The 2023 Musclecontest International Austria Pro will culminate in Shewechat, Austria, on the weekend of Dec. 8-9, 2023. It features the IFBB Pro League Classic Physique division. Ten Classic Physique athletes representing seven countries will compete in the division’s final show of the calendar year.
A qualification to the 2024 Olympia Weekend in Las Vegas, NV, on the weekend of Oct. 10-13, 2024, for the winner hangs in the balance.
2023 Musclecontest International Austria Pro Roster
The roster in alphabetical order can be seen below, courtesy of the IFBB Pro League website:
- Michael Daboul (United Kingdom)
- Eduarto Duarte (Portugal)
- Sabir Kazimov (Georgia)
- Saverio Mangione (Italy)
- Stephane Matala (France)
- Manuel Moisel (Germany)
- Craig Morton (United Kingdom)
- Victor Manuel Compan Ruiz (Mexico)
- Tunde Chris Taylor (Germany)
- Francesco Della Vedova (Italy)
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Michael Daboul
Michael Daboul established himself as a top-tier Classic Physique competitor throughout 2023. He won the 2023 Pittsburgh Pro and the 2023 New York Pro before finishing sixth overall at the 2023 Classic Physique Olympia.
Daboul has yet to qualify for the 2024 Olympia, but he is considered a strong favorite to do so here. It’s been five weeks since he competed at the 2023 Olympia, so his physique should be comparable to his performance on the Olympia stage.
Stephane Matala
Stephane Matala qualified for the 2023 Olympia, thanks to his win at the 2023 T.R.U. Athlete Pro show. However, he didn’t compete in the Olympia in Orlando, FL, won by Chris Bumstead. Matala needs to win a pro show before Sept. 15, 2024, to qualify for the 2024 Olympia.
A win in this contest by Mantala would be considered an upset over a top-six Olympia competitor. Should he find success, it would give him 10 months to prepare for the Olympia in Las Vegas. This is his third pro contest of 2023.
Craig Morton
This is Craig Morton’s first pro appearance of the calendar year and the second show of his pro career. After turning pro in 2022, Morton placed fourth in the 2022 Arnold Classic UK contest. He’s had over a year to make improvements and add size to his frame. If he made the most of the time in the gym, he could make a first callout at this show.
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Featured image: @michaeldaboul on Instagram
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