Here is a preview of the upcoming 2021 Natural Olympia.
The 2021 Natural Olympia has arrived. The competition will take place from Nov. 11-14 at the Golden Nuggets Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. Competitors will be battling for up to $100,000 in cash and prizes.
This is a natural show which means that there are some differences from the IFBB shows. The biggest distinction when it comes to judging is the size of the athletes. There is not as much muscle mass for natural athletes as opposed to IFBB competitors, specifically Men’s Open. Despite the difference in size, athletes compete in similar categories.
In the Men’s Physique division, competitors perform bodybuilding poses and a T-walk. The judges have to adjust because the muscle mass is smaller despite the level of conditioning remaining high. Athletes can qualify for the Natural Olympia by competing in one PNBA competition. This has to be a professional show and they do not need to win a specific placing.
The Men’s Open division is the highlight of the show and Philip Ricardo Jr. is one of the competitors to watch heading into the competition. He won the 2019 Natural Olympia title and will look to bring his title back this year. Ricardo Jr. recently finished fourth at the Mr. America 2021 competition and he believes this will help him during the Natural Olympia.
Ricardo Jr. recently took part in an exclusive interview with Generation Iron. He plained that it was a last-minute decision to enter Mr. America. Despite his fourth-place finish, Ricardo Jr. believes this was an effective strategy in preparing for the Natural Olympia. Ricardo Jr. will be one of the favorites to win the competition, especially with defending champion Meshack Ochieng not taking place during the event.
The Men’s Physique division will have no shortage of champions. The gold medal winners from the previous four years will be back on stage competing against each other. Jon Tsui is the defending champion and will have a chance to make it two in a row. Back in July, Tsui was named as an INBA PNBA Natural Bodybuilding Hall of Fame inductee.
Joseph Ortiz will also return to the stage, along with the 2018 champion Colin Congo. William Long won Men’s Physique at the Natural Olympia in 2017 and he is the fourth gold-medal winner that will be present. This makes for an exciting competition in this division.
The intrigue of a natural bodybuilding show is to see the physique of athletes in a different way than the IFBB. With the athletes set to make an appearance, the show in Las Vegas should be another great one as natural bodybuilding continues to grow.
This is a sport that has been growing in recent years and it is because of competitions such as this one. It began with the Mr. America show and will continue at the Natural Olympia.
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