Mr. Olympia

File:Bodybuilder Larry Scott.jpg]]

The 1965 and 1966 Mr. Olympia were won by Larry Scott, a famous bodybuilder of the time. Scott retired after his 1966 victory and attempted to make a comeback in 1979, where he showed a physique that wasn’t at his peak. Following this performance, he retired from competitive bodybuilding in 1980.{{cite web|url=https://www.muscleandfitness.com/athletes-celebrities/news/mr-olympia-winners-gallery/|title=The Complete Mr. Olympia Winners Gallery|last=|first=|date=|website=Muscle and Fitness|url-status=|access-date=July 23, 2021|archive-url=|archive-date=}}

Harold Poole holds two Mr. Olympia distinctions : one is that he is the youngest ever competitor to have participated in the Olympia—in 1965 he competed in the first Mr. Olympia at the age of 21;{{cite web|url=https://www.muscleandfitness.com/features/active-lifestyle/10-fun-facts-about-mr-olympia/|title=10 Fun Facts About Mr. Olympia|last=|first=|date=3 September 2019|website=Muscle and Fitness|url-status=|access-date=July 23, 2021|archive-url=|archive-date=}} the other is that he was the only man to compete in all three of the initial Mr. Olympia contests.{{cite web|url=https://barbend.com/mr-olympia-winners/|title=Every Winner of the Mr. Olympia Bodybuilding Competition|last=|first=|date=17 December 2020|website=Bafbend|url-status=|access-date=July 23, 2021|archive-url=|archive-date=}}

The 1967 Mr. Olympia, won by Sergio Oliva, heralded a new era in bodybuilding competition. At 5 ft 10 ins and 240 lbs{{cite news|url=https://www.muscleandfitness.com/athletes-celebrities/news/10-most-aesthetic-physiques-bodybuildings-golden-era/|title=The 10 Most Aesthetic Physiques from Bodybuilding's Golden Era|website=Muscle and Fitness|access-date=July 11, 2023}} Oliva, nicknamed "The Myth", displayed an unforeseen level of muscle mass and definition, including a "V" shape of a large and a well-formed upper-body that tapered down to a narrow waist.{{cite web|url=https://www.muscleandfitness.com/flexonline/training/physiques-and-journeys-sergio-oliva-sr-and-jr/|title=The Physiques and Journeys of Sergio Oliva Sr. and Jr.|last=Merritt|first=Greg|date=21 April 2016|website=Muscle and Fitness|url-status=|access-date=July 23, 2021|archive-url=|archive-date=|quote=In all of bodybuilding’s long and rich history there is no pose more associated with one person than Sergio Oliva’s victory pose. It’s his. Standing tall and straight with colossal arms overhead, fists balled and turned outward, and lats flaring above his wispy waist, his upper body formed a V for victory atop a base of abundant legs. His rendition at the ’72 Olympia is our sport’s most indelible image. The victory pose is so associated with the Myth and so difficult for even the best bodybuilders to pull off that few have even attempted it.}}

Oliva would go on to win the Mr. Olympia competition in 1967, 1968 (uncontested), and 1969—where he would defeat Arnold Schwarzenegger four to three, marking Schwarzenegger's only loss in a Mr. Olympia competition.{{cite web|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/breaking/chi-retired-chicago-cop-former-champion-bodybuilder-dies-20121113-story.html|title=Retired Chicago cop dies, only bodybuilder to beat Schwarzenegger|last=|first=|date=14 November 2012|website=Chicago Tribune|url-status=|access-date=July 23, 2021|archive-url=|archive-date=}}

With the emergence of a performance enhancing drug called Dianabol in 1958, bodybuilders began experimenting more with the idea of unnatural ways to improve their physiques as well as intensify their training regimens. Dianabol was affordable, and the 1960's became a free-for all in terms of experimentation with many kinds of performance enhancing drugs. These anabolic steroids were not only used by bodybuilders, but also by Olympic athletes and NFL players. For example, Schwarzenegger and players on the Pittsburgh Steelers used performance enhancing drugs in the 1960's to 70's to improve both their physiques and performances.{{cite journal |last1=Bateman |first1=Oliver |title=Steroid Solidarity: The Culture of Juicing at the Mr. Olympia Competition |journal=The Virginia Quarterly Review |date=Summer 2017 |volume=93 |issue=3 |pages=60–72 |jstor=26434842 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/26434842 |access-date=29 September 2023}}

File:Arnold Schwarzenegger 1974.jpg]]Schwarzenegger defeated Oliva at the 1970 Mr. Olympia after finishing second the year before, and also won in 1971 (being the only competitor). He defeated Oliva again in 1972, and went on to win the next three Mr. Olympia competitions, including the 1975 edition, which was highlighted in the 1977 docudrama Pumping Iron and featured other notable bodybuilders such as Lou Ferrigno, Serge Nubret, and Franco Columbu, who would go on to win the 1976 and 1981 competitions.{{cite web|url=https://barbend.com/1980-mr-olympia-controversy/|title=Why the 1980 Mr. Olympia Bodybuilding Contest Was So Controversial|last=|first=|date=April 10, 2021|website=Barbend|url-status=|access-date=July 24, 2021|archive-url=|archive-date=}}

From 1974 until 1979, a dual weight division system was used, splitting competitors into two categories: "Heavyweights" (over 200lbs) and "Lightweights" (under 200lbs). The winners of each division would then compete against each other to decide an overall champion.

After winning the 1975 competition, Schwarzenegger announced his retirement from competitive bodybuilding; this was also depicted in Pumping Iron.{{cite web|url=https://www.muscleandfitness.com/workouts/workout-routines/ultimate-arnold-training-guide/|title=The Ultimate Arnold Schwarzenegger Training Guide|last=|first=|date=26 October 2020|website=Muscle and Fitness|url-status=|access-date=July 24, 2021|archive-url=|archive-date=}}

Frank Zane won the 1977, 1978, and 1979 competitions.

The Sandow Trophy was awarded for the first time in 1976, a homage to the widely-recognized "father of modern bodybuilding", Eugen Sandow.{{cite web |title=Eugen Sandow: A body worth immortalising |url=https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/eugen-sandow-a-body-worth-immortalising.html}}

In 1980, Schwarzenegger came out of retirement to win the Olympia yet again, after a five-year hiatus. Schwarzenegger (who was supposedly training for the film Conan the Barbarian) had been a late entry into the competition, and his competitors did not know of his intentions to compete. This seventh victory was especially controversial, as most fellow competitors and observers felt that he lacked both muscle mass and conditioning, and shouldn't have won over Chris Dickerson or Mike Mentzer.{{Cite web |date=2021-04-11 |title=Why the 1980 Mr. Olympia Bodybuilding Contest Was So Controversial {{!}} BarBend |url=https://barbend.com/1980-mr-olympia-controversy/ |access-date=2024-10-23 |language=en-US}} Several athletes vowed to boycott the contest the following year, and Mentzer retired for good.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ironmanmagazine.com/the-1980-mr-olympia-controversy/|title=The 1980 Mr. Olympia Controversy {{!}} Iron Man Magazine|last=Hansen|first=John|website=www.ironmanmagazine.com|date=27 December 2011 |language=en-US|access-date=2019-02-03}}

The following year, Franco Columbu was victorious for the second time. Chris Dickerson won his only title in 1982, making him the first openly gay Mr. Olympia.{{cite web|url=https://barbend.com/mr-olympia-winners/|title=Every Winner of the Mr. Olympia Bodybuilding Competition|last=|first=|date=December 20, 2020|website=Barbend|url-status=|access-date=July 25, 2021|archive-url=|archive-date=}} Samir Bannout won his only title in 1983, making the first Lebanese Mr. Olympia.{{cite web|url=https://www.muscleandfitness.com/flexonline/ifbb/olympia-legend-samir-bannout/|title=Olympia Legend: Samir Bannout

|last=|first=|date=August 2018|website=Muscle and Fitness|url-status=|access-date=July 23, 2021|archive-url=|archive-date=}}

From 1984 to 1991, Lee Haney won eight consecutive Mr. Olympia titles, setting a record that was later tied by Ronnie Coleman.{{cite web|url=https://www.muscleandfitness.com/flexonline/training/quality-muscle/|title=8x Mr. Olympia Lee Haney Shares His Secret to Quality Muscle|last=|first=|date=27 June 2019|website=Muscle and Fitness|url-status=|access-date=July 23, 2021|archive-url=|archive-date=}}

Haney retired from competitive bodybuilding after his last Mr. Olympia victory in 1991.{{cite web|url=https://www.muscleandfitness.com/flexonline/training/it-worth-it/|title=Is It Worth It?|last=|first=|date=20 July 2016|website=Muscle and Fitness|url-status=|access-date=July 24, 2021|archive-url=|archive-date=}} Having placed second to Haney the previous year, Dorian Yates won the competition six straight times from 1992 until 1997. Dorian is given credit for revolutionizing the sport during his reign as Mr. Olympia by combining larger mass than seen before with what was dubbed "granite hardness".{{cite news|url=https://fitnessvolt.com/best-backs-bodybuilding/|title=27 Best Backs in Bodybuilding History|website=Fitness Volt|access-date=July 12, 2023}}

In the 1990s, the use of growth hormones by bodybuilders was reported, and they started to appear in competitions with an increasing physical size.{{cite web|url=https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/a19520580/change-in-bodybuilders-physique-over-past-125-years/|title=See the Dramatic Changes In Bodybuilders' Physiques Over the Past 125 Years|last=|first=|date=12 May 2016|website=Men's Health|url-status=|access-date=July 23, 2021|archive-url=|archive-date=}}

Yates retired from competitive bodybuilding after his 1997 victory, having accumulated several injuries. Ronnie Coleman, who placed 9th in 1997, surprised everyone with a much improved physique in 1998, winning the first of 8 consecutive titles.

In 1994, a separate Masters Olympia competition for professional bodybuilders was created, to compete at the highest levels in their later years.{{cite web|url=https://www.musculardevelopment.com/news/the-mcgough-report/15122-ed-corney-rolls-back-the-years-at-the-masters-olympia.html#.YPytdlNv8zQ|title=Ed Corney Rolls Back the Years at the Masters Olympia|last=|first=|date=|website=Muscular Development|url-status=|access-date=July 24, 2021|archive-url=|archive-date=}}

File:Ronnie Coleman 8 x Mr Olympia - 2009 - 5.png]]

Ronnie Coleman won the Mr. Olympia competition eight consecutive times from 1998 to 2005, tying the record set by Lee Haney. Coleman, nicknamed "The King", is widely regarded as the greatest bodybuilder in Olympia history and began the mass monster era.

Coleman returned in 2006 to try to beat the record for Olympia wins but was unable even to defend his title, instead placed second to Jay Cutler, who won his first title after four consecutive years of finishing second to Coleman. Cutler successfully defended his title in 2007. Coleman came in fourth place and announced his retirement from competition,{{cite web|url=https://www.muscleandfitness.com/athletes-celebrities/news/ronnie-coleman-worked-out-with-a-herniated-disc-for-10-years/|title=Ronnie Coleman Worked Out With a Herniated Disc for 10 Years|last=|first=|date=15 June 2020|website=Muscle and Fitness|url-status=|access-date=July 24, 2021|archive-url=|archive-date=}} ending one of the biggest rivalries in the competition's history.

In 2008, Dexter Jackson defeated Jay Cutler and became Mr. Olympia. In 2009, Jay Cutler returned and regained the title.{{cite web|url=https://www.muscleandfitness.com/flexonline/flex-news/the-greatest-olympia-comebacks-ever/|title=The Greatest Olympia Comebacks Ever|last=|first=|date=21 July 2020|website=Muscle and Fitness|url-status=|access-date=July 24, 2021|archive-url=|archive-date=}}

In 2010, Cutler returned to claim his fourth Mr. Olympia title, becoming the fifth competitor in Olympia history to win the title more than three times.

File:Phil Heath Kai Greene.JPG and Kai Greene at the 2012 Mr. Olympia]]

In 2011, Phil Heath defeated Cutler for the title, beginning a winning streak that lasted until 2018. From 2012 to 2014, the Olympia was dominated by the rivalry between Kai Greene and Heath, with Heath winning all three and Greene placing second.

Starting in 2016, a new division called Classic Physique was introduced, a division that emphasizes symmetry, proportion, pleasing lines, and a small waist, over size and mass.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2007-02-24 |title=A Brief History of the Classic Physique |url=https://www.muscleandfitness.com/flexonline/training/brief-history-classic-physique/ |access-date=2024-10-23 |website=Muscle & Fitness |language=en-US}} Danny Hester was the inaugural champion in Classic Physique division.{{cite web|url=https://www.evolutionofbodybuilding.net/danny-hester-wins-the-first-ever-classic-physique-olympia/|title=Danny Hester wins the first ever Classic Physique Olympia|last=|first=|date=18 September 2016|website=Evolution Bodybuilding|url-status=|access-date=July 25, 2021|archive-url=|archive-date=}}

Heath won his seventh-consecutive Mr. Olympia in 2017, with Mamdouh Elssbiay taking second. With his 2017 win, Heath tied Arnold Schwarzenegger for second most Olympia victories, behind Lee Haney and Ronnie Coleman who won eight.

Shawn Rhoden defeated Phil Heath in 2018, snapping Heath's streak of seven victories. The 2019 Mr. Olympia was won by Brandon Curry.

In the 212 Division, James "Flex" Lewis won a record 7 consecutive victories from 2012 to 2018.{{Cite web |last=Lewis |first=James “Flex” |title=7-Time 212 Mr. Olympia Champion James "Flex" Lewis Forced to Withdraw from 2020 Mr. Olympia |url=https://www.prweb.com/releases/7_Time_212_Mr_Olympia_Champion_James_Flex_Lewis_Forced_to_Withdraw_from_2020_Mr_Olympia/prweb17477583.htm |access-date=2024-10-23 |website=www.prweb.com |language=en}}

Starting in 2018, a new division called Wheelchair Olympia was added.{{cite web|url=https://mrolympia.com/content/wheelchair-olympia|title=Wheelchair Olympia|last=|first=|date=|website=Mr. Olympia|url-status=|access-date=July 25, 2021|archive-url=|archive-date=}}

In 2020 Phil Heath returned for an attempted record-tying eighth title,{{cite web|url=https://barbend.com/phil-heath-2020-olympia-significance/|title=The Historical Significance of Phil Heath and the 2020 Mr. Olympia|last=|first=|date=8 August 2020|website=Barbend|url-status=|access-date=July 23, 2021|archive-url=|archive-date=}} but Mamdouh Elssbiay won the Olympia for his first title.{{cite web|url=https://barbend.com/big-ramy-wins-the-2020-mr-olympia/|title=Mamdouh "Big Ramy" Elssbiay Wins the 2020 Mr. Olympia|last=|first=|date=20 December 2020|website=Barbend|url-status=|access-date=July 23, 2021|archive-url=|archive-date=}} Elssbiay won for the second time in 2021.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sportingnews.com/us/athletics/news/mr-olympia-prize-money-2021-winners/e4qldrnujvzp1n7hox18hfcto|title=Mr. Olympia prize money breakdown: How much do the winners make in 2021?|date=9 October 2021 }} Hadi Choopan won in 2022, Derek Lunsford won in 2023 and Samson Dauda won in 2024.{{Cite web|url=https://barbend.com/samson-dauda-wins-2024-mr-olympia/#:~:text=Samson%20Dauda%20was%20awarded%20his,2023%20as%20the%20runner%2Dup.|title=Samson Dauda Wins the 2024 Mr. Olympia|date=13 October 2024 }}

In the Classic Physique division, Chris Bumstead won a record six consecutive titles from 2019 to 2024, eventually retiring after his sixth win in 2024.{{Cite web |last=Lockridge |first=Roger "Rock" |date=2024-10-13 |title=Chris Bumstead Wins 6th Olympia Classic Physique Title, Announces Retirement |url=https://www.muscleandfitness.com/flexonline/flex-news/olympia-2024-chris-bumstead-wins-6th-straight-classic-physique-title-announces-retirement/ |access-date=2024-10-23 |website=Muscle & Fitness |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Brennan |first=Joe |date=2024-10-13 |title=Bodybuilder Chris Bumstead says goodbye: his Mr. Olympia career and competition track record |url=https://en.as.com/other_sports/bodybuilder-chris-bumstead-says-goodbye-his-mr-olympia-career-and-competition-track-record-n/ |access-date=2024-10-23 |website=AS USA |language=en-us}}

The IFBB selects Olympia contestants from among the highest-placed competitors at various qualifying competitions, collectively referred to as the Olympia Qualifying Season. The qualifying season for each Olympia runs for a year, and ends a few months before the competition. Under updated qualifying rules announced by the IFBB in 2019, to qualify for most divisions at the Olympia an IFBB athlete must meet one of the following criteria:{{Cite web|url=http://www.ifbbpro.com/all-categories/news/2020-olympia-qualification-system-2/|title=2020 Olympia Qualification System|author=IFBB Pro League Staff|date=August 20, 2019|access-date=2020-12-25|publisher=IFBB Professional League}}

• Place in the top three in their division at the previous Olympia
• Win any of the IFBB qualifying contests
• Rank among the top three in total points awarded for second through fifth place at qualifying competitions

For certain divisions with more than 25 qualifying competitions, slightly different rules are used: The previous Olympia winner is automatically qualified, plus the winner of each qualifying competition and the top five in total points.

The IFBB Professional League also has the discretion to extend special invitations to other competitors.{{fact|date=February 2023}}

{{notelist|group=table-note|refs=

{{efn|group=table-note|name=note1|Competition was split into two weight classes from 1974 through 1979, namely Heavyweight (HW) for athletes weighing over 200 lbs and Lightweight (LW) for athletes weighing under 200 lbs. Two winners were selected (one per each category) and the overall champion (in bold text) was decided after a final battle between the two.}}

}}

A total of 274 bodybuilders have represented 47 nations across 59 competitions as of 2023.