According to Šarčev, the defending champions only have to worry about last year’s runner-up.
2023 Mr. Olympia is slowly shaping up to be a massive competition on paper. As the men’s open division seemingly enters a new golden age, bodybuilding’s premier competition resembles a competitor’s watch, where only the truly worthy champion triumphs. However, according to long-time coach Miloš Šarčev, the competition starts and ends with two main contenders.
On July 6, 2023, during a conversation with Jay Cutler on Cutler’s YouTube channel, Sarchev maintained that he hopes to defend Mr. Olympia champion Hadi Chopan and 2022 runner-up Derek Lunsford. The two are favorites for the 2023 edition of the competition. The discussion takes place at the end of the video below around 1:26:30.
After years of waiting but never breaking through, veteran Choupan could be on the verge of an Olympia dynasty. That is, unless every Šarčev, Lunsford, or 2023 Arnold Classic (AC) winner Samson Dauda (as a dark horse) has something to say about it.
“Derek [Lunsford] And sing [Choopan] Forerunners,” Sarchev said. “Samson [Dauda] going to [2023 Mr. Olympia] Show up to win and he will do everything possible to win.
If Choopan repeats as Mr. Olympia champion in Orlando, FL in November, he will put himself within striking distance of the legendary “three-peat.” According to Šarčev, Chopan has been Mr. Phil Heath (2011-2017) on at least three consecutive occasions. Become the first Men’s Open athlete to win the Olympia.
“I have all respect for Hadi [Choopan],” said Sharev. “Come on [Choopan] Maybe three times more than Mr. Olympia.
Interesting about Šarčev’s analysis related to Lunsford. According to the coach, Lunsford is already in championship condition with a world-class back. It’s the other poses — particularly those involving the sides — that can determine whether star athlete Choopan can be dethroned from his fitness throne.
“Derek [Lunsford] Judging from the past, he is already Mr. Olympia,” Sarchev explained. “He is [Lunsford] A little lost. And when you think about front, front double biceps, front lat spread, he’s very dangerous because you can really see the definition and hardness in the chest in those two poses and he had a crazy V-taper so you have to give him that. He has front double biceps, front lat spread, he looks crazy in all these poses. He is very dangerous. From the back, he is exceptional. Other postures, can defeat him. Can he be beaten convincingly enough in other poses? It remains to be seen. I still think Hadi Choopan is going [win].”
At the time of this writing, the 2023 Mr. Olympia is just four months away. A lot can change in that time. Still, if a sharp and experienced eye like Šarčev can already see the forest for the trees, the latest Olympia could really come down to another epic battle between Chopan and Lunsford.
Featured image: @hadi_choopan on Instagram
