The previous 212 Olympian can officially call himself Mr. Olympia.
Unlike most of his peers within the Men’s Open division, Derek Lunsford entered the 2023 Mr. Olympia weekend having already experienced the joys of getting a first-place medal put around his neck at the largest bodybuilding show of the yr.
Two years faraway from capturing the 212 Olympia title in Orlando, FL, Lunsford made history by becoming the primary two-division champion within the history of the Mr. Olympia contest. The USA native emerged victorious from a crop of elite competitors headlined by defending champion Hadi Choopan and 2023 Arnold Classic winner Samson Dauda.
[Related: 2023 Mr. Olympia Results: Complete Coverage and Live Updates]
The battle for the distinguished Sandow Trophy began Friday in the course of the prejudging round of the 59th edition of the distinguished contest. Unsurprisingly, Lunsford and Choopan — who each train with legendary coach Hany Rambod — quickly separated themselves from the remaining of the pack with their elite conditioning and sheer amount of muscle mass.
Dauda’s sizable frame and imposing physique also stood out in the course of the prejudging phase. And despite speculation about potentially bowing out attributable to health issues, 2019 Mr. Olympia Brandon Curry showed well during his latest try to climb back to the highest of the Men’s Open mountain.
Callout One
Callout Two
Callout Three
- Phil Clahar
- Theo Leguerrier
- Roman Friz
- Justin Shier
Callout 4
- Andrew Jacked
- Brandon Curry
- Michal Krizanek
- Hunter Labrada
Callout Five
- Hadi Choopan
- Derek Lunsford
- Samson Dauda
The ultimate callout featured a dramatic three-person pose-off between Choopan, Lunsford, and Dauda. All three competitors placed on terrific showings, though Dauda appeared to tire a bit toward the top. There was still loads of anticipation about whether Lunsford could unseat Choopan, who displayed loads of energy while interacting with the gang during his routine.
Lunsford appeared to have some luck on his side when he earned the nod from the fans by winning the 2023 People’s Champion title and belt. Not long after taking home the fan-voted award, the 2022 Mr. Olympia runner-up etched his place in bodybuilding history books by officially earning the 2023 Mr. Olympia title and $400,000.
2023 Mr. Olympia Results
Here’s how the highest five shook out for the 2023 Mr. Olympia contest, together with the prize purse by position.
- Derek Lunsford — $400,000
- Hadi Choopan — $175,000
- Samson Dauda — $100,000
- Brandon Curry — $40,000
- Andrew Jacked — $35,000
[Related: Chris Bumstead Claims Fifth Consecutive Classic Physique Championship at 2023 Mr. Olympia]
Proving he’s able to doing whatever’s crucial to get his body into championship shape, Derek Lunsford deserves tremendous credit for becoming the 18th Mr. Olympia. It took an incredible amount of dedication, diligent weight-reduction plan, and intense training to construct a physique that convinced the judges to place Choopan within the No. 2 spot in 2023.
Plus, the very fact Lunsford completed that feat just two years after he asserted his dominance in a completely different division speaks volumes about his genetic gifts, work ethic, and mindset.
Featured Image: mrolympiallc / Instagram