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The Mr. Olympia competition is the most prestigious bodybuilding competition in the world and has been so since its establishment in 1965. Officially known as Joe Weider's Olympia Fitness & Performance Weekend, Mr. Olympia witnesses the gathering of the crème de la crème in the sport annually, who compete for the honor of being crowned the best in the sport.
The 2022 edition of the competition took place in Las Vegas, Nevada, which has been the home of the Olympia for a long time. The organization recently announced on their Instagram page that this year’s competition will be held in Orlando, Florida, from November 2 to November 5, marking a return to the city that hosted the competition during the pandemic:
"After awarding nearly 1.7 million dollars in prize money in December, eclipsing records for ticket sales, sponsorships and worldwide pay-per-view audience ... Organizers of the fitness industry’s most prestigious event have entered the planning stages for this year’s Olympia Weekend ...
"Scheduled for the weekend of November 2-5, the 59th edition of Joe Weider’s Olympia Fitness & Performance Weekend is confirmed for Orlando, Florida at the Orange County Convention Center, rated as one of the top convention center venues in the world."
For 21 years, Las Vegas was the sole home for the Olympia. However, with the Covid-19 pandemic peaking in 2020 and 2021, the organization was forced to make a move out of Nevada due to travel restrictions in the state.
Threatened by the potential cancelation, the organizers settled on a decision to move the competition to Orlando, Florida, for the 2020 and 2021 editions of the competition. This proved fruitful by drawing new audiences from different parts of the country. After a move back to Las Vegas last year, the organizers have decided to juggle between the two venues in the future:
"Our recent rotation between Orlando and Las Vegas has resulted in tremendous growth, allowing us to connect with fans, sponsors and exhibitors on both sides of the Unites States. The convention center in Orlando is unique because it clears the way for us to have two adjacent host hotels. If you enjoy convenience, you’re gonna love this year’s Olympia, a fully connected experience!"
Masters Olympia set to see the return of veteran bodybuilders back to the stage
After being discontinued for 11 years, the Masters Olympia is making a return this year. The competition will provide older bodybuilders with the opportunity to compete against each other in their very own division.
The organization announced the details of the competition in December last year via their Instagram page, where they mentioned that the competition will be held from August 25 to the 27 August at the BTArena in Cluj Napoca, Romania.
The Wellness, Men’s Physique, Figure, Women’s Physique, Fitness, Bikini and Men’s Classic Physique will allow participants above 40 to enter while Men’s Bodybuilding, Men’s 212, and Women’s Bodybuilding will welcome athletes over 45.
Excitement around the return of the Masters is at an all-time high, with many hoping to see some of the best rivalries of the 90s return to the stage.
This year will also mark Iranian Hadi Choopan's first title defense against what is likely to be an extremely talented lineup.
