| 2020 Mr. Olympia | |
| Genre: | Professional bodybuilding competition |
| Country: | United States |
| Prev: | 2019 Mr. Olympia |
| People: | Mr. Olympia : Mamdouh "Big Ramy" Elssbiay 212 Olympia: Shaun Clarida Bikini Olympia: Janet Layug CP Olympia: Chris Bumstead MP Olympia: Brandon Hendrickson WP Olympia: Sarah Villegas Fitness Olympia: Missy TruscottFigure Olympia: Cydney Gillon |
| Next: | 2021 Mr. Olympia |
| Organized: | IFBB Pro League |
| Website: | https://mrolympia.com/mr-olympia |
The 2020 Mr. Olympia contest was a weekend-long IFBB Pro League professional bodybuilding competition that was held on December 15 to 20, 2020, in Orlando, Florida. Initially meant to be held at the Planet Hollywood Las Vegas, the tournament was later moved to Orlando, due to local restrictions in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, making it the first Olympia to be held outside Las Vegas in two decades.
This was the 56th Mr. Olympia competition celebrated. The weekend competition is also known as the Joe Weider's Olympia Fitness and Performance Weekend. While the main event was the competition for the title of Mr. Olympia, several other events were held which includes the Amateur competition and fan pavilion.
The Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida was the host building for the crowning of multiple world champions in bodybuilding and fitness. Due to the challenges of the pandemic, the organizers served the 2020 Olympia, as a celebration of overcoming numerous forms of adversity to reach the pinnacle in fitness. Among those present was Honorary Olympia ambassador Shaquille O'Neal, who hailed the competitors at the Olympia some of "the greatest athletes in the world". As in recent years, the show was streamed live to a global audience.[1]
Mamdouh "Big Ramy" Elssbiay won his first Mr Olympia title. Phil Heath returned to the Mr Olympia stage, but was not able to regain the title. The former Mr Olympia 2019 Brandon Curry came in 2nd Place.
Hadi Choopan came in fourth, but placed 2nd at the finals.[2] [3]
| Place[4] | Prize[5] | Name | Country | Judging | Finals | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 400,000 $ | Mamdouh Elssbiay |  | 8 | 5 | 13 |
| 2 | 150,000 $ | Brandon Curry |  | 13 | 15 | 28 |
| 3 | 100,000 $ | Phil Heath | | 11 | 20 | 31 |
| 4 | 55,000 $ | Hadi Choopan | 22 | 10 | 32 | |
| 5 | 45,000 $ | William Bonac |  | 23 | 25 | 48 |
| 6 | Akim Williams | | 30 | 30 | 60 | |
| 7 | Iain Valliere |  | 38 | 35 | 73 | |
| 8 | Hunter Labrada | | 38 | 40 | 78 | |
| 9 | Dexter Jackson | | 46 | 47 | 93 | |
| 10 | Justin Luis Rodriguez | | 48 | 48 | 96 | |
The ongoing Covid 19 pandemic greatly affected the Olympia finals, first delaying the show from October to December, then resulting in a change in venue from Las Vegas to Orlando, Florida.[6] Additionally, global travel restrictions and health concerns, led to several competitors dropping out or not making the show, most notably, perennial finalists, Roelly Winklaar, Flex Lewis and Cedric McMillan.[7]
Also former winner Shawn Rhoden, was barred from competing, pending the outcome of his ongoing legal case.
The overall event was largely down sized from its traditional size, with the Fitness Expo, and meet and greets cancelled resulting in a smaller number of sponsors and spectators than in previous years.
"Big Ramy" emerged victorious and was named the 16th Mr. Olympia. Elssbiay, an Egyptian citizen and Dubai resident, was the first non-American to win the title since British champion, Dorian Yates in 1997. It was also the first time since 1981–84 that there had been four different champions in four consecutive years – Heath won in 2017, Shawn Rhoden won in 2018, Curry in 2019, and then Elssbiay for 2020 and 2021.[8]