Awodibu wants to take a step back before embarking on his next Olympia journey.
Blessing Awodibu entered the 2022 Mr. Olympia with high hopes. A certifiable dark horse contender, some believed Awodibu would enjoy one of the best performances of his career on the Las Vegas, NV, stage. Instead, Awodibu finished outside the top 15 as he watched Hadi Choopan get his long-awaited glory as champion after successfully defeating Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elsbia. In the wake of such a humble performance, it seems that Awodibu wants to recalibrate first.
On January 10, 2023, Awodibu used his Instagram to announce it He declines a formal invitation to the 2023 Arnold Classic in Columbus, OH..
Big thanks to [Arnold Sports Festival] For The Invitation, one of my all-time favorite shows, but, unfortunately, I’m not doing Arnold [Classic] This year.
Awodibu’s main rationale for pulling out of the 2023 Arnold Classic is to focus on self-care before really trying to achieve any more ambitious goals in the coming months. When discussing why he would give up one of bodybuilding’s top competitions, Awodibu didn’t overlook a detail. Winner of the 2022 International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB) Indy and New York Pro competitions, Awodibu noted that last year she felt her schedule was too jam-packed.
Ultimately, this seems to have a negative impact on his final performance and presented physique at the 2022 Mr. Olympia.
“Indy and then New York are going completely for about three months [Pro] The shows and travel really negatively affected my Olympia preparation,” Awodibu wrote. “I definitely lost some muscle mass and I didn’t have enough time to build up my physique before the Olympia. So, right now, I am giving my body much needed time to get back in shape before any prep. Expect a crazy comeback later this year.
Awodibu is not the first notable name to reveal that he will not compete in the 2023 Arnold Classic. Instead of diverting his energies to preparing for another pageant, 2022 Mr. Olympia runner-up Derek Lunsford revealed that he will skip the Arnold Classic as well. Instead, he will spend his entire 2023 trying to finish the Olympia job early this New Year. That competition will take place in November 2023 in Orlando, FL.
As an elite athlete, it’s understandable to admit that 99% of the time they need time to recover rather than just keeping their foot on the gas. Such a patient approach is unorthodox in theory for Awodibu, but it could pay off for him in 2023.
Featured Image: @blessing_awodibu on Instagram
