A Complete List Of Winners From Classic Physique Olympia

All Classic Physique Winners
Photo via @dannyhester Instagram, @breonma Instagram, and @cbum Instagram

All of your winners of the Classic Physique division at Mr. Olympia.

The Mr. Olympia contest is the largest bodybuilding show that fans look forward to, and competitors work towards every year. This competition is the premiere example of physical specimens, humans with the most amount of muscle mass and some serious shreds. The Olympia a real test of who has worked the hardest in the gym and on their diet all year to build, sculpt, and tone their physiques into shredded beings. In this post we will cover every winner of the Classic Physique Olympia in history.

Joe and Ben Weider sprouted this event decades ago, in 1965, when Larry Scott went on to win it back-to-back. And the Olympia has seen some amazing winners such as Arnold Schwarzenegger and Ronnie Coleman. Now, we have a new champion, Derek Lunsford who competed against some great physiques like Hadi Choopan, the former champ, and Samson Dauda.

And while most people always hear of the overall Men’s Open winner, plenty of other events occur with plenty of competitors seeking the top prize. The Classic Physique division is one of them and is growing rapidly now with 5 time Classic Physique champion, Chris Bumstead.

What is the Classic Physique Division?

In 2016, Mr. Olympia expanded to include the Classic Physique division. Following certain rules and regulations separates this from other events at Mr. Olympia, but expanding allowed more competitors to want to compete, given that a better opportunity to win was possible. Plus, it only brings more attention to the sport, which is always good.

Related: Every Winner Of The New York Pro Bodybuilding Show

The Classic Physique division competitors don’t rely on sheer mass as much as the Men’s Open division. That’s why the athletes in this division have a weight division linked to their height–to prevent contenders from being too big.

Instead, it’s more artful, and posing plays an important part in the judging. The goal of Classic Physique is to mimic the look of the “Golden Era” of bodybuilding, with muscular but symmetrical physiques that perfectly flow together, topped off by good conditioning.

The Classic Physique division has only been around for less than a decade in the IFBB Pro League, and come competitors have won multiple titles. So the list of winners is short. The first outing for this class took place in 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the Orleans Arena, with Danny Hester becoming the first-ever IFBB Pro Classic Physique champ.

Below is a list of all the winners for the Classic Physique division at Mr. Olympia. You will find a short list of repeat winners, given that these athletes put everything they have into making this event as great as possible.

Classic Physique Olympia Winners

  • Danny Hester – 2016
  • Breon Ansley – 2017 & 2018
  • Chris Bumstead – 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023

Danny Hester – 2016

Danny Hester was the inaugural winner of the Classic Physique division at Mr. Olympia, setting a precedent for future winners. His desire for bodybuilding came as a passion for individual sports, and from there, it grew into something he loved, crafting and sculpting his physique. Winning many competitions and kicking things off for the Classic Physique division made him a real force in the bodybuilding community, and his passion for the sport still remains strong.

Related: Every Winner Of The Arnold Classic Bodybuilding Show

Breon Ansley – 2017 & 2018

 

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A post shared by Breon Ansley (@breonma_)

Breon Ansley is next in line and took the next two titles for the Classic Physique division. Always athletic growing up, this pro bodybuilder had a football scholarship to Iowa State as a defensive end, but as many have experienced, an injury forced him to stop. Through this, however, he found bodybuilding and began competing, finishing highly, and establishing himself in the bodybuilding community. His two back-to-back wins cemented for him that he was capable of competing with the best.


Chris Bumstead – 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023

 

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A post shared by Chris Bumstead (@cbum)

Chris Bumstead seems unstoppable, and rightfully so given that he has won the last five titles in the Classic Physique category at Mr. Olympia, beating out some amazing competitors. Weightlifting at a young age, it is no surprise that he loves bodybuilding and is willing to do what it takes to see serious gains. He started out receiving guidance from pro bodybuilder Iain Valliere, but now works closely under the supervision of renowned coach Hany Rambod, who has coached multiple Mr. Olympias, so it is safe to say that Chris Bumstead has the best advice.

Since earning his pro card at age 21, Bumstead has continued to impress and is certainly one to keep an eye out for moving forward. After a couple of runner-up finishes to Breon Ansley, he has since taken the throne and is looking to continue his dominance in years to come.

Classic Physique Competitors to Watch Out For

The 2023 Mr. Olympia contest was held in Orlando, Florida, from Nov. 2-5th at the Orange County Convention Center. As fan favorites and new up-and-comers sought to be the best, it was surely an exciting event to watch, and showed us some great talent. The 2023 Olympia also showed us a few Classic Physique competitors to look out for.

Ramon “Dino” Rocha Queiroz

 A quickly rising name in the bodybuilding world, the classic physique division in particular, is Ramon Rocha Queiroz, also known as Ramon Dino. Coming in 2nd place at the 2022 and 2023 Mr. Olympia competitions, Ramon is right on the heels of reigning champ, Chris Bumstead. The back to back runner up finishes lead a lot of fans believe that he has what it takes to eventually dethrone the reigning champ!

Urs Kalecinski

 

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A post shared by Urs Kalecinski (@the.miraclebear)

 Young and hungry for the title, Urs has worked closely with Chris Bumstead. He took the third place placing at the 2022 and 2023 Mr. Olympia competitions, right behind Ramon Queiroz and Chris Bumstead, solidifying his position as an up and coming name in the Classic Physique Division, and many fans think that he will be the champ someday.

Wrap Up

Mr. Olympia is a great event full of amazing bodybuilding action, but you will find that these competitors always look to be the best. The Classic Physique division is a great category that has seen repeat winners but lends itself to the hard work of these three competitors thus far. Who knows where this event will go or if one of these winners will continue to dominate for years to come?


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*Images courtesy of Danny Hester Instagram, Breon Ansley Instagram, and Chris Bumstead Instagram

Austin Letorney
Austin Letorney is a writer, actor, and fitness enthusiast. As a former rower, he has shifted his focus to sharing his knowledge of the fitness world and strength sports with others.