Here’s a breakdown and predictions for the Men’s 212 division at the 2022 Olympia.
The most significant bodybuilding show of the year is finally here! The 2022 Olympia kicks off today and goes through the weekend (December 15, 2022 – December 18, 2022) in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the Planet Hollywood Las Vegas Resort & Casino. Over the last two days, we’ve previewed and highlighted top competitors in the Men’s Open and Classic Physique divisions. Today, we’ll examine the Men’s 212 lineup before the Super Bowl of bodybuilding inaugurates.
The Men’s 212 bodybuilders are the next biggest division. The men in this category hold more muscle mass than the Classic Physique contenders but are not quite as big as the Men’s Open competitors. The Men’s 212 division was first the Men’s 202 class. It was introduced in 2008 to allow some big but shorter competitors to compete with others with similar builds. Since many athletes were coming in between 205-210 lbs, it switched to 212 in 2011 to give competitors more wiggle room with their weight. It’s very similar to the Men’s Open division. But of course, as the name suggests, competitors have a weight cap of 212 pounds.
This year, you’ll see some past champions on stage, which include Shaun Clarida, Kamal Elgargni, and David Henry. Fortunately for them and other competitors, last year’s Men’s 212 champ, Derek Lunsford, won’t compete in the Men’s 212 class this year. Instead, he received a special invite to compete in the Men’s Open division. And Ronnie Coleman believes he’s got a shot at winning the Mr. Olympia title one day. Now, let’s examine the Men’s 212 roster and predict this weekend’s outcome.
2022 Olympia Men’s 212 Roster
- Noel Adame
- Anwar Al Balushi
- Mazin Al Rahbi
- Abdullah Alsaif
- Radoslav Angelov
- Ahmad Ashkanani
- Jafar Ghaffarnezhad Azizi
- Ayat Bagheri
- Bryan Balzano
- Kerrith Bajjo
- Shaun Clarida
- Lucas Silva Coelho
- Douglas Connor
- Eduardo Correa
- Mohamed El Azim
- Kamal Elgargni
- Nathan Epler
- Ahmed Fawzi
- Angel Calderon Frias
- Oswaldo Gonzalez
- David Henry
- Sung Yeop Jang
- Hamed Juma
- Hossein Kalateh
- Oleh Kryvyi
- Dectric Lewis
- Derek Lunsford
- Naser Mohamed
- Peter Molnar
- Felipe Moraes
- Keone Pearson
- Yunlong Ping
- Romain Ramassamy
- Daniel Sticco
- Robert Taylor
- Dean White
2022 Olympia Men’s 212 Top Bodybuilders
Fans and experts have Shaun Clarida and Kamal Elgargni at the top of the list for claiming the Men’s 212 title. They are both former champions. But as you can see, there are over 30 men on the roster. You’ll notice that the reigning champ Derek Lunsford isn’t on the list since he’ll be competing in the Men’s Open this year. This increases the chances for past champions and other players to win a title. Below we’ll cover the top competitors competing this year, which include past champions.
Shaun Clarida
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It’s hard not to put the 2020 champ at the top of the list. Considering Derek Lundsford won’t be competing in the Men’s 212 division this year, Clarida was the last Men’s 212 winner in the lineup. He recently released a series on MUTANT TV where he walked us through his diet, supplements, and leg training starting 5 weeks from Olympia.
Kamal Elgargni
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Kamal Elgargni is the other favorite heading into the biggest bodybuilding show of the year. He was the 2019 champ. He and Clarida will be fighting to make history since no man has ever regained their title after losing it in the Men’s 212.
David Henry
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David Henry was a champion in the 202 class from 2008 before it moved to 212. So both Clarida and Elgargni are favored over him. David Henry’s last appearance at Olympia was in 2020, where he received 12th. And in 2018, he placed sixth. So it’s been a while since Henry performed well at Olympia. Still, you can’t count out a former Olympia champ.
Other Top Competitors
Angel Calderon Frias is another top contender. Although, it’s unclear whether he’ll be competing in the Men’s 212 division or the Men’s Open class since he qualified for both.
The 2017 runner-up Ahmad Ashkanani had a lot of hype surrounding his name, but he’s yet to live up to it completely. Last year, he came in sixth, so he’s still a top contender.
The Tampa Pro winner, Keone Pearson, is another bodybuilder to look out for. He’s been working and growing his lower body, which could help his posing. He didn’t place too well last year, coming in 14th. But that’s because he was off the mark on stage.
A dark horse competing is Oleh Kryvyi from Ukraine. He didn’t compete last year but finished in the top six at the 2020 Olympia and won the 2021 Big Man Weekend.
One competitive contender making his Olympia debut is Bryan Balzano. Critics say he could use more arm growth. But he’s still got a well-rounded physique which is why he won the Indy Pro earlier this year.
Douglas Connor is another in the lineup, making his Olympia debut. And he’s arguably one of the thicker competitors. But, of course, he’ll need to mix that with muscle definition and symmetry if he wants a shot at beating Clarida and Elgargni.
Eduardo Correa is a sleeper making his way back to the Olympia stage after a six-year hiatus. He placed sixth in 2016, so if he’s continued to put in the leg work, he can still be competitive this year. Plus, he’s had ample time to improve his physique. And with his return this year, he won the 2022 Musclecontest FitPira Pro.
Final Word
The Men’s 212 is the big man’s division for shorter athletes. Initially, it was the 202 class in 2008, but to give bodybuilders an extra 10 pounds to work with, it transitioned to the 212 category in 2011.
This year the top two competitors are Shaun Clarida and Kamal Elgargni. But Olympia is any man’s game, and maybe we’ll see a new contender rise to the top.
Who will win the Men’s 212 division at the 2022 Olympia?
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