The former 212 Olympian can officially call himself Mr. Olympia.
Unlike most of his peers in the men’s Open division, Derek Lunsford entered the 2023 Mr. Olympia weekend having already experienced the thrill of having a first-place medal around his neck at the biggest bodybuilding show. big of the year.
Two years away from capturing the 212th Olympia title in Orlando, FL, Lunsford made history by becoming the first two-division champion in the history of the Mr. Olympia contest. The US native emerged victorious from a field of elite competitors led by defending champion Hadi Choopan and 2023 Arnold Classic winner Samson Dauda.
[Related: 2023 Mr. Olympia Results: Complete Coverage and Live Updates]
The battle for the prestigious Sandow Trophy began on Friday during the preliminary round of the 59th edition of the prestigious competition. Unsurprisingly, Lunsford and Choopan, who train under legendary trainer Hany Rambod, quickly separated themselves from the rest of the pack with their elite conditioning and massive amounts of muscle mass.
Dauda’s considerable build and imposing physique were also highlighted during the pre-judging phase. And despite speculation about a possible withdrawal due to health concerns, 2019 Mr. Olympia Brandon Curry looked good during his latest attempt to climb back to the top of the Men’s Open mountain.
call one
Call two
Call three
- Phil Clahar
- Theo Leguerrier
- roman frizz
- Justin Shier
Call four
- andres jacked
- Brandon Curry
- Michal Krizanek
- carved hunter
Call five
- Hadi Choopan
- Derek Lunsford
- Samson Dauda
The final call featured a dramatic three-person pose between Choopan, Lunsford and Dauda. All three competitors put in a great performance, although Dauda seemed to get a little tired towards the end. There was still a lot of anticipation as to whether Lunsford would be able to unseat Choopan, who showed plenty of energy as he interacted with the crowd during his routine.
Lunsford seemed to have some luck on his side when he earned the nod from the fans by winning the title and the 2023 People’s Champion belt. Not long after taking home the fan-voted award, the Mr. runner-up Olympia 2022 etched his place in the bodybuilding history books by officially winning the Mr. Olympia 2023 title and $400,000.
Mr. Olympia 2023 Results
Here’s how the top five qualified for the 2023 Mr. Olympia contest, along with the prize pool per position.
- Derek Lunsford — $400,000
- Hadi Choopan — $175,000
- Samson Dauda — $100,000
- Brandon Curry — $40,000
- andres jacked – $35,000
[Related: Chris Bumstead Claims Fifth Consecutive Classic Physique Championship at 2023 Mr. Olympia]
Demonstrating that he is capable of doing whatever it takes to get his body in championship shape, Derek Lunsford deserves a lot of credit for becoming the 18th Mr. Olympia. It took tremendous dedication, diligent diet, and intense training to build a physique that would convince the judges to place Choopan at No. 2 in 2023.
Furthermore, the fact that Lunsford accomplished that feat just two years after asserting dominance in an entirely different division says a lot about his genetic gifts, work ethic and mentality.
Featured image: mrolympiallc / Instagram
