“This past weekend was the best I’ve ever been” - Hunter Labrada on his 7th-place finish at 2022 Mr. Olympia

Olympia contender Hunter Labrada is a lesser-known figure in the world of bodybuilding. As an up-and-coming artist in the game of sculpting the body to perfection, he is often looked over when it comes to headlines. However, in the world of fitness, the American builder is well known for his competitive personality and is considered a strong adversary who will eventually have his day.

This year at the Mr. Olympia Men's Open, Labrada was left disappointed as he finished in 7th place. Although all the competitors at this year's event were strong and deserved their respective spots, 7th seemed a little too low for Labrada. The American bodybuilder expressed his views in a story on his Instagram profile.

"This past weekend was the best I’ve ever been, but there are some things that need fixed, and somethings that need figured out, and that’s what this year will be about."

The 30-year old bodybuilder expressed how devastated he was with a 7th-place finish in the competition this year.

"Y’all want real, here’s real: I just walked in my gym for the first time since leaving home for the Olympia to change this timer and move some blood around."

He then emphasized on the struggle that it takes to be a professional athlete, stating that the results were absolutely unacceptable to him.

"I absolutely lost it when I thought about the last years worth of work that had been put in this room only to fall short of my expectations in a major way, and at the end of the day, those are the only set of expectations that matter to me."

After putting in the amount of work it takes to be built that way, a 7h-place finish was a bitter pill to swallow for Labrada. However, he ended his post on a positive note, stating that he will be back stronger.

"Looking forward to really unpacking all this to y’all after the holidays, but for now it’s time for me to be with my family and to take care of myself. I will be back and better than ever in 2023, and y’all will see me twice! Once to qualify, and once in 316 days."

Mr. Olympia 2022

The 2022 edition of Mr. Olympia was nothing but exhilarating. One of the most significant results from the most-prestigious show in the world was the toppling of the giant Big Ramy. The man responsible for this was Iranian bodybuilder Hadi Choopan.

Choopan took the title away from Ramy thanks to his better aesthetics and conditioning. Very few expected Choopan to beat Ramy, but even fewer expected Ramy to fall off a podium finish. This is exactly what happened as Big Ramy finished in fifth place behind Derek Lunsford, Nick Walker, and Brandon Curry, who finished second through fourth in that order.

The second-most anticipated event at Mr. Olympia was the Classic Physique. This competition was made famous due to celebrity athlete Chris Bumstead. CBum recorded his fourth straight victory at the Classic, beating Breon Ansley. The 2022 Classic Physique Olympia marked the end of the two-time champion Ansley's run in the division. He is set to take his talents up tot he 212.

Edited by Sabine Algur