2023 Masters Olympia Bodybuilding Show Preview

For the first time since 2012, the IFBB Pro League will have a Masters Olympia competition. The 2023 Masters Olympia will be held on the weekend of Aug. 26-27, 2023, in Cluj, Romania. This competition is promoted by Olympia owner Jake Wood and features the return of the Men’s Open Masters Olympia contest and the inaugural Masters Olympia for nine other divisions. The only division excluded is Men’s Wheelchair.

The athletes in this lineup are required to be at least 40 years of age to apply for invitations. They will compete for $229,000 USD in total prize money. The winner of each division will also be invited to compete in the 2023 Olympia Weekend in Orlando, FL, on Nov. 2-5, 2023, if they aren’t already qualified.

A pay-per-view livestream of both days’ events is available on Muscle & Fitness Plus for $39.99. Amateur and pro competitions will be shown on the livestream.

2023 Masters Olympia Rosters

The rosters for all 10 divisions are below.

Men’s Open

Vladimir Agrinskiy (Russia)
Slavoj Bednar (Czech Republic)
Robert Burneika (USA)
Maxx Charles (USA)
Phil Clahar (USA)
Kamal Elgargni (USA)
Michael Ely (USA)
Vinny Galanti (USA)
Kenneth B. Jackson (USA)
Rusty Jeffers (USA)
Joshua Lenartowicz (Australia)
Sergio Lima (United Kingdom)
Michael Lynn (USA)
Logan Robson (Australia)
Fred Smalls (USA)

212 Bodybuilding

Anwar Darwish Ali Al Balushi (Oman)
Masoom Butt (United Kingdom)
Ricardo Plata Duran (USA)
Derik Farnsworth (USA)
Ahmed Fawzi (Iraq)
David Henry (USA)
Tony LaGrene (USA)
Fernando Noronha de Albeida Maradona (Brazil)
Milton Martinez (Puerto Rico)
Jicheng Qian (China)
Jonni Shreve (Canada)
Steve D. Thayer (USA)
Ryan Walters (USA)
Wayne Williams (USA)
Jeff Williamson (USA)
Hidetada Yamagishi (USA)

Classic Physique

Ross Caesar (Bermuda)
Alejandro Cambronero (USA)
Richy Chan (Canada)
Darrem Charles (USA)
Tom Connelly (USA)
Ali Emre (Turkey)
Dawid Geler (USA)
Kelvin Hinde (United Kingdom)
Vladimir Markov (USA)
Javier Martinez (Canada)
Luis Garcia Martinez (Spain)
Shanti Mitchell (South Africa)
Olushomo Oni (USA)
Michel Perez (Spain)
Eric Perkins (USA)
Greg Rando (USA)
Peter Sciallo (USA)
Esteban Smith (Spain)

Men’s Physique

Everett Davis (USA)
Youcef Djoudi (France)
Michael Ferguson (USA)
Dajuan Rico Freeman (USA)
Myron Griffin (USA)
Terrence Teo Kok Hua (Malaysia)
Kenyon Leno (USA)
Adon Marcus (USA)
Andrea Mosti (Italy)
David Odom (USA)
Joshua Petrecky (USA)
Kevin Reeder (USA)
Sharif Reid (USA)
Everton W. B. Ribeiro (Brazil)
Byron Ross (USA)
Arya Saffaie (USA)
Marcell Shippen (USA)
Harlan Taylor Jr. (USA)

Women’s Bodybuilding

Reshanna Boswell (USA)
Michelle Brent (USA)
Lori A. Conley (USA)
Leah Dennie (USA)
Jacqueline Fuchs (Switzerland)
Evangelina Guzman (Mexico)
Tananarive Huie (Canada)
Virginia B. Sanchez Macias (Spain)
Silvia Matta (Italy)
Cheryl Mears (USA)
Vera Mikulcova (Czech Republic)
Barbara Moojen (Brazil)
Donna Salib (USA)
Maria del Carmen Gomez Segura (Mexico)
Dana Shemesh (USA)
Marcela Venegas (Chile)

Women’s Physique

Birgit Andersch Austria
Candice Carr Trinidad & Tobago
Tanya Chartrand (Canada)
Suzanne Davis (USA)
Stephanie Fredrickson (USA)
Heather Grace (USA)
Susan Graham (USA)
Lenore Gregson (USA)
Uta Koehler-Spitzbart (Germany)
Maria Queenie Liberman (Canada)
Robyn Mays (USA)
Alida Opre (Hungary)
Oksana Piari (USA)
Ivie Rhein (USA)
Joanna Romano (Spain)
Caroline Alves Dos Santos (Brazil)
Nathalee Thompson (Canada)

Fitness

Marta Aguiar (Uruguay)
Maria Laura Cerbelli (Canada)
Debbie Fowler (USA)
Stephanie Jones (USA)
Sally Kendall-Williams (USA)
Babette Mulford (USA)
Minna Pajulahti (Finland)
Tamara Vahn (USA)
Jenny Worth (USA)

Figure

Jessica Baltazar (USA)
Zulfiya Bitiyeva (Kazakhstan)
Alissa Carpio (USA)
Kim Clark (USA)
Her Eun (Korea)
Veronica Gallego (Spain)
Donya (Dee) Jackson (USA)
Yelena Larina (USA)
Stella Miliani (United Kingdom)
Corrie Morales (USA)
Dorota Ogonowska (Poland)
Jessica Reyes Padilla (Puerto Rico)
Gina Palma (USA)
Larissa Penaloza (USA)
Jennifer Reece (Canada)
Shelace Shoemaker (USA)
Roberta Visintainer (Italy)
Martyna Yabekova (Canada)

Bikini

Merica Abbado (USA)
Gigi Amurao (USA)
Elisangela Angell (USA)
Geri Lara-Berger (USA)
Christy Brown (USA)
Abbi Gaetano (USA)
Larissa Godoi (Brazil)
Niccole Guggia (USA)
Kerryne Henich (USA)
Janine Herrera (USA)
Michelle Hurst (USA)
Nicole Johnson (USA)
Patricia Lloyd (United Kingdom)
Ruth E. Montes (USA)
Chelan Ashley Nour (USA)
Susan Price (USA)
Angela Ruscilli (USA)
Nucia Freitas Samo (Switzerland)
Ayleen Santander (Canada)
Aneta Szoltysek (Poland)
Jessica Wilson (USA)

Wellness

Nicollette Burns (USA)
Cinzia Massaro Clapp (USA)
Flora Conte (Italy)
Casey DeLong (USA)
Houda Hmini (France)
Liliana Velez Marin (Spain)
Oana Marinescu (Romania)
Joann Norwood (USA)
Alessandra Pinheiro (Brazil)
Clarissa Sanchez (Puerto Rico)
Synara Santana (Brazil)
Nerilde Garcia Strey (Brazil)
Carly Thornton (United Kingdom)
Dani Treiger (USA)
Tania Isabel Cunha Viegas (Portugal)
Simara Walter (Brazil)
Elizabeth Williams (USA)

https://www.instagram.com/p/CvrjJoDNa13/

Men’s Open Athletes to Watch

Below are three Men’s Open competitors likely to battle in first callouts.

Joshua Lenartowicz

This will be Joshua Lenartowicz’s first onstage appearance since the 2020 Arnold Classic, where he placed 11th. Prior to that competition, he was considered a top Olympia contender due to three wins and two top-10 career finishes in the Mr. Olympia contest. His absence from the stage was due to medical and personal reasons, but if he shows flashes of his peak form, he will be a favorite to win this contest.

Kamal Elgargni

Kamal Elgargni is the 2019 Olympia 212 champion. He competed in two Men’s Open shows in 2022, finishing second at the 2022 Tampa Pro and fourth in the 2022 Texas Pro. As a former Olympia 212 champion, he could’ve entered the 212 Masters contest but applied for the Men’s Open instead. His trademark definition and posing will serve him well. Some competitors outsize him, but he’s beaten bigger athletes before.

Phil Clahar

Phil Clahar is a Cinderella story for the Men’s Open lineup. The 49-year-old scored a big upset over Hassan Mostafa to win the 2023 Orlando Pro and qualify for the 2023 Olympia. Clahar enters this show with that qualification secured, regardless of rank. If he were to win in Romania, no qualification for the Mr. Olympia would be awarded — only pro show winners qualify for the Olympia this season.

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Women’s Bodybuilding Athletes to Watch

Below are three Women’s Bodybuilding competitors considered early favorites to fight for the title in Romania.

Donna Salib

Donna Salib is the 2022 New York Pro winner for Women’s Bodybuilding and placed 14th at the 2022 Ms. Olympia. She placed fourth at the 2023 New York Pro, meaning this will be her second contest of the 2023 season. She turned pro by winning the 2017 North American title. If she wins in Romania, it would be the biggest win of her career.

Leah Dennie

Leah Dennie is the 2021 New York Pro champion — the only win of her pro career thus far. She scored two top-four placings in 2022. This will be her first appearance of the 2023 season. Her strongest asset is likely her shoulders. How conditioned she is during pre-judging could determine the podium positions at this contest.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CoNfPnPOstr/

[Read More: The Best Leg Exercises for Your Next Leg Day]

Reshanna Boswell

Reshanna Boswell is a nine-year veteran who started her pro career in Women’s Physique. She switched to Women’s Bodybuilding in 2020 and has seen her greatest success since. She ranked ninth at the 2020 Ms. Olympia and has two wins to her credit in that division. Her legs may be her greatest strength, especially her quadriceps. For most bodybuilders, the lower body is tougher to keep size on, but that is not an issue for her.

Other Notes

There will be amateur contests at this show. Winners of those divisions will earn IFBB Pro League status and become eligible to compete in pro shows thereafter. Four-time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler is expected to make a guest appearance at this show, though there is no word on whether he will have an official role in the competition.

Featured image: @mastersolympia on Instagram