Andrew Jacked (Chinedu Andrew Obiekea) is feeling optimistic about his bodybuilding future following the 2024 Mr. Olympia contest. In an interview aired on October 22, 2024, Jacked opened up on his goal of taking a top-three position at the next Mr. Olympia and revealed that Samson Dauda’s win opened doors for taller athletes to find success in the IFBB Pro League.
Jacked has become one of the biggest names in the Men’s Open in record time. He picked up a third consecutive victory at the 2024 Texas Pro earlier in the season to stamp his ticket to the Mr. Olympia. Due to the dramatic improvements he made in terms of quality and size, he was considered a frontrunner to win the golden Sandow trophy in Las Vegas, Nevada.
In the end, Jacked took fifth place. Meanwhile, fellow Nigerian standout Samson Dauda won and became the 19th Mr. Olympia champion. Dauda defeated two former 212 athletes Hadi Choopan and Derek Lunsford to fulfill his dream. Reflecting on the triumph, Andrew Jacked believes Dauda ushered in a new era of bodybuilding, where taller competitors now have the advantage on the sport’s biggest stage.
Andrew Jacked Wants Top 3 at 2025 Mr. Olympia, Says Samson Dauda’s Win ‘Opened So Many Doors’ for Taller Athletes
Jacked made it clear he intends to crack the top three at the 2025 Mr. Olympia.
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“Next year, I’m moving to top three,” says Jacked. “I knew it would happen [Samson Dauda winning Olympia]. I knew it would happen sometime sooner so I wasn’t surprised it happened because it’s been calling for [him]. Finally, it came.”
He believes Samson Dauda’s Olympia victory opened doors for taller athletes, allowing more aesthetic physiques to penetrate the upper echelon of the Open class.
“I think it opened so many doors, especially for taller guys. Now we’ll get lots of taller aesthetic guys coming in now too. We will definitely have some crossovers too. Maybe some guys from Classic crossing over to Open, maybe some.”
Jacked argued that taller competitors can bring different looks to the stage while shorter competitors lack that strength.
“The thing about we tall guys is if we do 10 shows, we can bring in 10 different physiques which is really pleasing, which would still be pleasing to the eyes. That’s the thing about us but for shorter people, they cannot.”
In light of Dauda’s big win, Jacked contends that the ‘narrative has shifted’ and that to become Mr. Olympia, you must symbolize the characteristics of a ‘Greek God.’
“It’s not just about seeing my friend win the Olympia, it’s about seeing your fellow man achieve the goal or accomplishment something great that he’s been pursuing for a long time. Regardless of Samson winning, if someone else had won I’d still be happy for the person because you toil and grind.”
“I feel happy because one, I think the narrative has shifted. The symbol of Mr. Olympia, the symbol, I mean you have to be a Greek God, a Greek God, they are tall, handsome, muscular, athletic. Those features of Mr. Olympia. In Olympus you have to be a Greek God, you have to signify that.”
He says he decided on entering the 2025 Arnold Classic before competing at the Mr. Olympia.
“Yeah [I didn’t do Romania, Prague, or Spain shows] because I committed to this tour. Before the Olympia, yeah, it was a few days before the Olympia, I committed to this tour. The thing about me, when I commit to something, I keep to it. I would have done all the shows if it was like wide open for me but visa restrictions, which I have to go apply and do this and that in a short window.”
Lastly, Jacked touched on his diet during off-seasons, revealing that he sticks to four meals and a shake each day.
“I was on four meals [during off-season] and one shake,” says Jacked. “I spoke to my coach and I told him listen, huge meals won’t do me any good. In off-season, my body just needs the right amount of macros so we were able to split the six meals macros down to four and one shake so I can distribute it all over my body while training.”
“I think I put on 10 kilos,” he adds.
If he hopes to win the 2025 Arnold Classic, Andrew Jacked will have to get through reigning Mr. Olympia Samson Dauda. Shortly after his success in Las Vegas, Nevada, Dauda revealed that he won’t be a one-show-a-year bodybuilder and announced his entry for the 2025 Arnold Classic, where a hefty $500,000 prize will be awarded to the Men’s Open winner.
Andrew Jacked believes Dauda’s triumph has paved the way for other taller athletes to find success at the highest level. With the next Arnold Classic approaching, fans look forward to seeing the new and improved package Andrew Jacked brings to the stage.
Watch the full video from the Olympia TV YouTube channel below:
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