Hadi Choopan had a great year of bodybuilding. The first Iranian-born athlete to win the Mr. Olympia was unhappy to lose his title in 2023 and had vowed to get the Sandow back in 2024.
- “You are not happy I am coming,” Choopan said during his contest prep over the summer.
Choopan dominated bodybuilding competitions throughout 2024 and placed second at the 2024 Mr. Olympia. Based on his public statements since the finals of the biggest physique show on the planet, Choopan seems devastated.
Hadi Choopan “Devastated” by 2024 Mr. Olympia Finish
“Hadi is devastated. He feels he disappointed his whole country,” said bodybuilding coach Milos Sarcev during a guest appearance on Jay Cutler’s podcast, Cutlercast, on Oct. 15, 2024. Choopan himself had taken to social media two days prior:
- “I am ashamed,” he wrote on Instagram. “I do not have the face to apologize to my people.”
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That Choopan felt required to issue an apology for ranking as the number-two bodybuilder in the world speaks to the pressure he applies to himself. Sarcev, Cutler, and co-host Matt Daniels continued their discussion of the Men’s Open final:
- Daniels: “I think Hadi was not in his normal condition. He looked a little bit downsized.”
- Cutler: “He took it as well as he could on stage.”
- Sarcev: “He overcame the defending champion who beat him last year, there’s nothing to be ashamed of.”
Sarcev is right. In totality, Choopan had a stellar competitive season, including several high-profile wins:
- 2024 Arnold Classic: 1st
- 2024 Arnold Classic UK: 1st
- 2024 Mr. Olympia: 2nd
Notably, Choopan beat 2024 Mr. Olympia Winner Samson Dauda at both Arnold Classic events in March. He also out-ranked 2023 Mr. Olympia Lunsford, who fell to third place in a surprising upset.
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It’s premature to say Dauda and Choopan are nurturing any sort of rivalry. That said, the two bodybuilders have now traded first and second place at several major shows. At the Mr. Olympia, Choopan trailed Dauda by just three score card points (17 to 14) — the tightest gap of any neighboring athletes in the top 10.
Dauda has already indicated he’ll compete in 2025’s Arnold Classic. On Oct. 19, however, news broke that Choopan would forego the Arnold in ’25 to focus solely on winning the next Mr. Olympia.
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Featured Image: @hadi_choopan / Instagram
