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The 2023 Masters Olympia Prize Purse of $229,000 Announced

The return of the Masters Olympia will see an $84,000 purse increase from the 2012 contest.

Phil Blechman
Written by Phil Blechman
Last updated on August 2nd, 2023

The 2023 Masters Olympia will occur in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, on Aug. 26-27, 2023, at the BTArena. On Feb. 24, 2023, the contest’s Instagram page published a post that revealed the total prize pool for the competition is $229,000.

The post announcing the prize purse did not reveal how that money would be divided amongst those who reach the podium or the rest of the competitive field. Per Olympia‘s Dec. 1, 2022, Instagram post, the roster of invited competitors is set to release published on April 24, 2023, following the application deadline of April 10, 2023.

Each application or “letter of intent” must be emailed to the Masters Olympia organizers and include the prospective athlete’s background — age and country they represent — and competitive bodybuilding history, including their most recent show and any titles they have won. Additionally, the application should include links to all relevant social media accounts (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, etc.).

[Related: 2023 Orchid Pro Singapore Results — Bojana Vasiljevic and Alessia Facchin Win Figure and Bikini Contests]

The 2023 Masters Olympia will take place with Olympia Amateur Eastern Europe contests. Twenty-seven IFBB pro cards will be awarded across the 10 competing divisions. It is “the largest pro qualifier in the region.” Olympia President Dan Solomon stated on Jan. 19, 2023, that “the time has come to bring back this great tradition. Athletes worldwide are maintaining elite condition as they age into their 40s and beyond. We want to give them the opportunity to continue pursuing their dream of competing for a coveted Olympia title.”
 
The last iteration of the Masters Olympia occurred in 2012. When 2008, Mr. Olympia Dexter Jackson took home the title and the first-place prize of $75,000 (of the $145,000 total prize pool). Here is a breakdown of the Men’s Open results from that year:

2012 Masters Olympia — Men’s Open

  1. Dexter Jackson — $75,000
  2. Toney Freeman — $35,000
  3. Dennis James — $20,000
  4. Edward Nunn — $10,000
  5. Ronny Rockel — $5,000
For the 2023 Masters Olympia, the Men’s Open, Men’s 212, and Women’s Bodybuilding divisions have an age minimum of 45 years old. The other seven divisions — Classic Physique, Men’s Physique, Women’s Physique, Bikini, Figure, Fitness, and Wellness — have a minimum age requirement of 40 years old.

More Bodybuilding Content — 2023 Arnold Classic Previews

Featured image: @mastersolympiaofficial on Instagram

Phil Blechman

About Phil Blechman

Phil is a native New Yorker passionate about storytelling, bodybuilding, and game design. He holds a BFA from Syracuse University.

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