Olympia 2023 Prejudging: 212, Figure, Fitness, Physique, Wellbeing – Muscle and Fitness

The wait is over. The world bodybuilding championship has officially begun. The 2023 Joe Weiders Olympia Fitness and Performance Weekend kicked off with Friday’s prejudging session featuring six of the 11 IFBB Pro Leagues divisions. Media and fans joined competitors from the Fitness, 212, Figure, Women’s Physique, Ms. Olympia and Wellness divisions. If you weren’t in Orlando or watching on pay-per-view, here’s a quick look at the 2023 Olympia Prejudging.

Fitness Olympia

Missy Truscott was expected to face former champions Oksana Grishina and Whitney Jones, as well as two-time Fitness International winner Ariel Khadr. Jones and Khadr were on the final call, but Jodi Boam joined them, which was a surprise. The opening round of this division went to Physique. Two-thirds of the overall score comes from the Routine round, which will be held on Friday night. Can Truscott beat third place or will we see a new champion crowned?

212 Olympia

Two-time champion Shaun Clarida was also looking for a third victory overall, but Keone Pearson had different plans. The Texas Pro winner was bigger and appeared to have similar conditioning to the Giant Killer, which will make the night clash interesting. Clarida has beaten bigger men before and this is a new position for Pearson. Fans were divided on who would win after the pre-judging round ended.

Olympian Figure

As many expected, the Figure division was left to six-time champion Cydney Gillon and 2023 Masters Olympia winner Jessica Reyes-Padilla. They also join Lola Montez and Cherish Richardson in the final squad, signaling they could be a top-four finisher this round. Gillon appears to be on track for seventh place, but anything can happen in the finals.

Olympia Female Physique

Sarah Villegas wants to be the first woman to regain the title after losing it. Natalia Abraham Coelho wants to listen and still at the end of the day. There were no shocking developments here either. Coelho and Villegas were the center of attention on the last call of the morning. Villegas is bigger, but Coelho looks more confident than ever. Nothing was resolved in the opening round of this battle.

Mrs.

Andrea Shaw is a three-time Ms. Olympia, but she has never looked more confident in herself than she did today at this year’s pageant pre-judging. The four-time Rising Phoenix world champion put on a show, as did last year’s runner-up Angela Yeo. Fans would be shocked to see Shaw defeated, but she will do her best in the finals to leave nothing to chance.

Olympia Wellbeing

The Expo stage area was packed for the Wellness division. 25 athletes took the stage for their highlight moment and each competitor had the support of the fans. The loudest applause went to Francielle Mattos and Isabelle Nunes. This is Nunes’ second attempt to dethrone current champion Mattos. Well, find out tonight if she can do it.

If you’re not in Orlando for the Olympia, go to www.olympiaproductions.com to watch live from home and see bodybuilding history in the making.