For some, the favorite time of year comes when their bonus checks
arrive through door, or when the children have summer break so the
entire family can go on vacation. These are very acceptable times to
acknowledge the highlights of life and celebration. Whilst this is
accepted on the outside world, a quite different world lingers beneath.
A selective cult of worshipers dwells in a different universe where
their celebration arrives every year falling in the month of September
within the euphoric atmosphere of
Sin City.
Speculation erupts and bets are placed. Some will celebrate on their
hero's achievement, others will find excuses for their low placing
hero's dismay, but all will have the time of their lives whilst
spending their own vacation in a place where they are accepted and can
relax knowing that they aren't alone. This is the holiday retreat
bodybuilding fans call "
The Olympia".
"What have you been up to Peter, working hard?" I said upon
answering my friends call last month. "Not much Kris", was his reply,
"I am just thinking about the
Olympia, only 101 days
to go". This legitimate phone call proves the importance of this
sporting heritage to some of its fans. I am convinced that the
Olympia can highlight a followers endorphin filled smile more than some of its participants.
This year bare the signs of no other.
The 2007 Mr. Olympia preview, the event, and the review will go down as one of the most anticipated and exciting of all time. 8 times
Mr. Olympia, Ronnie Coleman fell victim to a huge and ripped
Jay Cutler
last year to finish a lowly (for Ronnie) second place. Redemption is
something that has been plaguing his mind ever since and this will
surely make for an awesome evening of battle. This is the first time in
13 years that two Olympia champions have gone head to head for the
Olympia title.
Samir Bannout and
Dorian Yates
once met on stage but it was a forgone conclusion that Yates would
reign, this time offers a different value. Coleman, the wounded animal,
could well be at his most ferocious now he finds himself cornered.
Cutler on the other hand is at the top of the food chain, and as we all
know, the Olympia pattern shows a continued domination for the champion
who has to get completely knocked out if he is to fall.
Cutler and Coleman battle aside, another champion many people have predicted to cause an upset is
Victor Martinez.
Victor has steadily been making major steps towards the sports pinnacle
over the past year and has made the top two look over their shoulder as
he sneaked into third place at the 2006 Mr. Olympia, and into the
King's throne at the
2007 Arnold Classic. Slowly but
surely he has been getting harder with each outing but will have to
come in extra dry to make it a white wash. His rather lean off-season
condition since the
Arnold Classic could be a sign of excitement for fans and disarray for the competition.
Germany's
Dennis Wolf
is not one to count out for a podium finish either. Wolf was clearly
overlooked at the New York Pro and the boisterous crowd in attendance
surely backed up that sentiment. With his massive shoulders, flaring
thigh sweep and tightly drummed waist, all he needs is a little more
size on select area's to pounce on unwary prey. Two weeks following his
big apple disappointment, Wolf ate up his previous competition and
heartedly licked his lips upon feeding on victory at the
Keystone Classic.
With the improvements this 28 year old young buck has been making as of
recent, there is no reason why he can't bring up his calves, hamstrings
and back thickness to meet the expectations of the Olympian judiciary.
After a highly disappointing 8th place finish at the
Colorado Pro, you can bet that
Dennis James
is mad. It wasn't because he is starting to lose his edge, far from it,
but a last minute adjustment in his contest prep made him hold so much
water that I was tempted to throw him a life raft. Although he was huge
as a house on this day, the separation needed to dominate this show was
washed out. Dennis is now grieving within the confines of hardcore
contest preparation and will become a "Menace" to those who count him
out. He has the width and all the detailed thickness required to push
Ronnie and Cutler if they are caught slipping.
In 2006,
Melvin Anthony
brought a mass mans game to a symmetrically fluid body and the outcome
provided him with a fifth place cushion to bounce from. An unfortunate
event resulted in him having to go under the knife for a hernia
operation at the beginning of the year, but muscle memory remained his
friend and now Melvin is looking as big as ever. When "Marvelous" was
compared with Ronnie and Jay last year, from the side he more than held
his own. More thickness, added cap to the deltoids and a dryer
physique, could prove that this could be a "Marvelous" game for Melvin
The last person that this writer believes who is waiting in the shadows, and cannot be ignored is
Dexter Jackson.
Although Dexter hasn't made any shock waves in recent shows, he is
always consistent and is always in shape. Dexter's size will always be
a missing factor when it comes to mass requirements for Olympia
victory, but his past podium placing at this show prove that condition
and symmetry is "
The Blades" calling card and could come up with his aces high.
The above mentioned athletes are all contenders that could be announced
as the new barer of the Mr. Olympia crown but lets not forget that
there are many more competitors who are winners by simply making it to
the most illustrious stage in bodybuilding history. There are three
more shows prior to the Olympia in Texas, Montreal, and Atlantic City
where competitors can qualify for a trip to Sin City and knock delts
with the best the sport has to offer.
Chris Cormier will be making his comeback at Atlantic City and will surely have his pass approved here, as will Quincy Taylor at the
Europa Super Show in Texas.
As of June 1st, below are the competitors qualified to compete at the 2007 Mr. Olympia
1 Eddie Abbew
2 Melvin Anthony
3 Gustavo Badell
4 Ronnie Coleman
5 Jay Cutler
6 Mark Dugdale
7 Toney Freeman
8 Kai Green
9 Marcus Haley
10 Phil Heath
11 Dexter Jackson
12 Dennis James
13 Victor Martinez
14 Desmond Miller
15 Ronny Rockel
16 Markus Ruhl
17 Silvio Samuel
18 Sergey Shelestov
19 Vince Taylor
20 Branch Warren
21 Dennis Wolf
22 Hidetada Yamagishi
