60 Historical Olympia Facts to Pump Up Bodybuilding Knowledge

1. Despite the addition of numerous divisions and weight classes since the Olympia’s inception in 1965, only the winner of the open bodybuilding competition can claim the title of “Mr. Olympia.”

2. The first Joe Weider’s Mr. Olympia competition was held on September 18, 1965, at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in Brooklyn, NY.

3. Larry Scott was crowned the first Mr. Olympia. Literally “crowned” – the original first-place trophy was a jeweled crown. Scott won again in 1966.

4. The first overseas Mr. Olympia was held in Paris, France, in 1971. Winner: Arnold Schwarzenegger.

5. The 1975 Mr. Olympia, filmed in South Africa, became the 1977 docudrama “Pumping Iron,” showcasing Arnold Schwarzenegger’s quest for his sixth title against rivals like Lou Ferrigno.

6. In 1977, Joe Weider chose the Sandow statue as the Mr. Olympia trophy to honor Eugen Sandow, the “father of bodybuilding.”

7. As of 2023, athletes from 47 nations have competed in the 59 Mr. Olympia contests, with the US, UK, and Germany having the most representatives.

8. The first Mr. Olympia payout was $1,000 (equal to just under $10,000 in 2024).

9. The average age of Mr. Olympia winners is 32.6, but a trend toward older champions is evident: since 2000, the average winner’s age is 36.

10. Larry Scott is one of only two Mr. Olympias—Sergio Oliva being the other—who didn’t receive a Sandow.

11. In 1980, Mr. Olympia saw Arnold Schwarzenegger make a surprise comeback, sparking one of the most significant controversies in the sport. 

12. The following year, Franco Columbu also made a surprise appearance at the O, resulting in a controversial win.

13. Eight-time Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman famously squatted and deadlifted 800 pounds each (on different days), cementing his status as the strongest Mr. Olympia.

14. Franco Columbu remains a close contender with lifts of a 655-pound squat, 525-pound bench press, and 750-pound deadlift at a bodyweight of 185-200 pounds.

15. The first Mr. O in 1965 featured three men: two prior Mr. Universe winners, Larry Scott and Earl Maynard, alongside 21-year-old Harold Poole, the reigning Mr. America.

16. Two Mr. Olympia contests saw uncontested victories: Sergio Oliva in 1968 and Arnold in 1971, a rare occurrence in the sport’s history.

17. Jay Cutler is the only bodybuilder to reclaim the Mr. Olympia title after losing it, achieving this in 2009 after being dethroned by Dexter Jackson in 2008.

18. Dexter Jackson has the most Olympia appearances, competing 20 times before retiring in 2020.

19. Franco Columbu, winner of the 1976 and 1981 Mr. Olympia, also competed in the first-ever World’s Strongest Man competition in 1977. He suffered a horrific knee injury while carrying a refrigerator on his back.

20. The Olympia features 11 divisions: Mr. Olympia, 212, Classic Physique, Men’s Physique, Ms. Olympia, Women’s Physique, Figure, Fitness, Bikini, Wellness, and Wheelchair.

21. Two men are tied with the most Mr. O victories: Lee Haney and Ronnie Coleman both won eight consecutive Olympia titles.

22. The winningest Olympia athlete is Iris Kyle, who has won 10 Ms. Olympia titles (2004, 2006-2014).

23. Dorian Yates won his sixth Mr. Olympia despite tearing his triceps muscle three weeks before the competition, delaying surgery until afterward. His victory under these conditions was considered controversial.

24. The Ms. Olympia was discontinued after 2014, following the removal of Ms. International from the Arnold Classic; it returned in 2020 when Jake Wood bought the entire Olympia franchise.

25. The Ms. Olympia was added to the Mr. Olympia in 1980, aiming to enhance women’s bodybuilding exposure.

26. The newest Olympia division is Wellness, debuting in 2021. Francielle Mattos is the sole winner so far.

27. Only 12 women have won the prestigious Ms. Olympia title.

28. Cory Everson holds the record for the most consecutive Ms. Olympia wins (1984-1989).

29. Kim Chizevsky-Nicholls (1996), Iris Kyle (2004, 2006, 2007, 2009-2011, 2013), and Yaxeni Oriquen-Garcia (2005) have achieved the rare feat of winning both the Ms. International and Ms. Olympia in the same year..

30. The Ms. Olympia’s standalone debut was in Atlantic City on August 30, 1980. Winner Rachel McLish, a bodybuilding icon, popularized “flex appeal.”

31. Lou Ferrigno, at the 1992 Mr. Olympia, weighed a massive 318 pounds, holding the record for the largest bodybuilder until Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay surpassed him in 2020.

32. 5’5”: The height of Franco Columbu, the shortest Mr. Olympia.

33. 6’2”: The height of Arnold Schwarzenegger, the tallest Mr. Olympia.

34. Seven of the 18 Mr. Olympia winners were born outside of the United States, including: Sergio Oliva (Cuba), Arnold Schwarzenegger (Austria), Franco Columbu (Italy), Samir Bannout (Lebanon), Dorian Yates (UK), Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay (Egypt), and Hadi Choopan (Iran).

35. As of 2023, Seven men have won the Mr. Olympia just once: Chris Dickerson (1982), Samir Bannout (1983), Shawn Rhoden (2018), Brandon Curry (2019), Hadi Choopan (2022), and Derek Lunsford (2023).

36. The oldest Mr. O competitor was Albert Beckles at 53 in 1991.

37. Reigning Classic Physique O champ Chris Bumstead has 24.1M Instagram followers and 3.86M YouTube subscribers, the most of any current champion

38. The 1990 Mr. Olympia was the first and only drug-tested event. Lee Haney won his 7th consecutive title, and no one was disqualified.

39. Arnold Schwarzenegger is the youngest Mr. O winner at 23 in 1970.

40. Derek Lunsford is the only champion to win a title in two Olympia divisions: 212 Olympia (2021) and Mr. Olympia (2023).

41. Shawn Rhoden is the oldest winner at 43 in 2021.

42. Rivals Kai Greene and Phil Heath nearly fought onstage during pre-judging in 2014, creating the most heated Olympia moment.

43. The name Mr. Olympia was inspired by an Olympia beer bottle spotted by Betty Weider, and it resonated with Joe Weider’s vision for a prestigious bodybuilding title.

44. The first Mr. Olympia to pass away was Sergio Oliva in 2012 at 71. (Mr. Olympias Larry Scott, Franco Columbu, Chris Dickerson, and Shawn Rhoden have also died.)

45. Only three men have won the Classic Physique Olympia since 2016: Danny Hester (2016), Breon Ansley (2017-2018), and Chris Bumstead (2019-2023).

46. Winning both the Arnold Classic and Mr. Olympia in the same year has only been accomplished by three competitors: Ronnie Coleman (2001), Dexter Jackson (2008), and Brandon Curry (2019).

47. The youngest Mr. Olympia competitor was Harold Poole at 21 in 1965. Next was Rich Gaspari at 22.

48. Only two men have won the Wheelchair Olympia since it launched in 2018—Harold “King Kong” Kelley (2018-2022) and Karol Milewski (2023).

49. The inaugural People’s Champion award in 2018, determined by fan votes, was bestowed upon Roelly Winklaar.

50. Sergio Oliva, a three-time Mr. O, achieved groundbreaking firsts in bodybuilding: defeating Arnold at the 1969 Mr. Olympia and becoming the first Black Olympia champ.

51. Chris Dickerson is the first openly gay man to win the Mr. Olympia (1982).

52. The Women’s Physique Olympia division was introduced in 2013, bridging the gap between Figure and Women’s Bodybuilding. Dana Linn Bailey emerged victorious.

53. The 212 Olympia division (launched as the 202lb division in 2008 and raised to 212 in 2012) was dominated by Flex Lewis, who claimed seven straight titles before retiring in 2022.

54. Arnold Schwarzenegger leads Mr. Olympia winners on Instagram with a massive 26.2M followers. The next top contenders are Ronnie Coleman (10.4M), Hadi Choopan (7.8M), and Jay Cutler (5.4M).

55. The total prize money for the Mr. Olympia competition has increased significantly over the years. In 2023, the total prize purse for all divisions exceeded $1.6 million, with $400,000 going to the Men’s Open winner.

56. Frank Zane received the first Sandow for his 1977 win.

57. Kevin Levrone has the most podium finishes at the Mr. Olympia without winning. He’s placed second four times and third three times.

58. Phil Heath won seven consecutive Mr. Olympia titles from 2011 to 2017.

59. The Classic Physique division debuted at the 2016 O, with a weight cap for specific heights.

60. Las Vegas, NV, will have hosted the Mr. Olympia 23 times (1999-2019, 2022, 2024) after it returns to Resort World in 2024. It was held in Orlando, FL, for three years (2020-2021, 2023) due to the COVID-19 pandemic.