Choopan wants a repeat, and he seems all systems go.
After years of competing at the highest level of bodybuilding, and coming close to capturing the Mr. Olympia title, Hadi Choopan finally took the throne as Mr. Olympia in December 2022. Leading up to the recent iteration of bodybuilding’s premier competition, the Iranian athlete has had several high-profile finishes, standing on the podium twice (2019, 2021) but never completing the task. Now, as Choopan looks to retain his first career Olympia title and enter the rarefied air of being a repeat winner, he is wasting no time in pursuit of continued glory.
On January 21, 2023, Choopan posted a profile picture to his Instagram showing the pumped chest and piston-like arms of the reigning Mr. Olympia worth every bit. Given the aptly written title “Repeat it all to repeat,” it’s clear that Choopan is dead set on training and eating well to add another Mr. Olympia trophy to his mantle.
With his long journey to the top of the account and the reflective status of his peers like two-time ousted Mr. Olympia Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elsbia, Chupan undoubtedly understands how vulnerable the Olympia defense can be. In a sport with various behemoth-like titans always gunning for the top spot and seemingly keeping their eyes on the prize, if one is the defending champion, they may have a giant target on their back.
At the time of this writing, it is not clear how Choopan plans to spend his off-season and roughly nine months preparing for the 2023 Mr. Olympia. Nevertheless, one of his first public physique updates of the 2023 calendar is a potentially illuminating insight into the athlete not resting on his laurels.
In the coming weeks and months, a bevy of challengers for Choopan’s crown will, in all likelihood, continue to make their presence known. For one, the 2022 Olympia runner-up in Derek Lunsford is planning to skip the upcoming 2023 Arnold Classic (AC) so he can be ready to take down Choopan on November 3-5, 2023 in Orlando, FL. Third-placed 2022 Olympia finisher Nick Walker, although he will be participating in the 2023 AC in early March, believes he hasn’t left his best performance on stage in Las Vegas, NV in December.
Considering recent changes to the International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB) Pro League’s 2023 Olympia qualification — which will eliminate the previous comprehensive points system — a new battle-tested challenger could emerge from pushing Choupan harder. It is clear that this version of the competition can, surprisingly, present itself as a gauntlet.
By the time the 2023 Olympia rolls around, it seems Chupan will prefer to take the best shots from any contenders for his title. After all their hard work and dedication over the years, it doesn’t look like a competitor ready to release its grip on supremacy anytime soon.
Featured image: @hadi_choopan on Instagram
