There was a lot of anticipation from bodybuilding fans for the 2021 Chicago Pro, which took place on the weekend of July 23rd and 24th in Atlanta, Georgia (the contest was moved due to COVID restrictions). Two reasons why were the favorites for the Men’s Open contest, Roelly Winklaar and Hunter Labrada. One made a big statement while the other was not able to reach his usual expectations.
Hunter Labrada, son of IFBB Hall of Famer Lee Labrada, secured his second professional victory (his first was the Tampa Pro in 2020) as well as an automatic qualification to the 2021 Mr. Olympia contest in Orlando, Florida. Many of the people in attendance felt this was the best he ever looked. Coming in second was Brett Wilkin, who surprised everyone at the contest. Maxx Charles took the bronze position. The Top 10 for this contest went as follows.
Hunter Labrada
Brett Wilkin
Maxx Charles
Mohamad Shabban
Roelly Winklaar
Hassan Mostafa
Zach Merkel
Justin Maki
Matt Kouba
Slavoj Bednar
Winner- Hunter Labrada
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Labrada was north of 250 pounds, but he had the symmetry that his famous father was known for. The judges had him winning both the prejudging and the finals with perfect scores. The judges had the top six guys moving and changing positions on the stage a lot. While others were starting to fatigue, Labrada maintained his composure. As a result, he now moves on to the 2021 Mr. Olympia on October 7th through 10th with hopes of improving upon his eighth place finish one year ago.
2nd Place – Brett Wilkin
This was Wilkin’s debut in the Men’s Open, and he was the biggest surprise of the show. He had turned pro in the Classic Physique division. He is the husband of IFBB Pro League Figure competitor Ivana Ivusic. His conditioning was great in spite of the added mass. However, he simply needed to be even bigger if he was going to compete with Labrada. Nonetheless, a runner-up finish at a show of this magnitude is a great accomplishment for the newcomer.
3rd Place – Maxx Charles
Charles had been working with coach Milos Sarcev. Their game plan was to improve the legs and the back for this contest, which they did. This was his best showing in the past couple of seasons. The judges had him in the top three for both rounds. The comparisons to Winklaar, who was well off of his usual mark, could have been a factor in how he improved his placing.
Remaining Men’s Open Schedule Before the Olympia
There are four shows left that have 2021 Olympia qualifications for the Men’s Open. They are listed below.
Tampa Pro — August 6-7, Tampa, FL
Texas Pro — August 13-14, Irving, TX
Europa Pro — August 15, Spain (City not Announced as of this writing)
Arnold Classic — Sept. 25, Columbus, OH
For competitors not yet qualified for the big contest in Florida, time is running out. They must win one of these shows, earn enough points in the Olympia Qualification System, or receive a special invite if they are to make it.
Other Divisions
Ten divisions in total were featured at this show. All the winners on this list will add their names to the list of those qualified for the 2021 Olympia. Among those winners was Keone Pearson in the 212 pound division, who made his return to the stage after one year away. This is his second straight Chicago Pro title.
212 – Keone Pearson
Classic Physique – Darwin Uribe
Men’s Physique – Ramses Rams
Women’s Bodybuilding – Sheena Ohlig
Women’s Physique – Patricia Gosselin
Fitness – Sara Kovach
Figure – Julia Waring
Bikini – Lauralie Chapados
Wellness – Kassandra Gillis
Featured Image: @hunterlabrada on Instagram by Will Wittman.
