’m going to choose to enjoy this.’”

From there, Bumstead’s promise to himself to enjoy the moment of standing under the Las Vegas, NV, stage spotlight paid off. By keeping a positive, competitive mindset, he clarified he could compartmentalize a torn muscle that might have otherwise dragged him down. Per Bumstead, if one looks closely at him after stepping off the stage during the Classic Physique Finals, the emotion of enduring the pain and stress from his injured biceps was evident, too, even if he tried his best to hide it.

“We went out there, had fun, crushed it, and it was just a proud moment of myself,” Bumstead said. “It’s also why you see that clip of me getting off stage and just bawling my eyes out. Because it was all the pressure, expectation, stress, getting on stage, being on my mind all day, battling it. All of the ups and downs all day, then I was able to pull it together, be there and enjoy it, and bring home the win.”

These days, roughly a month after the latest bright moment of his illustrious, growing career, Bumstead explained that his biceps tear wasn’t actually too severe. In fact, it doesn’t seem it’ll interrupt much of his training plans as he works toward a fifth consecutive championship in 2023.

He just has to be patient and take his time first.

“An update on my bicep now, it’s only mildly torn, it’s not off the insertion or the origin. It’s just in the muscle belly, so it’s really not that bad,” Bumstead said. “They [medical professionals] said six to eight weeks to recover. I’m stubborn, so I’m going to say five to six weeks on that one. But I haven’t trained back or biceps. I really haven’t trained at all in four weeks. I’m just letting it heal, letting it recover, keeping down inflammation.”

Featured image: @cbum on Instagram

The post Chris Bumstead Won Fourth Straight Classic Physique Olympia With Torn Biceps Muscle appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

On Jan. 9, 2023, Labrada appeared in a video on Iron World’s YouTube channel to personally recap his 2022 Olympia journey. Amidst a performance he clearly wasn’t happy with, Labrada discussed the emotions behind it and alluded to what’s next as he looks to rebound in 2023.

Labrada’s seventh-place result at the 2022 Olympia bothered him so much that he maintained he was staying away from social media platforms to avoid getting caught up in any discussion about the contest. In addition, the athlete usually makes a point to regularly share some sort of training or nutritional video on his YouTube channel. At the time of this writing, he has not posted anything there since Dec. 23, 2022.

“I have been off social media,” Labrada said. “I haven’t been shooting YouTube videos. I have been seeing my family and friends and keeping to myself because it shouldn’t come as a surprise to any of y’all by now, but I did not do what I was planning on doing at the Olympia this year. This is going to be the first time I kind of unpack that.” 

Because he placed in seventh, and with the International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness’s (IFBB) recent changes to its qualification system, Labrada no longer has an automatic berth in the 2023 Olympia. As a result, he shared that he expects to compete in at least two sanctioned IFBB Pro League contests before the next Olympia to try and earn his keep. He did not share which competitions he will aim to participate in before the 2023 Olympia occurs sometime in Nov. 2023 in Orlando, FL.

Perhaps more importantly, Labrada disclosed he’d use the new competitive opportunities to try and figure out where he stands physically after apparently messing something up in his final Olympia prep.

” … Regardless, if I win the first one [contests), which I am going to do,” Labrada said. “The fact of the matter is I need to figure my peak out. We have a very good idea of where we went wrong in those final five days.” 

Despite his most recent shortcoming, Labrada seemed optimistic about the future. As much as his 2022 Olympia performance bothered him, he has his eye on the prize in 2023.

“I’m really confident heading into this year,” Labrada said. I”n addition to that confidence heading into this year, I’m [expletive] pissed off, man. I put this timer up in my gym and worked every day for 342 days from last year’s Olympia [2021] to this Olympia. I came up short. Plain and simple. I came up short of what I wanted to do. At the end of the day, this is something I’ve always really preached throughout my preps, is to keep your peace of mind.”

Regardless of what happens next for Labrada, his positive mindset will likely serve him well. He might even channel his apparent shame over what happened at the 2022 Olympia into focused, quality energy as motivation.

“How you respond to adversity is what really makes you,” Labrada said. “I will never forget that [expletive] feeling of that first callout being called and me not being in it. It was in front of God knows how many people.” ” … I’m going to show you a much different Hunter at the two Pro shows I do and at the Olympia because I am going to qualify this year.”

Featured image: @hunterlabrada on Instagram

The post Hunter Labrada Reflects on Disappointing 2022 Olympia, Will Be More Active in 2023 appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

On Jan. 1, 2023, Walker appeared in a YouTube podcast episode of The Mutant & The Mouth. The discussion saw him reflect on his 2022 Olympia performance and look ahead to potentially completing his ascent to the top of bodybuilding’s highest peak in 2023. (Note: There is NSFW language in the video.)

Walker doesn’t mince his words about his performance. In a frank assessment, the athlete admits he was pleased with his third-place result but thinks he probably should’ve and could’ve finished even higher in an ideal set-up. At the same time, he acknowledged that he, Derek Lunsford (second place), and Choopan might be duking it out at the top of the current Olympia pantheon for a little while. That is unless rising stars like Samson Dauda (sixth place) and Andrew Jacked (eighth place) break up the party.

“I’m very happy I took third [place],” Walker explained. “But I think, as an overall package, I think I could have been second. Derek [Lunsford], Hadi [Choopan], and I will probably be battling this out for years unless Samson [Dauda] comes out of the woodwork or if Andrew [Jacked] nails it one time. I do believe us three will be there for quite some time.”

It’s the latter two competitors in Dauda and Jacked that Walker seemed surprised by. The pair made enough of an impression on Walker for him to believe they could make some real noise with the proper refinements over the next approximate year.

“I arguably could have probably had Samson [Dauda] beating Ramy [Elssbiay] to be honest,” Walker said. “Samson’s a freak. I’m definitely excited to see what he can do at the Arnold [the Arnold Classic in March 2023], and what he can do at next year’s Olympia [in November 2023]. My personal opinion of Samson is I think he should sit out the Arnold and focus on making more improvements for the Olympia. He could cause a lot of havoc. His only downfall was he wasn’t conditioned enough. … Andrew [Jacked] made us look like amateurs. When this man was just chilling in his little Speedo, just relaxing, you’re just like, ‘What the [expletive] is that?’ He is one of the nicest guys.”

Walker himself will not be participating in the 2023 Arnold Classic. Much like the year 2022, he will center his efforts on training for the Olympia to optimize his best hopeful possible results.

The post Nick Walker Reflects on 2022 Mr. Olympia Performance, Thinks He Could’ve Fared Better appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

In the aftermath of the 2022 Mr. Olympia, Schwarzenegger took part in a YouTube interview with Nick’s Strength and Power, where the legend shared some of his thoughts on the contest and the current state of the sport. Among the more notable tidbits was Schwarzenegger putting the Men’s Open division in the crosshairs, which he believes has lost sight of what professional bodybuilding should be all about.

One of Schwarzenegger’s primary critiques about the Men’s Open division is that it’s pushed bodybuilding in the wrong direction. He compared the current flagship division of the Olympia back to his heyday in the late 20th century and noted that victory used to be centered around shredded physiques and refined body proportions.

To the legend, size shouldn’t mean everything.

“I think it is crazy, in a way, to have a Classic Physique category. Simply because that should be the Mr. Olympia. Because, what is it that we’re celebrating?” Schwarzenegger said. “… In classic days, we looked for proportion, and now we don’t give an [expletive] about it anymore? Is that what we’re saying?”

Part of Schwarzenegger’s rationale is that he believes the current Classic Physique division captures the true spirit of bodybuilding. By contrast, he didn’t seem to appreciate the general aim of the competitors in the modern Men’s Open category.

“I think it’s odd they had to literally create a Classic Physique competition to give to the person who has the best quality body, the most well-balanced body, a trophy because he couldn’t compete where the monsters were competing,” Schwarzenegger said. “That’s actually wrong. Like I’ve said, bigger is not always better.”

Not by coincidence, Schwarzenegger is a big fan of reigning four-time Classic Physique champion (2019-2022) Chris Bumstead, as he appears to believe he emulates the ideal physique.

“I always feel like the insiders have their own favorites, and then there are the viewers, the spectators, the fans … and he’s [Bumstead] the most popular if you think about that,” Schwarzenegger said. “He’s the most popular bodybuilder right now. What does that say? That says that everyone out there says, ‘That’s the kind of body I want’.“

In looking ahead to the March 2023 Arnold Classic, Schwarzenegger maintained he’d like to see Bumstead make his first competitive appearance at the contest because he thinks the superstar would put on a show.

“I think he [Bumstead] could win [at the Arnold Classic]. There are no two ways about that,” Schwarzenegger said. “I told that to Chris. Chris, as you know, is a big fan of the Arnold Classic. He comes there, and he’s very, very kind to all the fans. He does autographs and all this stuff. I hope that he competes because I think he has a great chance of winning that.” 

Ever a steward of the sport, Schwarzenegger seems concerned about where bodybuilding is heading in the future. Perhaps, down the line, his wishes to see the Classic Physique division highlighted front and center could be fulfilled. At the very least, his desire to see Bumstead continue to excel, maybe even at the 2023 Arnold Classic, might have a strong chance of shining through.

Featured image: @cbum on Instagram

The post Arnold Schwarzenegger Believes Classic Physique Should Be Main Event of Mr. Olympia appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Overall, in an eventful Olympia featuring 11 divisions, only five athletes retained their title from the year prior. At the same time, six new champions (completely new or winners from previous years) stood on top of their respective podiums. Here is an overview of the awarded money awarded through each 2022 Olympia division.

Here is a breakdown of awarded money through every 2022 Olympia category. Note: The Wheelchair division’s respective financial rewards were not disclosed during the actual competition.

2022 Mr. Olympia Awarded Money

1. Hadi Choopan— $400,000
2. Derek Lunsford — $150,000
3. Nick Walker — $100,000
4. Brandon Curry — $40,000
5. Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay — $30,000

2022 Classic Physique Awarded Money

1. Chris Bumstead — $50,000
2. Ramon Rocha Queiroz — $20,000
3. Urs Kalecinski — $10,000
4. Breon Ansley — $6,000
5. Mike Sommerfeld — $4,000

2022 Wellness Olympia Awarded Money

1. Francielle Mattos — $50,000
2. Isabelle Nunes — $20,000
3. Angela Borges — $12,000
4. Kassandra Gillis — $7,000
5. Rayane Fogal de Souza Santana — $6,000

2022 Bikini Olympia Awarded Money

1. Maureen Blanquisco — $50,000
2. Jennifer Dorie — $20,000
3. Ashley Kaltwasser — $12,000
4. Daraja Hill — $7,000
5. Lauralie Chapados — $6,000

2022 Men’s Physique Olympia Awarded Money

1. Erin Banks — $50,000
2. Brandon Hendrickson — $20,000
3. Diogo Montenegro — $10,000
4. Charjo Grant — $7,000
5. Edvan Palmeira — $4,000

2022 Ms. Olympia Awarded Money

1. Andrea Shaw — $50,000
2. Angela Yeo — $20,000
3. Helle Trevino — $12,000
4. Margie Martin — $7,000
5. Branka Njegovec — $6,000

2022 Fitness Olympia Awarded Money

1. Missy Truscott — $50,000
2. Jaclyn Baker — $20,000
3. Ariel Khadr — $12,000
4. Sarah Kovach — $7,000
5. Michelle Fredua-Mensah — $6,000

2022 Figure Olympia Awarded Money

1. Cydney Gillon — $50,000
2. Jessica Reyes Padilla — $20,000
3. Lola Montez — $12,000
4. Jossie Nathali Alarcon Becerra — $7,000
5. Natalia Soltero — $6,000

2022 212 Olympia Awarded Money

1. Shaun Clarida — $50,000
2. Angel Calderon Frias —$20,000
3. Kamal Elgargni — $10,000
4. Ahmad Ashkanani —$6,000
5. Oleh Kryvyi —$4,000

2022 Women’s Physique Awarded Money

1. Natalia Abraham Coelho — $50,000
2. Sarah Villegas — $20,000
3. Brooke Walker — $12,000
4. Barbara Menage — $7,000
5. Ivie Rhein — $6,000

Without the Wheelchair division factored in, the total awarded money for the 2022 Olympia was $1,561,000. Choopan, in particular, likely appreciates his Mr. Olympia victory from a financial perspective. He won $100,000 when finishing third in 2021. His first career Mr. Olympia title in 2022 saw him quadruple those earnings while simultaneously earning a place amongst bodybuilding’s greats.

Featured image: @mrolympiallc on Instagram

The post Here’s How Much Money Was Awarded at the 2022 Mr. Olympia appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

With the 2022 competitive calendar now in the rearview mirror, Elssbiay posted a reflection on his most recent Olympia performance in a Dec. 18, 2022, Instagram video. In the process, he looked ahead to the future and what might be next as someone who remains one of bodybuilding’s biggest names.

Before even discussing himself and his own prospects that lie ahead, Elssbiay made sure to congratulate Choopan for the Iranian athlete’s remarkable achievement in finally climbing bodybuilding’s tallest mountain. In particular, Elssbiay seemed to appreciate that Choopan likely won’t take the Olympia mantel lightly.

“From the beginning I have to say congratulations to Hadi [Choopan],” Elssbiay said. “He deserves it. He is the Mr. Olympia right now. He tried for many years to be in this place and I respect that. I am thankful for all the competitors who fought for one reason, to be a good representative of bodybuilding.”

As for why Elssbiay fell short of completing a legendary “three-peat,” he didn’t make excuses. He acknowledged the adverse circumstances in not attaining the result he wanted, while understanding things can happen with his passion that happens to be bodybuilding.

“It’s my game,” Elssbiay started. “I love this game from the beginning and I always tried to bring my best because it is my hobby. I loved everyone and loved my game and I need to say I have been broken many times in my life and this is not the first time. But I always came back stronger than ever.”

Ultimately, while it wasn’t the output he wanted, Elssbiay made a promise to come back on a mission. He noted that after finishing as the runner-up to Phil Heath during the 2017 Olympia, he had also fallen four spots to sixth place before eventually capturing a repeat to start the 2020s. Based on this reflective message in the aftermath of the 2022 Olympia — it seems apparent Elssbiay will try to replicate that past experience as best as he can in 2023.

“I promise you guys I will do my best to get back again stronger than ever,” Elssbiay said. “I don’t promise to win or to lose, I respect other people. But I will say I will do my best like I have done my whole life to be No. 1 again. I can say it to all the competitors in the Middle East, we can come back from this. I really appreciate all the people’s support around the world.”

Featured image: @big_ramy on Instagram

The post Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay Looks Ahead After Losing Mr. Olympia Title appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Here are the respective top five finishers at the 2022 Bikini Olympia and their respective monetary prizes:

2022 Bikini Olympia Results

1. Maureen Blanquisco — $50,000 | 2022 Bikini Olympia Champion
2. Jennifer Dorie — $20,000
3. Ashley Kaltwasser — $12,000
4. Daraja Hill — $7,000
5. Lauralie Chapados — $6,000

The Bikini Olympia Finals was actually the start of the night’s final rounds, but the winner didn’t receive their title until Chris Bumstead won his fourth straight Classic Physique Olympia. The schedule did not seem to bother Blanquisco in her steadfast drive for the Bikini Olympia title.

With comparisons out of the way, it was presumed that Blanquisco and Dorie were in the best spots on the field to win the championship in the eyes of the judges. In a major upset for the division, Blanquisco successfully knocked off the former defending champion to win the 2022 Bikini Olympia crown.

“I knew it was a matter of time, I just didn’t think it would be this time,” a surprised Blanquisco said in her post-victory interview. “I’m so thankful.”

Blanquisco’s ascendance isn’t necessarily wholly shocking when put in context. The athlete had steadily improved her results at the Bikini Olympia, going from ninth place in 2019 and fourth place in 2021 to a championship during the 2022 iteration. In terms of other recent competitive results, she won the 2022 Boston Pro and came in second at the 2022 Arnold Classic.

As she starts her own reign as champion, winning the Bikini Olympia for the first time in her career might be the cherry on top for Blanquisco.

The post Maureen Blanquisco Wins the 2022 Bikini Olympia appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Here are the top five athletes in the Men’s Open division at the 2022 Mr. Olympia and the respective prize money they earned:

2022 Mr. Olympia Results

1. Hadi Choopan— $400,000 | 2022 Mr. Olympia Champion
2. Derek Lunsford — $150,000
3. Nick Walker — $100,000
4. Brandon Curry — $40,000
5. Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay — $30,000

Choopan’s victory not only gives him his first career Mr. Olympia title, it also topples previous two-time reigning champion Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay. The former defending champion finished in fifth place. Meanwhile, in his Men’s Open debut, Derek Lunsford took runner-up to Choopan’s Olympia championship.

With final comparisons made earlier in the night, here are how the callouts shook out in the Finals of the 2022 Mr. Olympia.

Callout 1

• Samson Dauda
• Nick Walker
• Hadi Choopan
• Derek Lunsford
• Brandon Curry
• Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay

Callout 2

• Iain Valliere
• Andrew Jacked
• William Bonac
• Hunter Labrada
• Rafael Brandao
• Michal “Krizo” Križánek

Callout 3

• Antoine Vaillant
• James Hollingshead
• Patrick Johnson
• Charles Griffen
• Justin Rodriguez
• Akim Williams

Callout 4

• Blessing Awodibu
• Mohamed Shaaban
• Joel Thomas
• Mohammad Alnsoor

Callout 5 

• Andrea Presti
• Theo Leguerrier
• Andrea Muzi

Callout 6

• Hadi Choopan
• Derek Lunsford
• Brandon Curry
• Nick Walker
• Samson Dauda
• Mamdouh Elssbiay

The top six athletes in both the first and last callouts saw themselves shifted on multiple occasions as they were compared. Eventually, the top contenders performed their posing routines in the order as follows:

• Hadi Choopan
• Andrew Jacked
• Derek Lunsford
• William Bonac
• Nick Walker
• Brandon Curry
• Hunter Labrada
• Rafael Brandao
• Samson Dauda
• Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay

Choopan’s first career Mr. Olympia title bookends a night that also saw champions crowned in the Bikini, Men’s Physique, Classic Physique, and Wheelchair divisions.

Amidst a torrent of relative hype for the other competitors, Choopan kept his nose to the grindstone and saw his hard work and commitment pay off. With his first Mr. Olympia title under his belt, Choopan can officially join the elite of the elite in bodybuilding’s all-time pantheon.

Featured image: @mrolympiallc on Instagram

The post Hadi Choopan is the 2022 Mr. Olympia appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

2022 Men’s Physique Olympia Results

These are the top five Men’s Physique Olympia competitors of 2022, with their respective earnings.

1. Erin Banks ($50,000)
2. Brandon Hendrickson ($20,000)
3. Diogo Ferriera Montenegro ($10,000)
4. Charjo Grant ($7,000)
5. Edvan Palmeira ($4,000)

Banks’ 2022 Men’s Physique Olympia win wraps up a successful competitive year. He won the 2022 Men’s Physique Arnold Classic in early March 2022. Having placed second to now-former champion Hendrickson in the 2021 Men’s Physique Olympia, the roles were reversed as Hendrickson became runner-up to Banks in 2022.

In addition to his 2022 Arnold Classic Men’s Physique title, Banks had been proving himself a viable threat throughout the 2021 competitive year, with three top-three rankings, culminating in a win at the 2021 New York Pro Men’s Physique and second place at the 2021 Men’s Physique Olympia.

Brandon Hendrickson, who entered the contest likely to four-peat, hasn’t placed second to any competitor since being runner-up to Andre Ferguson at the 2020 Arnold Classic Men’s Physique. Ferguson, interestingly, placed 10th in the 2022 Men’s Physique Olympia.

After determining the top 10 competitors, the judges called out two groups for final comparisons before determining the eventual placings.

Comparison 1

• Andre Ferguson
• Ryan Terry
• Corey Morris
• Ali Bilal

Comparison 2

• Kyron Holden
• Charjo Grant
• Erin Banks
• Brandon Hendrickson
• Diogo Ferriera Montenegro
• Edvan Palmeira

The post Erin Banks Wins 2022 Men’s Physique Olympia appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Here are the top five athletes in the Classic Physique division at the 2022 Mr. Olympia and the respective prize money they earned:

2022 Classic Physique Olympia Results

1. Chris Bumstead — $50,000 | 2022 Classic Physique Olympia Champion
2. Ramon Rocha Queiroz — $20,000
3. Urs Kalecinski — $10,000
4. Breon Ansley — $6,000
5. Mike Sommerfeld — $4,000

Bumstead’s win gives him his fourth straight Classic Olympia title (2019-2022) as he continues to dominate a bodybuilding division that was only established in 2016. With such a timeline, that means Bumstead has won two-thirds of the available Classic Physique Olympia titles in history. Notably, in his last Classic Physique appearance before a transition to the 212 in the year 2023, former two-time champion (2017-2018) Breon Ansley notched a fourth-place result.

With the field narrowed down to 10 participating athletes, here are the results of the callouts from the Finals of the Classic Physique division at the 2022 Olympia:

Callout 1

• Michael Daboul
• Fabian Mayr
• Wesley Vissers
• Alex Cambronero

Callout 2

• Breon Ansley
• Urs Kalecinski
• Ramon Rocha Queiroz
• Terrence Ruffin
• Mike Sommerfeld
• Chris Bumstead

Bumstead and Rocha Queiroz held the center position in the last callout. The top five athletes would then work through their own usual individual posing routines to push for the Classic Physique Olympia title. Here was that group of five in no particular order:

• Breon Ansley
• Mike Sommerfeld
• Chris Bumstead
• Urs Kalecinski
• Ramon Rocha Queiroz

With the routines concluded, it was evident the title would come down to Bumstead and Rocha Queiroz. As a part of the lead commentary team, Phil Heath asserted he believed Bumstead would win his fourth straight title before the final judgment passed through, and that assertion, likely rooted in Heath’s own Olympia experience, came true.

Here is the entire Saturday Finals schedule for the 2022 Olympia weekend, and here’s how to keep up with the action. (Note: All listed times are in Pacific Standard time.)

Saturday, Dec. 17, 2022

7:00 p.m. — Finals

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

As the Olympia draws to a close in Las Vegas, with an exhilarating Finals on hand for the remaining divisions, Bumstead has written yet another illustrious chapter for himself in the lore of bodybuilding’s flagship competition.

Featured image: @w_wittmannphoto on Instagram

The post Chris Bumstead Wins 2022 Classic Physique Olympia, Completes Four-Peat appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

The Mr. Olympia, Men’s Physique, Classic Physique, and Bikini divisions are each topped with defending champions looking to retain their titles against a packed field.

2022 Olympia Results

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

Mr. Olympia

Two-time Mr. Olympia Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay stepped on stage aiming to secure a three-peat, but ended up with a surprising fifth place finish. Hadi Choopan, a fixture at the Olympia podium in recent years, secured his first Mr. Olympia title. 2021 212 Olympia champion Derek Lunsford placed second at his Men’s Open Olympia debut.

1. Hadi Choopan ($400,000)
2. Derek Lunsford ($150,000)
3. Nick Walker ($100,000)
4. Brandon Curry ($40,000)
5. Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay ($30,000)

Men’s Physique

68 Men’s Physique competitors took to the Olympia stage — the largest field of contestants in Olympia history. Three-time champion Brandon Hendrickson looked to earn a record-tying fourth title, as Diogo Montenegro and Erin Banks became the most serious threats to his repeat victory.

After individual posing routines and two rounds of callouts, Hendrickson’s reign came to an end as 2022 Men’s Physique Arnold Classic winner Erin Banks was crowned the Men’s Physique Olympia champion.

1. Erin Banks ($50,000)
2. Brandon Hendrickson ($20,000)
3. Diogo Montenegro ($10,000)
4. Charjo Grant ($7,000)
5. Edvan Palmeira ($4,000)

Classic Physique

Classic Physique Olympia champion Chris Bumstead has held his title for three consecutive years with no sign of slowing down. In the 2022 edition of the contest, Bumstead was challenged by a slew of competitors, including former two-time Classic Physique champion Breon Ansley who made his final Classic Physique Olympia appearance before transitioning to the 212 division.

Bumstead successfully defended his title and came away with his fourth victory, while giving Ramon “Dino” Rocha Queiroz second place in his Classic Physique Olympia debut.

1. Chris Bumstead ($50,000)
2. Ramon Rocha Queiroz ($20,000)
3. Urs Kalecinski ($10,000)
4. Breon Ansley ($6,000)
5. Mike Sommerfeld ($4,000)

Bikini

The 54 competitors on stage at the 2022 Bikini Olympia included four former champions — Jennifer Dorie (2021), Janet Layug (2020), Elisa Pecini (2019), and Ms. Bikini Olympia Ashley Kaltwasser (2013-2015).

After final comparisons, the top two competitors appeared to be defending champion Jennifer Dorie and Maureen Blanquisco, a relative newcomer making her second Bikini Olympia appearance. In the end, the judges placed the crown in Blanquisco’s deserved hands.

1. Maureen Blanquisco ($50,000)
2. Jennifer Dorie ($20,000)
3. Ashley Kaltwasser ($12,000)
4. Daraja Hill ($7,000)
5. Lauralie Chapados ($6,000)

The Contest Concludes

That’s a wrap for the 58th annual Olympia contest, after a weekend packed full of on-stage theatrics, high energy, and eventual (sometimes surprising) victories. Missed the action? Replay contests by purchasing a pay-per-view premium package for $69.99 at the Olympia website — www.olympiaproductions.com.

Featured Image: mrolympiallc / Instagram

The post 2022 Mr. Olympia Finals Report — Mr. Olympia, Men’s Physique, Classic Physique, Bikini appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Notably, the Wheelchair is all-inclusive, meaning final judgments on the competitors in this class will be judged at roughly the same time as initial callouts. The Finals for the three other divisions, as well as the Mr. Olympia, will begin at 7:00 p.m. Pacific Standard. time. Fans can watch the action unfold by purchasing a pay-per-view premium package for $69.99 at the Olympia website — www.olympiaproductions.com.

As each of the callout reports is finalized for every division on Saturday, Breaking Muscle will update this page accordingly with the results.

• Classic Physique
• Men’s Physique
• Bikini
• Wheelchair

Classic Physique

Respective callouts for the Classic Physique division started the 2022 Olympia festivities on Saturday. Three-time defending champion Chris Bumstead entered as the favorite. Meanwhile, contenders like Breon Ansley and Terrence Ruffin were in it to try and topple the young dynamo before he made even more history.

As usual, whoever would be featured in the first and last callouts would be considered a favorite and top contender heading into the Finals. Naturally, Bumstead found himself in the final group. Meanwhile, an athlete and former two-time champ like Ansley (2017-2018) — who will transition to the 212 division in 2023 — enjoyed some of his last moments as a Classic Physique competitor.

Here are the results of the callouts for the Classic Physique competitors:

Callout 1 

• Wesley Vissers
• Breon Ansley
• Urs Kalecinski
• Ramon Rocha Queiroz
• Chris Bumstead
• Mike Sommerfeld
• Terrence Ruffin
• Fabian Mayr

Callout 2

• Adam Bomert
• Chen Kang
• Kyrylo Khadaliev
• Michael Daboul
• Alex Cambronero
• Jorge Herrera
• Gabriel Zancanelli
• Jaehun Park

Callout 3

• Mehdi Larijani
• Dancovea Anderson
• Alexander Westermeier
• Neil Currey
• Ali Poladvand
• Darwin Andres Uribe Aristizabel
• Camilo Diaz
• Patrik Herczik
• Abdullah Wael Alrabiah

Callout 4 

• Tommy Clark
• Anthony Barbera III
• Tony Duong
• Valeri Enchev
• Junior Javorski
• Georgian Andrei Birica Anghel
• Jonathan Pelkey
• Josh Eastman

Callout 5

• Woilid Baatout
• Brady Barnes
• Mohamed Amine Fakhfakh
• Darren Farrell
• Emanuele Ricotti
• Jeff Hallenbeck
• Abdullah Al Sharafi

Callout 6

• Christopher Hunte
• Tyler Johnson
• Lemar Shaw
• Blake Course
• Valentin Petrov
• Marco Ruz
• Marcus Perry

Callout 7

• Robert Wichman
• Anthony Casado
• Mateo Vaihu
• Jesus Rodriguez Sendra
• Ahmed El Halawani
• Lenny Wicks
• Ruben Lopez Reyes
• Ali Poladvand

Callout 8

• Alex Cambronero
• Fabian Mayr
• Terrence Ruffin
• Wesley Vissers
• Michael Daboul

Callout 9

• Breon Ansley
• Urs Kalecinski
• Mike Sommerfeld

Callout 10

• Ramon Rocha Queiroz
• Chris Bumstead

Bumstead and Ramon Rocha Queiroz found themselves standing front and center during the first callout and were the only athletes featured in the last callout. They will head into the Finals as the top contenders for the 2022 Classic Physique Olympia title.

Men’s Physique

The Men’s Physique saw a seemingly unfathomable 68 competitors vying for its championship as callouts began. The field of athletes was chasing three-time reigning Men’s Physique Olympia Champion (2019-2021) Brandon Hendrickson. A win would have Hendrickson tie Jeremy Buendia for the most all-time in the division.

Here are how the callouts went for the Men’s Physique category at the 2022 Olympia:

Callout 1

• Ali Bilal
• Corey Morris 
• Diogo Montenegro
• Erin Banks
• Brandon Hendrickson
• Charjo Grant
• Kyron Holden
• Ryan Terry

Callout 2 

• Carlos DeOliveira
• Vitor Chaves
• Emanual Hunter
• Andre Ferguson 
• Edvan Palmeira 
• Jahvair Mullings
• Alexander Toplyn
• Vincius Mateus Viera Lima

Callout 3

• JuXian He 
• Joven Sagabain
• Shun Kaneko
• Nick Koeu
• George Brown 
• Abisai Pietersz 
• Tunahan Guler
• Arya Saffaie 
• Yukihiro Yuasa

Callout 4

• Jeffrey Darko 
• Furkan Er
• Myron Griffin
• Alessandro Cavagnola 
• Balint Nemeth 
• Benquil Marigny 
• Antoine Weatherspoon
• Steven Cao

Callout 5

• Jason Huynh 
• Mehdi Kabbadj 
• Hossein Karimi
• Winston Sullivan
• Bhuwan Chauhan
• Burak King
• Montae Bailey

Callout 6

• Reuben Glass
• Riccardo Croci 
• Bongsuk Choi
• Clarence McSpadden
• Ahmed Shokry 
• Zheyu Zhang 
• Fabrizio Dos Santos Silva
• Youcef Djoudi

Callout 7 

• Rodrigue Chesnier 
• Emile Walker
• Sotirios Gkatsis 
• Junho Lee
• Davide Mazzolari
• Ponpaisan Ruangsangpen
• Chevy Phillips
• Mahmood Al Maghrabi

Callout 8

• Je Endrina 
• Adeyemi Awoyemi
• Jonas Jamena
• Terrence Teo Kok Hua 
• Yousef Al Shaban
• Long Wu

Callout 9

• Andre Ferguson
• Kyron Holden 
• Edvan Palmeira 
• Ryan Terry 
• Corey Morris 
• Ali Bilal

Callout 10

• Charjo Grant 
• Diogo Montenegro

Callout 11

• Erin Banks 
• Brandon Hendrickson

By the end of the round, Hendrickson and Erin Banks stood alone in the last callout. They venture into the Men’s Physique Finals as the main contenders.

Bikini

In the context of the overall 2022 Olympia, the Bikini division was one of the more stacked fields on hand in Las Vegas. For one, there was the promising Laurie Chapados seeking her first Bikini Olympia win. For the other, there were also past champions Jennifer Dorie and Ashley Kaltwasser seeking another title to add to their impressive respective resumes.

The Bikini’s field was also one of the more expansive 2022 Olympia divisions, with 58 athletes seeking a spot in the Saturday Finals.

Here were the results of callouts for the Bikini division at the 2022 Olympia:

Callout 1 

• Daraja Hill
• Aimee Leann Delgado
• Lauralie Chapados
• Maureen Blanquisco
• Jennifer Dorie
• Ashley Kaltwasser
• Janet Layug
• Elisa Pecini
• Romina Basualdo

Callout 2 

• Eli Fernandez
• Jibin Park
• Ivanna Escandar
• Jourdanne Lee
• Phoebe Hagan
• Yurika Shigemoto
• Ashlyn Little
• Allison Testu
• India Paulino

Callout 3

• Brittany Hamilton
• Maia Gordon
• Marie-Eve Duchesneau
• Aleksandra Banda
• Vania Auguste
• Gabriella Mohamed
• Erin Stern
• Sierra Swann
• Jessica Wilson

Callout 4

• Lawna Dunbar
• Shenase Case
• Maia Gordon
• Kristina Brunauer
• Eszter Oczella
• Danielle Phelps
• Alexandria Ross
• Francesca Stoico

Callout 5

• Alessia Facchin
• Stine Hansen
• Wiktoria Gasior
• Jordan Brannon
• Hayeun Kim
• Susana Aramayo
• Sally-Anne Kato
• Jodie Yuncker
• Jessica Wilson
• Lucia Malavaze

Callout 6 

• Yan Gao
• Valeria Fedorenko
• Roxana Marquez
• Ottavia Mazza
• Cristiane Silveira
• Jil Meret Schmitz
• Cheuk Nam Karen Yuen
• Rukiye Solak

Callout 7

• Romina Basualdo
• Janet Layug
• Lauralie Chapados
• Aimee Leann Delgado
• Phoebe Hagan
• Elisa Pecini

Callout 8

• Maureen Blanquisco
• Jennifer Dorie
• Ashley Kaltwasser
• Daraja Hill

Four former champions stood out in the first important callout, including Dorie in the middle, Kaltwasser, Janet Layug, and Elisa Pecini. The last callout featured Dorie, Daraja Hill, Maureen Blanquisco, and Kaltwasser. They are the top contenders heading into Saturday night’s Bikini Olympia Finals.

Wheelchair

The first division to crown a champion on Saturday night after callouts and ensuing judging was the Wheelchair category. It saw Harold “King Kong” Kelley win the 2022 Wheelchair Olympia and notch his fifth consecutive title. He emerged victorious from the largest Wheelchair Olympia field in the division’s history with 12 competitors.

Here are the top five results from the 2022 Wheelchair Olympia

2022 Wheelchair Olympia Results

1. Harold Kelley | 2022 Wheelchair Olympia Champion | Fifth consecutive title
2. Gabriele Andriulli
3. Antoni Khadraoui
4. Jean Pierre Kavalin
5. Adelfo Cerame, Jr.

Here’s an overview of the results from the callouts at the 2022 Wheelchair Olympia:

Callout 1

• Gabriele Andriulli
• Woody Belfort
• Adelfo Cerame, Jr
• Jean Pierre Kavalin
• Antoni Khadraoui
• Harold Kelley

Callout 2

• Anand Arnold
• Bradley Betts
• Tyler Brey
• Tory Jones
• Chad McCrary
• Abraham Sanchez

Kelley held the center position from the get-go and unsurprisingly maintained his place through the entire callout. His eventual title would come as no shock to the spectators.

Here is the entire schedule for the 2022 Olympia weekend. (Note: All listed times are in Pacific Standard time.)

Friday, Dec. 16, 2022

9:00 a.m. — Pre-Judging

• Fitness Olympia
• 212 Olympia
• Figure Olympia
• Women’s Physique Olympia
• Ms. Olympia
• Wellness Olympia

6:00 p.m. — Finals

• 212 Olympia
• Fitness Olympia
• Figure Olympia
• Women’s Physique Olympia
• Ms. Olympia
• Wellness Olympia

6:00 p.m. — Mr. Olympia Pre-Judging

Saturday, Dec. 17, 2022

9:00 a.m. — Pre-Judging

• Classic Physique Olympia
• Men’s Physique Olympia
• Bikini Olympia
• Wheelchair Olympia — Pre-Judging and Finals

7:00 p.m. — Finals

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

Saturday should be quite a finale to an exhilarating edition of the Olympia. Anything can happen with bodybuilding’s elite on stage.

Featured image: @cbum on Instagram

The post 2022 Mr. Olympia Callout Report — Classic Physique, Men’s Physique, Bikini, Wheelchair appeared first on Breaking Muscle.