Why Hadzovic withdrew from the tentpole contest stays unknown.
On Dec. 6, 2022, bodybuilder Sadik Hadzovic took to his Instagram page to disclose he won’t compete within the upcoming 2022 Mr. Olympia. The competition takes place on Dec. 16-18, 2022, in Las Vegas, NV, making Hadzovic’s somewhat last-minute withdrawal a surprise.
Hadzovic qualified for the Men’s Physique Olympia but didn’t reveal specific details about why he wouldn’t participate.
“I do know lots of you were excited to see me back at this yr’s Olympia,” Hadzovic wrote. “Unfortunately, I won’t be competing.”
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Hadzovic’s competitive bodybuilding resume spans over a decade long. In response to NPC News Online, he finished second place within the Men’s Physique division on the 2012 Greater Gulf States Pro — a notable result given it was Hadzovic’s International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB) Pro League debut.
From there on, Hadzovic wasted no time making a reputation for himself. Continuing as a Men’s Physique competitor, he won his first IFBB Pro League contest on the 2012 Valenti Gold Cup. Roughly a yr later, he notched a win on the 2013 Recent York Pro, earning qualification for his first-ever Olympia. He finished fourth within the Men’s Physique division in his Olympia debut.
The yr 2014 saw Hadzovic qualify for the Olympia via his win on the 2014 Tampa Pro. He improved upon his Olympia debut with a second-place result — a mark he captured again on the 2015 Olympia.
In 2016, Hadzovic formally transitioned to the brand new Classic Physique division and saw immediate results: third place on the 2016 Olympia, behind Arash Rahbar (second), and the inaugural Classic Physique Olympia champion Danny Hester.
After ending in seventh place on the Classic Physique Olympia in 2017, Hadzovic slowed his competitive pursuits. He took a two-year hiatus before returning with a sixth place on the 2019 Arnold Sports Festival.
Hadzovic moved back to the Men’s Physique division in 2022, winning the 2022 Pittsburgh Pro to earn entry to the 2022 Olympia. Hadzovic was set to challenge three-time Men’s Physique Olympia champion (2018, 2020-2021) Brandon Hendrickson.
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As his Instagram page suggests, with seemingly countless training videos and nutrition tidbits, Hadzovic tried to maximise his 2022 Olympia opportunity. Alas, assuming Hadzovic will give it one other go in 2023, he’s putting his Olympia dreams on a brief hold.
Featured image: @sadikhadzovic on Instagram