With only three more sleeps until athletes take to the 2023 Mr. Olympia, an unfortunate dropout has affected the Men’s Open headliner. In a recent Instagram post published on October 31, Nick Walker announced he’s out of 2023 Mr. Olympia due to a severe hamstring tear.
“It’s with a heavy heart I won’t be stepping stage this year due to unforeseen and unfortunate reasons that remind us we’re only human,” Walker shared.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, the name Nick Walker rings a bell. He is an established IFBB Pro in the Men’s Open and has shaken up the sport on a number of occasions. The muscle-bound star wasted no time asserting himself as a top-tier contender. In 2021, he won the New York Pro and Arnold Classic consecutively before finishing fifth in his Mr. Olympia debut.
Determined to cement his legacy, Walker tried to conquer Olympia last year but trailed behind two men, Derek Lunsford and Hadi Choopan. While he attempted the Arnold Classic in March, Walker earned silver in a failed bid to secure a second AC title.
While it looked like we’d see Walker make the big walk once again, unforeseen circumstances have prevented him from taking on the 2023 Mr. Olympia.
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Nick Walker Out of 2023 Mr. Olympia Due To Hamstring Injury
Check out Walker’s official statement regarding his 2023 Mr. Olympia withdrawal below:
“I have some very unfortunate news to deliver to you guys. I will not be competing in this year’s Mr. Olympia due to a hamstring tear that I did right before we actually came here.
I tried to push through it, I tried to do whatever I could, get all the treatments I could, literally did whatever it takes but it gradually got worse it did not progress in any shape or form. Me and my team thought it was best we just pull out because we knew there was no shot of us placing top three at this point or higher.”
“We do not want to drop placings. With how severe this tear is… we thought it was the best case. I also contacted Jim Manion, Dan Solomon, and Jake Wood, they were very supportive I am very thankful for those guys. They were very very supportive of this decision. They asked and made sure I needed anything and that makes me proud to be a part of this organization.”
An emotionally distraught Nick Walker shared his thoughts on the heart-breaking pull-out:
“This was a very hard decision to make. This prep was very smooth, very easy to be honest, I kept telling Matt, every day, ‘I’m going to win your first one.’ Then the last second this happens… and it just sucks because you don’t know what to do. If I know myself, it’s just another reason for me to come back stronger, another reason to come back better, and that’s what I’ll do.”
Nick Walker hasn’t been the only high-profile competitor to drop out of the 2023 Mr. Olympia contest. Recently, former two-time champion Mamdouh ‘Big Ramy’ Elssbiay pulled out of the show. While he wouldn’t provide an exact reason, he mentioned his body needed rest.
This news is a huge blow to the Open class lineup expected to compete at the 2023 Mr. Olympia from November 2-5 in Orlando, Florida. The show must go on, though we wish Nick Walker a speedy recovery!
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