Central Florida must be a raucous party in November.
Every year, the world’s best bodybuilders prepare with one central goal: to win the legendary Mr. Olympia competition. Sure, there are other tentpole events like the annual (and now rather lucrative) Arnold Classic. Still, arguably the world’s ripped fitness elite don’t have the prestige to compete during the iconic Olympia show. This is a huge step in bodybuilding for good reason. With the 2023 professional competitive season already well and rolling, athletes can prepare and train for potentially the most significant moment of their career with a specific date and location in their sights.
The International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB) Pro League has revealed The 2023 Olympia will officially take place November 3-5, 2023, Orlando, FL. The schedule note has been published in the latest release of the 2023 competition calendar IFBB website. It is not clear when the full schedule will be revealed. As has been the standard recently, 11 primary bodybuilding divisions are performed during the competition. The Mr. Olympia category serves as the highlight of the event and Iranian athlete Hadi Choopan is the reigning champion after capturing his first career Mr. Olympia title in 2022.
With the Olympia competition officially returning to Orlando, the competition has now been in Central Florida for three of the last four years. The 2022 Las Vegas, NV edition served as the only exception during that period. For decades, the competition has always been in “Sin City”, but the severe, unprecedented circumstances of the opening throws of the COVID-19 pandemic led the IFBB to move the Olympia to Orlando in 2020 to comply with safety regulations. Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elsbia captured the first of his two career Olympia titles in that opening Florida event, before he fell to a three-peat in 2022 with a disappointing fifth-place finish. Elsbiay successfully defended her title at the 2021 Olympia competition based in Orlando.
In the interest of anticipating and preparing athletes for the new reality, the IFBB announced changes to its qualification system for the 2023 Olympia in early January 2023. The points system opened the door for athletes who did not win a competition in that calendar. Year is no longer viable. Any competitor looking to earn a spot on the podium in Orlando, FL, this early November Must have either won a 2023 IFBB Pro League competition, previously won any Olympia, or finished in the top five in their division at the 2022 Olympia competition.
In the men’s open category, Choupan, Elsbia, 2019 Mr. Olympia Brandon Curry, third place 2022 Olympia contestant Nick Walker and 2022 Mr. Olympia runner-up Derek Lunsford.
The 2022 Olympia has provided its fair share of unexpected surprises and success stories. Knowing how precise and dedicated all these top athletes are to their craft, the 2023 edition should be no different.
Featured image: @hadi_choopan on Instagram
