In the weeks leading up to the 2024 Olympia, held in Las Vegas, NV, on Oct. 11-12, 2024, much of the buzz was about the previous two Mr. Olympia champions — 2022 winner Hadi Choopan and then-defending champion Derek Lunsford.
Some fans believed Samson Dauda was a contender who could make an impact, but leaving Sin City with the golden Sandow Trophy was a long shot. Dauda had already been beaten by Choopan twice at the 2024 Arnold Classic and Arnold Classic UK contests earlier in the year. That may be why many of the 2024 Olympia press conference questions were directed toward Choopan and Lunsford.
By the end of that press conference, Dauda ensured his presence was known by taking off his shirt and calling out other contenders to do the same in a pre-show posedown.
“I just felt it at the moment; there was no strategy to it,” Dauda told BarBend in an exclusive interview. “After a while, during the press conference, I was looking at the audience and could see that they were a bit bored, so I just decided to take my shirt off and hoped one of the guys would join me.”
No one jumped at the chance. Many fans and insiders saw it as false confidence, and felt Dauda may have eliminated himself from title contention.
Dauda invested much of himself into the 2024 Olympia, training harder than ever. Being a CELSIUS-sponsored athlete helped him when he needed extra energy. Prepping for the Olympia became a family matter after he stopped working with his coach, Milos Sarcev, earlier in the year.
Dauda said, “The biggest difference was that my wife [Marlena] coached me for this prep, [which was] also the least stressful prep.” This was another factor that many experts concluded would cost any shot at the gold. However, Dauda knew something that everyone else did not.
With many hard workouts logged, extra CELSIUS at the ready, and his wife alongside him every step of the way, Dauda arrived in Las Vegas with what he felt was a complete physique, including new size and shape. “I had more muscle all around, an improved back, and better condition,” the champ expressed.
Dauda’s conditioning could even compete with Choopan’s, who is best known for being the most shredded athlete on stage. Dauda’s back development could take on Lunsford, who won every back shot in the 2023 Olympia, according to the judges.
Those judges did not share much about their favorites after the pre-judging on Oct. 11, when all three contenders faced off numerous times. It was clear that Dauda was in the running, but he could have been on pace for anywhere from first to third. When asked if he felt it was his title to lose, Dauda had a one-word answer: “No.”
One day later, the presumed top three returned to the Resorts World Theater to pose again. Dauda looked even better on Saturday night than he did on Friday, but it was still tough to tell which way the judges were leaning by the time Olympia owner Jake Wood came to the stage to present the winning check.
By this point, Lunsford had been announced in third place, meaning Dauda was guaranteed at least the runner-up spot — an improvement year-over-year. Before the winning name was called, Wood announced that the prize money for the top two athletes in the lineup had increased.
“When I heard that the second place got $250,000, I thought I’d be happy if I walked away with that,” Dauda admitted. “When they announced first place was $600,000, that just blew my mind.”
After his signature dramatic pause, announcer Bob Cicherillo called Dauda’s name as the 19th Mr. Olympia. Dauda took home the golden Sandow trophy — and the highest prize purse in bodybuilding history.
Weeks later, Dauda is still processing what it all means. “It feels absolutely amazing and very overwhelming,” he says. “It’s a dream come true for me, and it still hasn’t sunk yet.”
Dauda has time to let it sink in but will need to get back to contest prep with Mrs. Dauda soon: He has already committed to competing in the 2025 Arnold Classic early next year, where another $500,000 is on the line.
Dauda currently sits atop bodybuilding’s throne. He’ll soon discover what Lunsford, Choopan, and other past champions have learned over the Olympia’s 60-year history: Heavy is the head that wears the crown.
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Featured Image: @samson_dauda on Instagram.
