Torn hamstring takes top contender out of the combo.
Even “The Mutant” is human.
Unfortunately for Nick Walker, his Olympia journey has already come to an end attributable to a hamstring tear he suffered while training for crucial bodybuilding show of the yr. Despite his best efforts, the third-place finisher on the 2022 Mr. Olympia couldn’t overcome an injury that occurred on the worst possible time.
With the 2023 Olympia weekend about to get underway in Orlando, FL, from Nov. 2-5, Walker announced his decision to bow out of the competition via an Instagram post on Oct. 31, 2023.
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Although he looked stage-ready on the surface, the 2021 Arnold Classic winner revealed his hamstring stays a serious issue.
“I attempted to push through it. I attempted to do whatever I could and get whatever treatment I could, but it surely just progressively got worse,” Walker explained. “It didn’t progress in any way, shape, or form. Me and my team thought it was best that we just pulled out because we knew there was just no shot of us placing top-three at this point, or higher. And we are not looking for to drop placing.”
In fact, recent changes to the Olympia Qualifying System stipulate that only the highest three finishers within the 2023 Mr. Olympia mechanically secure a spot within the 2024 contest. Although Walker finished behind only Hadi Choopan and Derek Lunsford within the Men’s Open division a yr ago, he surely would have faced an uphill battle to fend off the likes of 2023 Arnold Classic champion Samson Dauda and 2019 Mr. Olympia winner Brandon Curry for third place on one fully healthy leg.
After delivering the news to promoters and officials, the 2021 Arnold Classic winner said he received nothing but support from IFBB Pro League president Jim Manion and Olympia owner Jake Wood.
“They asked me if I ever needed anything and that just makes me proud to be a part of this organization,” Walker said.
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Moving forward, there are major ramifications for everybody involved. Walker faces a troublesome task to get well from a torn hamstring and remind everyone why he was considered certainly one of the highest contenders to take home the Mr. Olympia crown in 2023. Meanwhile, his absence opens the door even wider for somebody like Dauda, Curry, and even Hunter Labrada, who took home the 2023 Tampa Pro Men’s Open title in August, to punch their ticket to next yr’s show with a top-three finish.
In any case, with Walker, two-time Mr. Olympia champion Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay, 2022 Bigman Weekend Pro winner Brett “The Butcher” Wilkin, and 2023 Toronto Pro Supershow winner Ian Valliere all withdrawing for various reasons, the stage won’t be quite so crowded (or competitive) with just a few big names missing.
Although it could be easy for Walker to view his setback negatively, he showed impressive resolve and inner strength when speaking about what’s next.
“If I learned anything from that is that anything can occur at any given second,” he explained. “But it surely’s the way you handle it; it’s what you try this defines who you might be and the character you’ll change into.”
Featured Image: nick_walker39 / Instagram