Mr. Olympia - the world’s ultimate bodybuilding competition

Mr. Olympia is the title awarded to the winner of the professional men's bodybuilding contest at Joe Weider's Olympia Fitness & Performance Weekend—an international bodybuilding competition that is held annually by the International Federation of BodyBuilding & Fitness (IFBB). Joe Weider created the contest to enable the Mr. Universe winners to continue competing and to earn money. The first Mr. Olympia was held on September 18, 1965, at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, New York City, with Larry Scott winning his first of two straight titles.

The record number of wins is eight each by Lee Haney (1984–1991) and Ronnie Coleman (1998–2005). Big Ramy currently holds the title.

The film Pumping Iron (1977) featured the buildup to the 1975 Mr. Olympia in Pretoria, South Africa, and helped launch the acting careers of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Lou Ferrigno, and Franco Columbu.

There is also a female bodybuilder crowned, Ms. Olympia, as well as winners of Fitness Olympia and Figure Olympia for fitness and figure competitors. All four contests occur during the same weekend. From 1994 to 2003, and again in 2012, a Masters Olympia was also crowned. Globally, a version with amateur competitors is also presented, the Mr. Olympia Amateur.

HOW TO QUALIFY FOR THE OLYMPIA

• Previous Mr. Olympia winners (if more than 5 years they must have IFBB approval).

• Top 6 finalists from the previous year's Mr. Olympia.

• Top 6 finalists from the same year's Arnold Classic.

• Top 5 finalists from the same year's New York Men's Professional (previously called Night of the Champions).

• Top 3 finalist from any other competition in the IFBB professional tour held during the subsequent year prior to the Mr. Olympia.

• The winner of the Masters Professional World Championships.

• The event organizer can nominate one competitor who has not qualified by other means, as a "special invitee."

There is no greater accomplishment in the sport of bodybuilding than winning the Mr. Olympia title. In 1965, Joe Weider and his brother Ben debuted the Mr. Olympia competition to establish a true world champion. Fast forward to today, and there’s now a whole weekend dedicated to the Olympia, which includes a fan expo and competitions for 10 divisions — five men and five women. The Mr. Olympia, however, remains the center of the event. 

The accomplishment of hoisting the Eugen Sandow trophy is amplified by the fact that only 16 men have done so in the contest’s rich 57-year history. Each man to be crowned Mr. Olympia has left a legacy in their wake. Larry Scott, the first man to win, set a new physical standard. Arnold Schwarzenegger, arguably the most famous bodybuilder to ever compete, ushered the sport into the mainstream. And Dorian Yates, who captured six O titles, was the first legitimate mass monster. Every Mr. O — whether they won once or reigned for years — has left a unique mark on the sport of bodybuilding. 

06.09.2022