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Mr. Olympia Returns to Las Vegas in 2024 to Celebrate Its 60th Anniversary Learn About the Enduring Legacy of the ‘Sin City’ in Olympia History

Published 11/24/2023, 1:01 AM EST

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Just a few weeks after the recent Mr. Olympia event, the organizers are already getting ready for next year’s contest. Officials have announced that in 2024, the Olympia is heading back to Las Vegas to celebrate its 60th anniversary! Las Vegas is known as the “Entertainment Capital of the World” and is famous for its extremely fancy lifestyle. Interestingly, the ‘Sin City’ has a special connection with the prestigious bodybuilding event, Mr. Olympia.

The competition has mostly been held here, with the first show in Las Vegas taking place in 1999. This year’s competition will take place in the second week of October 2024.

Mr. Olympia 2024 to happen from Oct. 10 to Oct. 13 

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According to an Instagram post by the Mr. Olympia official page, Olympia Weekend is set to be held in Las Vegas from 10 to 13 October 2024. After they disclosed the venue officially, the bodybuilding community seemed extremely excited to witness the event’s return to Vegas.

 

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According to the declaration post, “We’re proud of the relationship we’ve built with the city of Las Vegas over the last 25 years. The team at Resorts World is working closely with us to create an overall experience worthy of our historic 60th year, the ultimate celebration of how far the fitness industry has come,” expressed Olympia President Dan Solomon.

Right after Olympia’s birth in 1965, the show quickly gained popularity and earned respect worldwide. The first event was organized in Brooklyn, NY in 1965 and for the next five years, it continued to be held in Brooklyn.

The beginning of the revolution in the bodybuilding

After the success of the International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB), the Weider brothers, introduced Mr. Olympia in the mid-1960s. The first competition under the name of Olympia took place on 18th September 1965 at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York City. Larry Scott won the coveted title, and following the year Scott defended his title. In 1967, the third year of the show ‘The Myth,’ Sergio Oliva would display a level of definition that had never been seen before. Oliva bagged three consecutive titles from 1967 to 1969. Interestingly, the winning prize during the initial years was just $1000.

However, in 1999, Olympia was first organized in Las Vegas. From the late 90s, it became a regular spot for the event until 2019, when the streak ended. Notably, Las Vegas has been the center for the marquee event twenty-three times, with 2024 going to be the 24th time. Owing to the number of times it has hosted the event, Vegas has also seen the most winners.

The list of winners at Las Vegas NV to date and the other venues

When Ronnie Coleman emerged as the champion in New York in 1998, he would never have thought that he would lift the Sandow trophy in Las Vegas from 1999 to 2005. Here are the rest of the winners who won the competition at the Sin City:

  • 2006- 07: Las Vegas, NV- winner- Jay Cutler
  • 2008: Las Vegas, NV-winner- Dexter Jackson
  • 2009-10: Las Vegas, NV-winner- Jay Cutler
  • 2011-17: Las Vegas, NV- winner- Phil Heath
  • 2018: Las Vegas, NV- winner- Shawn Rhoden
  • 2019: Las Vegas, NV- winner- Brandon Curry
  • 2022: Las Vegas, NV- winner- Hadi Choopan.

After Nevada, the second most frequently used location for the competition was New York.

Additionally, it was scheduled five times in Columbus, four times in Orlando, and three times in Atlanta. The event also went outside the United States. It took place twice in Germany, and there was one occurrence each in Paris, France; Pretoria, South Africa; Sydney, Australia; London, England; Brussels, Belgium; Gothenburg, Sweden; Helsinki, Finland; Rimini, Italy; Chicago, IL; Los Angeles, CA. The revolution in the world of bodybuilding began with Olympia after the IFBB’s popularity which was introduced in 1946.

Legends that were created by the Olympia 

After taking the world by storm Olympia became famous globally and reached a point where every young person wanted to compete in the competition. The legend of bodybuilding, Arnold Schwarzenegger made history by winning six consecutive titles. Then, in 1980, he came back and won the title for the seventh time, dethroning the defending bodybuilder Frank Zane.

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However, Lee Haney and Ronnie Coleman are the superstars in the realm of bodybuilding, who won the coveted title eight times in a row. In addition, Phil Heath, Dorian Yates, and Jay Cutler have also etched their names in the annals of the sport with seven, six, and four wins, respectively. In modern times, only  Mamdouh ‘Big Ramy’ Elssbiay secured two consecutive titles.

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These bodybuilders have contributed to sport with their uniqueness. Recently, champions like Hadi Choopan and Derek Lunsford, are making their own mark. From Larry Scott to the modern-era champs these athletes have shown astounding dedication and impressive skill that made an immense impact on the sport.

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Written by:

Arpita Shrivastava

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Hi, I'm Arpita Shrivastava, a fitness and bodybuilding writer at EssentiallySports. When I started college, my fascination shifted to combat sports and I began training for Judo. I did it for two years until an injury compelled me to step away from the mat.
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Smrutisnat Jena