Tag: derek lunsford
Derek Lunsford Speaks On Potential Move To Open Bodybuilding
212 Olympia champion Derek Lunsford will focus on defending title.
Derek Lunsford was finally able to get over the hump and win the Olympia in 2021. The Men’s 212 competitor took the next step in Orlando back in October and it is only right that he considers his next move. For Lunsford, the could be Open Bodybuilding.
Lunsford admitted in a recent interview that he has always had interest in competing in Open Bodybuilding. This is something that has been in the works but for now, Lunsford is focused on defending his title at the 2022 Olympia.
“Right now we’re focused on defending the 212 title but do I eventually want to be open? There are no questions asked man. I am a bodybuilder. I want to see my body continue to grow into the open,” Lunsford said.
“I’ve said it over and over and over again. I’ve always wanted to go open. I expect at some point I’ll be an open guy.”
Derek Lunsford has been a 212 competitor for the duration of his bodybuilding career. At 28 years old, he feels like his physique can still improve and this includes getting to the size of competitors in today’s Open Bodybuilding category.
“I’m 28 years old and I think that I need to spend a little bit more time in the gym developing my physique. How long will it take? We’ll see if my body just booms in one year who knows?”
Open Bodybuilding currently features some massive physiques. It is becoming a division full of mass monsters and that begins with reigning two-time Olympia champion Big Ramy. He remains at the top, along with Brandon Curry and Hadi Choopan. Lunsford can be another up-and-comer in the future that has a chance to make an impact. Nick Walker and Hunter Labrada currently fall under that category.
Derek Lunsford finished as Olympia runner-up twice in his career. During the 2020 show, Lunsford came in fourth. Shaun Clarida was the favorite entering 2021 to repeat as champion but Lunsford was able to pull off the upset. He earned his pro card in 2017 and won his first competition that same year at the 2017 Tampa Pro.
At some point, we will see Lunsford make the change but it does not seem to be happening right away. Lunsford has some more to accomplish in the 212 division and that begins with defending his title in 2022. Winning his first Olympia is something that could add some extra motivation for Lunsford moving forward. With over a year to prepare for the competition, the 2022 Olympia could have plenty of storylines and excitement to watch.
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Derek Lunsford Reflects On Olympia Win And Details His Battle With Shaun Clarida
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Derek Lunsford gives us insight into his mindset winning the Men’s 212 Olympia 2021 and a play-by-play of his face-off with Shaun Clarida.
The Men’s 212 division was one of the most thrilling competitions of the Olympia 2021. This is due to the pure impressiveness of the top athletes in the division. A battle between Shaun Clarida, Derek Lunsford, and Kamal Elgargni could have fallen in any direction by the time finals hit. That lack of clear winner made the event electric. Ultimately, Lunsford earned his first ever Olympia victory in a stunning showcase. We connected via video chat with Lunsford to follow up on his victory. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Derek Lunsford dives deep into his Olympia win and gives and inside look into his neck and neck battle with Shaun Clarida.
It’s always exciting when a new bodybuilder earns an Olympia trophy for the very first time. Derek Lunsford is a competitor that has long since been hyped as the next coming of Men’s 212 Olympia greatness. In 2021, he finally fulfilled that hype with a close call – but well deserved win. We linked up with Lunsford to congratulate him on his win as well as go into detail about his mindset from prejudging through to finals and his victory.
During our interview, it quickly became clear that Derek Lunsford is a very humbled and appreciative champion. In many ways, he’s still riding on the waves of excitement and shock from the win. He claims that he feels like he was “made for this.” But emphasized that this is not meant as a cocky statement. It’s simply what feels right – and he acknowledges that victory came through patience and confidence rather than cockiness and rushing towards the goal.
He also notes that he it is surreal to now be a champion interviewed by the very network that inspired him as a young bodybuilder. The original Generation Iron film was a major inspiration for Lunsford to become a bodybuilder. Now all of these years later, not only is he a champion, but he’s speaking with the very director of the film that helped him head down this path.
We asked Derek Lunsford to give us an inside play-by-play of his battle on the Olympia stage from prejudging to finals. What was his mindset like during such a close call match? Lunsford claims that he walked out of the prejudging feeling very confident. But the more he reflected back – the more he recognized just how close the battle would be during the finals. He “went back and forth” on whether or not Shaun Clarida had the edge over him. That razor thin tightrope walk remained throughout the entirety of the finals.
Derek Lunsford acknowledges that his physique is very different that Shaun Claridas. Both of their physiques were in top form – but their aesthetics were very different. The title win might have very well come down to personal preference of the judges. Do they prefer a denser physique like Clarida? Or would they go for a more streamlined look in Lunsford?
It’s this very fact that Derek Lunsford makes sure to speak clearly about in our interview. He is so impressed by Clarida’s physique – and was so honored to see Clarida smiling upon Lunsford winning the Olympia trophy. In Lunsford’s eyes – both of them are top brass bodybuilders. He is proud to now share the distinction of Olympia champion with the likes of Clarida – while also sharing the stage with him.
You can watch Derek Lunsford’s full comments on his Olympia 2021 win in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
Olympia 2021 Men’s 212 Prejudging: Derek Lunsford’s Transformation Just Might Win The Show
Derek Lunsford made a huge impression with his improvements. Is it enough to win Men’s 212 Olympia?
The Friday prejudging has come to a close and once again the Men’s 212 division has proven itself to be one of the closest battles of the entire weekend. The quality of the top athletes in this division is so impressive – that the difference between our top competitors are razor thin. While it might seem like there is a lead coming out of the prejudging. The battle is so close – anything can change between now and the finals later tonight. Most notable, Derek Lunsford showcased massive improvements that might just place him ahead at the Men’s 212 Olympia. Let’s break it down.
Right off the bat, we seem to have clear frontrunners in the form of Derek Lunsford, Kamal Elgargni, and returning champion Shaun Clarida. These three stood tall in the final callout – and were put through some sweat-inducing paces by the judges. Each one of these three competitors stood in the middle of the comparisons before the prejudging concluded.
What can’t be understated is just how close these three bodybuilders are in physique quality. Each of these three competitors hold a different kind of genetic structure – yet somehow all three of them are so on point that it’s still a hard call to make who stood above the rest.
Let’s break it down in our full Olympia 2021 pre-judging and analysis report:
Olympia 2021 Men’s 212 Pre-Judging Breakdown
The first callout featured our three lead bodybuilders as mentioned above – plus Ahmad Ashkanani trailing in at the edges of the callout lineup. It was immediately clear that the likes of Clarida, Lunsford, and Elgargni impressed in their individual routines. But this was our first time seeing them side by side.
It was clear at this point that these four were likely our top choices. But the second callout solidified our top three. Ashkanani was left behind to remain in the second callout – comparing him to the second round of probably lower placing competitors. It all became clear at this moment that the judges had their top three Men’s 212 Olympia 2021 competitors locked in.
1st Callout Lineup
Ahmad Ashkanani
Kamal Elgargni
Derek Lunsford
Shaun Clarida
2nd Callout Lineup
Ahmad Ashkanani
Kerrith Bajjo
Naser Mohammed
Angel Calderon Frias
John Jewett
Nathan Epler
This then brought us into our further back callouts. The third through fifth callouts showcased our trailing athletes. The most notable upset here was Keone Pearson. He had come into the Olympia 2021 with a lot of hype behind him. Many fans hoped he would perhaps rise up to win the show. At the very least, he was a top 5 contender going into the weekend.
Keone ultimately found himself in the fourth callout. Far behind the top five placing that many expected. His weak point here was his conditioning. Perhaps something went off with his timing leading into the weekend – but the sharpness needed to stand against the top guys wasn’t there.
Despite placing in the fourth callout – there is time for change leading into the final night. Keone Pearson could perhaps bring in some final changes to bump himself into a higher placing. But as it stands now – there’s no chance he can break up the final top three.
3rd Callout Lineup
Noel Adame
Tonio Burton
Lucas Coelho
Pasquale D’Angelo
4th Callout Lineup
Steve Benthin
Piotr Borecki
Ahmed El Wardany
Junho Kim
Keone Pearson
Vladimir Iacovlev
5th Callout Lineup
Ahmed Ashkanani
Nathan Epler
Angel Calderon Frias
Naser Mohammed
Speaking of the final callout for the Olympia 2021 Men’s 212, we returned to our expected top three competitors in the form of Shaun Clarida, Derek Lunsford, and Kamal Elgargni. The competitors were brought out in numerical order first. This placed Lunsford right in the center. The athletes were put through a round of poses before Lunsford was moved out of the center spot.
Clarida was then moved into the center for another round of poses. But this wasn’t the end for the final comparison round. The judges then switched in Kamal Elgargni into the center for one final batch of poses.
Elgargni ending in the center might be a peek into where the judges are leaning. Perhaps Elgargni is an inch scored above the rest and the frontrunner of the show. That being said, we’ve seen the judges often have some fun in the final callout. It’s not unusual for the judges to purposefully place all three athletes into the center (as we saw here). This could be in part to entertain the fans while also giving each athlete a chance to be compared to each other.
Final Callout Lineup
Kamal Elgargni
Derek Lunsford
Shaun Clarida
That’s why we have a lot of hype and excitement behind Derek Lunsford. One could argue his center placing was just numerical – but his improvements are so vast compared to previous years that he nearly stole the show. This is the version of Lunsford that fans have been begging for over the past few years. The promise has been fulfilled – but will it be enough to win the entire Olympia 2021 Men’s 212?
Shaun Clarida looked on point matching his last year’s winning physique – he may have even made some slight improvements. Kamal Elgargni also looked sharper this year than in 2020. Lunsford’s only knock might be his muscle maturity. He’s a bit shorter in the tooth compared to Clarida and Elgargni – and it shows in some of Lunsford’s structure.
That being said, the judges often reward improvement above all else. Derek Lunsford brought that in spades. His improved physique was so impressive it nearly lead to a double take – at least for this writer.
Ultimately, we might give the squeaker lead to Derek Lunsford at this time. But with each of these three competitors so close in quality – anything can change by the finals. There is no guarantee. Right now, we can’t rightfully say there is a shoe in winner. That makes for an exciting show later tonight. We can’t wait to see what the rest of the Olympia 2021 Men’s 212 holds.
Until then, stick around the Generation Iron Fitness Network for our continued updates and coverage of the Olympia 2021.
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