At the 2021 Olympia held from Oct. 7-10, 2021, 20 bodybuilders stepped onto the sport’s biggest stage in the freshly-minted Women’s Wellness division. Spectators in Orlando, FL gathered to watch the athletes pose down in the new category, which prioritizes extra mass across the lower body — particularly in the hips, thighs, and glutes.
With an impeccable posing routine and well-developed physique, Francielle Mattos made her mark on bodybuilding lore by becoming the first-ever Wellness Olympia Champion. Here are the top five results from the event:
2021 Olympia — Women’s Wellness Results
- Francielle Mattos
- Angela Borges
- Isabelle Nunes
- Yarishna Ayala
- Julia Chitarra
Winner Mattos and runner-up Borges stood beside each other in red bikinis, nearly indistinguishable in size and shape. Despite Borges being the first athlete to qualify for the Olympia event in the new Wellness division, Mattos managed to clinch victory on the day.
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2021 is the first year that the Wellness division took part in Joe Weider’s iconic competition. Per NPC News Online, the division is distinguished from others like Bikini or Physique by requiring competitors to have more size below the waist.
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The ladies are expected to hold upper body mass as well, but not to the same degree as Fitness or Women’s Physique. Muscle separation is expected, but striations — which come as a result of serious fat loss and strict diet protocols — are not required. Overall, the women were expected to emerge onstage with conditioning levels comparable to that of the popular Bikini division.
2021 Olympia Weekend
The most prestigious event in bodybuilding has gotten off to a spectacular start with strong competition and tight races abound. The emergence of Wellness as a new competition category proves that the Olympia, which has recently come under new leadership, is intent on building a bigger and better show.
However, there are far more fireworks ahead. The 2021 Mr. Olympia contest is still to come. We will see if Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay can defend his title if a new champion will be crowned for the fifth year in a row.
If you’re hungry for more Olympia, BarBend is dedicated to providing the most thorough coverage of the event possible. You can check out recaps of pre-judging, callouts, and winner articles here:
- Friday Morning Pre-Judging
- Friday Night Finals Report
- 212 Division
- Fitness Division
- Women’s Physique
- Ms. Olympia
- Figure Division
- Bikini Division
- Classic Physique
- Men’s Physique
- Bikini Olympia Pre-Judging
Mr. Olympia prejudging seemed to immediately narrow down to a final two — 2020 Mr. Olympia Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay and 2019 Mr. Olympia Brandon Curry. There were some impressive physiques that stood out in the rest of the field though, specifically Nick Walker and Hadi Choopan, so the Finals on Saturday evening will be worth the watch.
Stay tuned to BarBend for more Olympia recaps.
Feature image: @franciellemattos_ on Instagram