Exclusive: The 2020 Olympia has been moved from Las Vegas to Orlando, Florida due to restrictions.
This year of 2020 has been a year of constant surprises. The global health crisis has made things difficult for citizens and industries to thrive. While things appeared to be returning to some semblance of normal, 2020 has struck again this time impacting Olympia weekend and the hopeful competitors all vying for that top spot at the event this year. As cases of Covid-19 begin to surge across the country, it appears that hard decisions are being made about The Joe Weider Olympia Fitness and Performance Weekend set to take place December 16th through 20th at an event that is sure to be exciting despite certain restrictions.
The 2020 Olympia will be drastically changed this year and move to the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida.
According to Olympia President, Dan Solomon and IFBB Officials close to Generation Iron, the biggest bodybuilding event of the year will move from Las Vegas, Nevada to the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. The surge in Covid cases has put a cap on the amount of people allowed at venues in Las Vegas to 250 people. Moving the event from Las Vegas to Orlando will allow 2500 ticket holders to attend the show and make for an exciting Olympia weekend with restrictions aside.
The news was confirmed by Olympia officials as well as a pro bodybuilder who insisted on remaining anonymous. This change in venue for Olympia weekend comes as a major surprise for this event, especially considering that we are mere weeks out from Olympia weekend. With Covid restrictions and precautions in mind, organizers are working hard to make sure Olympia weekend runs as smoothly as possible.
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All of Strongman Corp events, including the Masters Nationals have been cancelled by the Olympia promoters. The Strongman Corporation has confirmed to Generation Iron that they will move the 2020 Master’s Nationals event to Southern California at the Training Hall in Newbury Park, California December 16th through 20th to at least hold this event at the location and all it offers.
The 2020 Olympia has already seen its fair share of controversy this year before this move. After the show was postponed due to the health crisis, the date was moved to December from it’s usual September event slot. Many athletes have been forced out of the event for a number of circumstances. Cedric McMillan was injured during his prep for the show. Flex Lewis was also forced off the event due to injury as well. Rafael Brandao who contracted the virus back in October recently confirmed he wouldn’t be able to compete due to effects of the sickness. The remaining competitors will make their way to the new location at Orange County Convention Center in Orlando and compete for the top spot as Olympia winner and do whatever it takes to win this event this year.
The Current List of Olympia competitors is as follows:
2020 Mr. Olympia Qualified Competitors List:
- Brandon Curry (USA)
- William Bonac (Netherlands)
- Hadi Choopan (Iran)
- Dexter Jackson (USA)
Roelly Winklaar (Curacao)(Out due to contracting Covid-19)- Phil Heath (USA)
Cedric McMillan (USA)(Out due to injury)- Nathan De Asha (UK)
- Juan Morel (USA)
James Lewis (UK)(Flex Lewis out due to injury)- Hunter Labrada (USA)
- Iain Valliere (Canada)
- Lee Seung Chul (South Korea)
- Antoine Vaillant (Canada)
James Hollingshead (UK)(Withdrew from Olympia)- Lukas Osladil (Czech Republic)
- Rafael Brandao (Brazil) (Withdrew from Olympia)
- Akim Williams (USA)
- Maxx Charles (USA)
- Justin Rodriguez (USA)
- Regan Grimes (Canada)
- Mamdouh ‘Big Ramy’ Elssbiay (Egypt) (Special Invite)
2020 Ms. Olympia Qualified Competitors List:
- Helle Trevino (USA)
- Margie Martin (USA)
- Irene Anderson (Sweden)
- Nicki Chartrand (Canada)
- Monique Jones (USA)
- Monia Gioiosa (Italy)
- Yaxeni Oriquen (Venezuela)
- Iris Kyle (USA)
- Andrea Shaw (USA)
- LaDawn McDay (USA)
- Asha Hadley (USA)
- MayLa Ash (USA)
- Margita Zamolova (Czech Republic)
- Alena Hatvani (Czech Republic)
- Theresa Ivancik (USA)
- Janeed Lankowski (USA)
- Reshanna Boswell (USA)
- Kim Buck (USA)
212 Qualified Competitors List:
- Kamal Elgargni (Libya)
- Derek Lunsford (USA)
- Shaun Clarida (USA)
- John Jewett (USA)
- Ahmad Ashkanani (Kuwait)
- David Henry (USA)
- Hidetada Yamagishi (Japan)
- Angel Calderon Frias (Spain)
- Guy Cisternino, Jr (USA)
- Seonghwan Kim (South Korea)
- George Peterson (USA)
- Dectric Lewis (USA)
- Kim Jun Ho (South Korea)
- Oleh Kryvyi (Ukraine)
- Vlad Alfred Chiriac (Romania)
- Keone Pearson (USA)
- Derik Oslan (USA)
- Jason Lowe (USA)
- Errol Moore (USA)
Classic Physique Qualified Competitors List:
- Rickey Moten (USA)
- Chris Bumstead (Canada)
- Ahmad Ahmad (Iraq)
- Ali Shamsghamar (Iran)
- Breon Ansley (USA)
- RD Caldwell (USA)
- Danny Hester (USA)
- Dani Younan (USA)
- Wesley Vissers (Netherlands)
- David Hoffman (Germany)
- Arash Rahbar (USA)
- Terrence Ruffin (USA)
- Sami Ghanem (USA)
- Jose Maria Mete Bueriberi (Spain)
- Fabiony Sylvain (Dominican Republic)
- Alex Cambronero (Costa Rica)
- Christopher Hunte (USA)
- Myeongho Park (South Korea)
- Deontrai Campbell (USA)
- Divine Wilson (USA)
- Logan Franklin (USA)
- Song Jae Pil (South Korea)
- Peter Sciallo (USA)
- Seojin Ham (South Korea)
- Giuseppe Christian Zagarella (Italy)
- Maxime Yedess (France)
- Mike Sommerfeld (Germany)
- Bryan Jones (USA)
- Jose Marte (USA)
- Jonathan Hambrick (USA)
- Jason Brown (USA)
- Vladimir Sizov (USA)
- Abner Logan (USA)
Men’s Physique Qualified Competitors List:
- Khali Quartey (USA)
- Long Wu (China)
- Raymont Edmonds (USA)
- Ryan Terry (UK)
- Carlos De Oliveira (Brazil)
- Brandon Hendrickson (USA)
- Ismael Dominguez (Mexico)
- Cam Harris (USA)
- Stan Morrison (USA)
- Corey Morris (USA)
- Khaled Shewaiter (Qatar)
- Aundre Benson (USA)
- Andrei Lincan (Romania)
- Kyron Holden (USA)
- Bong Seok Choi (South Korea)
- Jeremy Potvin (USA)
- Ryan John-Baptiste (UK)
- Yasser Fernando Chala
- Blandon (Colombia)
- Andre Ferguson (USA)
- George Brown (USA)
- Daniel Ammons (USA)
- Rodrigue Chesnier (France)
- Arya Saffaie (USA)
- Kim Min Su (South Korea)
- Bhuwan Chauhan (India)
- Jason Huynh (USA)
- Youcef Djoudi (France)
- Riccardo Croci (Italy)
- Dias Lubamba (France)
- Steven Cao (USA)
- Charjo Grant (USA)
- Rashaud Watson (USA)
- Frank Worley (USA)
- Clarence McSpadden (USA)
- Anthony Gilkes (USA)
Fitness Olympia Qualified Competitors List:
- Sally Kendall-Williams (USA)
- Ryall Graber (Canada)
- Whitney Jones (USA)
- Missy Truscott (USA)
- Jaclyn Baker (USA)
- Tiffany Chandler (USA)
- Allison Ethier (Canada)
- Katie Michelle (USA)
- Oksana Grishina (Russia)
- Adela Garcia (USA)
- Ariel Khadr (USA)
- Minna Pajulahti (Finland)
- Barbara Sales Cadena (Spain)
- Aurika Tyrgale (USA)
- Darrian Borello (USA)
- Terra Plum (Canada)
- Derina Wilson (USA)
Figure Qualified Competitors List:
- Cydney Gillon (USA)
- Latorya Watts (USA)
- Nadia Wyatt (USA)
- Jessica Reyes Padilla (Puerto Rico)
- Carly Starling-Horrell (USA)
- Asmaa Salimi (Canada)
- Martina Yabekova (Canada)
- Maryam Bamdad (Canada)
- Julia Waring (USA)
- Natalia Soltero (Mexico)
- LaToyia Farley (USA)
- Nicole Zenobia Graham (USA)
- An Da Jeong (South Korea)
- Rhea Gayle (UK)
- Samantha Jerring (Sweden)
- Brittany Campbell (USA)
- Ajanel Williams (USA)
- Anna Banks (Poland)
- Bojana Vasiljevic (USA)
- Sandra Grajales (Mexico)
Bikini Qualified Competitors List:
- Monica Ellis (USA)
- Casey Torres (USA)
- Sethia Daigle (USA)
- Camile Periat (USA)
- Elisa Pecini (Brazil)
- Angelica Teixeira (USA)
- Ashley Kaltwasser (USA)
- Daraja Hill (USA)
- Janet Layug (USA)
- Lauralie Chapados (Canada)
- Maia Gordon (Canada)
- Noora Mahonen (Finland)
- Alessia Facchin (Italy)
- Cristobalina Pajares (Spain)
- Sara Choi (South Korea)
- Claire Lehndorf (New Zealand)
- Natoshia Coleman (USA)
- Katya Nosova (New Zealand)
- Etila Santiago Santos (Brazil)
- Susana Aramayo (Argentina)
- Sel Guevara (Philippines)
- Hannah Ranfranz (USA)
- Evita Breide (Spain)
- Nittaya Kongthun (Thailand)
- Eli Fernandez (Mexico)
- Raphaela Milagres (USA)
- Lexus Redmond (USA)
- Lucia Malavaze (Brazil)
- Jennifer Dorie (Canada)
- Jennifer Ronzitti (USA)
- Kim Sung Uk (South Korea)
- Juli Lopez (USA)
- Hye Kyeong Hwang (South Korea)
- Gabrielle Messias (USA)
- Adrianna Kaczmarek (Poland)
- Beatriz Biscaia (Portugal)
- Francesca Stoico (Italy)
- Alexandria Ross (USA)
- Svetlana Elina (Russia)
- Ashlyn Brown (USA)
- Jasmine Gonzalez (USA)
- Maya Astabie (USA)
- Breena Martinez (USA)
- Brittney Dayne (USA)
Women’s Physique Qualified Competitors List:
- Penpraghai Tiangngok (Thailand)
- Shanique Grant (USA)
- Sarah Villegas (USA)
- Natalia Abraham Coelho (USA)
- Daniely Castilho (Brazil)
- Laura Pintado Chinchilla (Spain)
- Victoria Myslik (Canada)
- Valentina Mishina (Russia)
- Laura Richards (USA)
- Brittany Watts (USA)
- Ivie Rhein (USA)
- Tanya Chartrand (Canada)
- Rachel Jennifer Daniels (USA)
- Anne-Lorraine Mohn (France)
- Barbara Menage (France)
- Bian Ruiying (China)
- Margita Zamolova (Czech Republic)
- Trish Wood (USA)
- Jeannie Feldman (USA)
Most recently, The World’s Strongest Man 2020 event was held in Bradenton, Florida and many strength sports events continue to be held in the state during the Covid-19 pandemic. Most recently, Olympia President Dan Solomon announced there will be a Pay Per View Stream and Generation Iron has released information on “How to Watch the 2020 Olympia Online.”
Generation Iron will continue to follow this story as it develops.
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Managing Editor at Generation Iron, Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Sound Cloud for in-depth MMA analysis.
