Who should have won the Classic Physique Olympia 2019? Breon Ansley or Chris Bumstead?
The Classic Physique division is one of the most exciting categories in the sport of bodybuilding right now. That much is clear with how close a call the Olympia 2019 finals were. Many fans and athletes alike were upset with the decision to crown Chris Bumstead first place over Breon Ansley. That’s why we connected with former Classic Physique competitor Stanimal to share his thoughts. In our latest GI Exclusive, Stanimal weighs in on who he thinks should have won the Classic Physique Olympia 2019.
Stanimal is an athlete who has literally been moving up in size over the years. First starting in the Men’s Physique category, he quickly moved up to Classic Physique. As of 2020, he is now prepping to compete in the Men’s Open category. But his time spent in Classic Physique was a valuable stepping stone.
Since Stanimal understands in detail what it takes to build the perfect Classic Physique, what does he think of the latest Olympia 2019 decision to dethrone Breon Ansley and dub Chris Bumstead the new champion? Stanimal believes at the end of the day it’s the judges call – and that Chris Bumstead had been close in points in previous Olympia competitions so it makes sense that he rose up to earn first place.
Stanimal also details that when an athlete becomes a repeat champion, the judges start to expect to see the returning champ bring something different to the table. He can’t simply be the same each year no matter how good the physique is. Psychologically, the judges now need even more to be impressed. Since Chris Bumstead improved but Breon stayed relatively the same – the judges tipped the close scales in favor of Busmstead.
Stanimal also shares his thoughts on the expansion of divisions and whether it’s creating more opportunities or simply overcrowding the competitive bodybuilding space. You can check out his full opinion in the GI Exclusive interview clip above!
