With the 2025 bodybuilding season quickly approaching, some fans, athletes, and experts have debated implementing eliminations. The issue has become a popular talking point because of the length of contests for fans and the time athletes invest.
IFBB Professional League Bikini division athletes Phoebe Hagan and Allison Testu have been on the Olympia stage and know firsthand how long they face the fans and judges during the opening round. Testu brought up the concept of ending the round and having athletes outside the top 15 step offstage.
Their discussion is in the video below — the elimination talk begins at 41:57:
The current pre-judging format calls for the judges to look at all competitors in number order, then individually (45-60 seconds each), followed by callouts in groups based on how the judges feel they should be placed.
Athletes outside the top 15 are traditionally listed as tied for 16th place, with rare exceptions where judges put them in descending number order. Regardless of the scoring, all athletes are still called out for comparisons.
At major competitions such as the Olympia, the top 10 finalists return to the stage for finals, where the judges confirm their placings or make changes before awards are presented.
The discussion has arisen because some in the bodybuilding community are frustrated with the length of pre-judging rounds at shows such as the 2024 Olympia. Counting breaks and switches in rounds, pre-judging on both days of the 2024 Olympia was over six hours long. Three divisions, Bikini, Men’s Physique, and Classic Physique, featured over 50 competitors each.
At the time of this article’s publication, this format will continue into the 2025 season.
[What if] after the first and second callout and after they place number 16, they just don’t call out anyone?
Hagan acknowledged that it would be a “cleaner” way of handling the first round of competition, especially at larger shows where all 11 pro divisions are featured.
The pre-judging round for the larger divisions would run smoother and quicker, and fans would not spend as much time in their seats watching the rounds. However, it may affect athletes who were not called back onstage after individual presentations.
That would cut down time, but will people feel even worse not getting called out?
Testu recalled that athletes in the final callouts before the top contenders are compared again know they will not win by that point anyway. Shows would be shorter if it came down to that or if fewer athletes qualify. The elimination round would be better because more athletes could qualify and walk onstage at the Olympia, even if they were eliminated early.
That’s going to be the best for positivity and everything.
No changes are expected to be announced for 2025, but the topic will likely continue into future seasons. The 2025 IFBB season starts with the Musclecontest Japan Pro on Feb. 22, 2025, in Tokyo, Japan.
More Bodybuilding Content
- Do You Actually Need Carbs Before Training?
- A Deeper Look at Nick Walker’s Super-Slow Push Day Training
- Regan Grimes Recreates Phil Heath’s Prime Leg Training
Featured Image: @phoebehagan_ on Instagram
