Awodibu is already looking forward to a fast rebound.
Perhaps once considered considered one of the larger dark horses on the upcoming 2023 Mr. Olympia, bodybuilder Blessing Awodibu has been biding his time and gathering his strength. Such time away from competition, especially after he notably skipped the 2023 Arnold Classic (AC), didn’t appear to learn Awodibu’s prospects on the recent 2023 Chicago Pro (CP).
On July 24, 2023, Awodibu was featured in an interview by Mr. Olympia announcer Bob Cicherillo. The discussion appeared to happen immediately after the preliminary round of the competition, before the evening’s Finals determined the last word results. The athlete expressed disappointment with the physique he presented — an accurate self-assessment, as he would later earn fourth-place in the competition, while a victory could’ve earned him qualification to the 2023 Olympia contest in November in Orlando, FL.
More from Breaking Muscle:
Awodibu entered the 2023 CP as considered one of the pre-contest favorites but ultimately didn’t even qualify for the rostrum. When Cicherillo tried to gauge Awodibu’s side of the story, asking him what happened, the athlete didn’t mince words and seemed almost exasperated at falling wanting a win.
“What happened on the market, man?” Awodibu asked rhetorically. “I mean, [expletive]. I mean, I don’t know. I couldn’t let you know, man. It was a extremely, really tough prep, man. Especially mentally, and there was quite a bit on the road for me and a number of pressure. It was a number of pressure. And tonight, I used to be soft, man, I used to be soft.”
Awodibu clarified that, in consequence of a successful muscle-building offseason, he actually weighed more for the 2023 CP than he did in May of 2022 when when he won each the 2022 Indy Pro and, one week later, the 2022 Latest York Pro. Such significant growth can have inevitably sunk his probabilities to return out on top in his recent appearance.
“That tightness wasn’t there,” Awodibu explained. “I used to be just a little bit too wet. I just got to figure it out, man. Because I do know once I do figure it out, I feel like I’m in an entire different league … Truthfully, I’m 10 kilos heavier. I believed it could have been a very good thing.”
More from Breaking Muscle:
Awodibu already faced a potentially tall order with competitors like reigning Mr. Olympia champion Hadi Choopan and 2022 runner-up Derek Lunsford standing in his way. Before he may even dream of competing well against each of his peers on bodybuilding’s grandest stage, Awodibu still has to earn his spot on the 2023 Olympia. Despite this 2023 CP setback, Awodibu appears to be staying positive and channeling his failure right into a competitive motivation.
He’s looking forward to rebounding and making his mark on the 2023 Texas Pro in August.
“I’ll figure it out,” Awodibu said. “Because, I do know, man, I need to be top-of-the-line. After I miss like this, it really hurts since it’s like, this mustn’t be happening. But, you understand, it’s bodybuilding. It’s a journey. You learn from these items and you’ll be able to only get well so long as you retain moving.”
Featured image: @blessing_awodibu on Instagram