The IFBB Pro League’s 212 division originally started as the 202 division in 2008, and much like the weight limit, the division has evolved into one that has a fanbase all its own. The stars that compete in the Olympia 212 have international fanbases that show up in full force.
That fanbase will be loud for their favorites when the 19 competitors slated to compete at the 2023 Olympia 212 contest in Orlando, FL, on Nov. 3-4 show up. The roster for this year’s contest is below, with names in order of when they qualified for the Olympia:
2023 212 Olympia Roster
- Felipe Fierro (Chile)
- Shaun Clarida (USA)
- Angel Calderon Frias (Spain)
- Kamal Elgargni (Libya)
- Ahmad Ashkanani (Kuwait)
- Felipe Moraes (Brazil)
- Kerrith Bajjo (USA)
- Piotr Borecki (Poland)
- Andrei Melnikov (Russia)
- Roman Iushchenko (Ukraine)
- John Jewett (USA)
- Chris Jones (USA)
- Fabrizio de Souza Moreira (Brazil)
- Naser Mohamed (Kuwait)
- Keone Pearson (USA)
- Hidetada Yamagishi (Japan)
- Oleh Kryvyi (Ukraine)
- Hossein Kalateh (Canada)
- Radoslav Angelov (Bulgaria)
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How to Qualify
There were four ways to be a part of the 2023 Olympia 212 contest. Past winners of the division going back to its 202-pound years are qualified for life. The top three of the previous year’s Olympia were also locked in for the 2023 contest. After that, the winners of each of the 212 contests up to Oct. 9, 2023, would also be eligible to compete in the Olympia.
The only other path to the Olympia stage for folks that didn’t meet that criteria is by special invite given by the IFBB Pro League or Olympia owner Jake Wood. At the time of this article’s publication, no invites had been offered to competitors.
Past Champions
There are two past champions in the lineup. Defending champion Shaun Clarida won this title in both 2020 and 2022. He will look to join Flex Lewis and Kevin English as the only three-time champions in the division’s history, and he is the favorite to do so in the eyes of many experts.
Kamal Elgargni was the 2019 Olympia 212 champion, and he’s qualified to enter the Olympia 212 contest for life. He is also qualified for the Mr. Olympia (Men’s Open) contest thanks to winning the 2023 Masters Olympia in August. As of this writing, Elgargni is expected to compete in the Olympia 212, but no official announcement has been made as of Oct. 13, 2023.
The inaugural winner of the Olympia 202 in 2008 was David Henry. Like Elgargni, he’s eligible to compete in this contest without having to win a show to qualify. He’s not on the official roster, but the retired United States Air Force veteran hasn’t officially said whether he will compete or not.
Top Contenders
In the eyes of many fans, the undisputed number one contender to Clarida is Angel Calderon Frias, who finished in the runner-up spot at the 2022 Olympia. Calderon Frias defeated Elgargni, who fell to third place that year in Las Vegas, NV.
Frias hadn’t competed since that contest, so he’s had close to 11 months to prepare for this rematch with “The Giant Killer.” Calderon Frias is expected to have the size advantage, but Clarida’s calling cards are his round muscle bellies and conditioning. For Calderon Frias to beat Clarida, he will have to be at his absolute best.
Ahmad Ashkanani has been a perennial top-five finisher at the Olympia for several years. He was fourth in the 2022 edition behind Elgargni. Ashkanani is a veteran in the lineup who can pose with the best. Rounding out the top five at the 2022 Olympia was Oleh Kryvyi of Ukraine, who has great shape and an impressive lower body. If Kryvyi shows up with his razor-sharp definition, he can hold his own in the first callout.
Dark Horses
Some of the names in this next group will be recognizable to many fans, and they could very well contend for the title, but it will be hard for them to knock the favorites out of their spots in the first callout. Among these dark horses are John Jewett, who was fourth at the 2019 Olympia but has also been as low as 13th. He’s coming off a second-place finish in the Men’s Open contest at the 2023 Legion Sports Fest Pro.
Keone Pearson is a fan favorite, and he made a big statement in the 2023 Texas Pro, where he won convincingly. Pearoson will try to build on his sixth-place finish at the 2022 Olympia. 2023 is the former Classic Physique competitor’s third Olympia 212 appearance.
Another veteran of the division is Kerrith Bajjo, who won the 2023 New York Pro to punch his ticket. No one should sleep on Felipe Moraes, either. Both Bajjo and Moraes were top 10 finishers in Las Vegas and don’t plan to drop down the standings in Orlando.
The 2023 Olympia features the return of Hidetada Yamagishi. The Japanese legend competed at the Masters Olympia and won the 212 title. This may be the last time he competes on bodybuilding’s biggest stage, so cameras should be out and ready to capture the moment.
Olympia Debuts
As is the case every year, rookies will step onto the Olympia stage. Among them is Felipe Fierro of Chile, Ukraine’s Roman Iushchenko, and Russia’s Andrei Melnikov. Hossein Kalateh of Canada won the Van Pro Showdown 212 contest to be eligible for his Olympia debut. Chris Jones is an athlete to keep one’s eye on; he made his pro debut with a 2023 Chicago Pro win and could disrupt the top 10 at the Olympia.
If you’re not going to be in Orlando for the Olympia, you can watch the competitions live by purchasing the pay-per-view on the Olympia Productions website. Stay tuned to BarBend for all the latest previews and developments leading up to the Olympia as well.
Featured Image: @shaunclarida on Instagram
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