Joe Pietaro
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The Masters Olympia has released the names of the invited bodybuilders who will vie for the prestigious title this summer in Romania. A total of 19 men were chosen for the open bodybuilding division and were selected from voluntary submissions. While many speculated and hoped that the likes of Dexter Jackson (the winner of the last Masters Olympia in 2012) and Jay Cutler would top the list, it may seem a little scant at first glance. But looking at each name closely, this may be a very interesting show.
1 - FRED SMALLS - the longtime veteran has competed on the biggest stages in the industry, such as the Olympia, Arnold Classic, etc., and will not be intimidated in this setting.
2 - JOSEPH PIERSANTE - coming from law enforcement, Piersante is a story within himself. Going from the Detroit Police Department to the DEA, he was eventually assigned to the federal unit's Foreign Adversary Support Team and served three tours in Afghanistan. Piersante was shot in the head and lost his sight, but that did not deter him from continuing his goal of earning an IFBB pro card.
3 - JOSHUA LENARTOWICZ - the Australian also has an amazing inspirational story, having to undergo surgery to remove a growth in his head and later having to be placed in an induced coma from brain swelling. Lenartowicz then nearly was lost when fluid built up in his lungs. He persevered and is now making a very unlikely comeback, one that is already a win just to be able to get up there.
4 - KAMAL ELGARGANI - the 2019 winner of the 212 Olympia, the Libyan has also been victorious at the 2018 Arnold Classic. His career has been long and convoluted, with Elgargani giving up his initial IFBB pro card and competing overseas for a long stretch before coming back to the US and putting his stamp on the two most prestigious titles in the 212. He has competed many times in the open category, mainly earlier on in his career when there was no such lighter division. So going up against bigger adversaries is nothing new to him.
5 - KEN JACKSON - the Michigan native has competed on many occasions since earning his IFBB pro card in 2011 and two of those shows were in the master's category. Jackson won the 35-plus and 40-plus divisions at both the 2021 and 2022 Legion Sports Fest Pro shows.
6 - LOGAN ROBSON - following years of success competing in Scotland and Germany with NABBA, Robson earned his IFBB pro card at the 2019 Amateur Olympia.
7 - MAREK OLEJNICZAK - the man known as "Oley" hails from Poland and carries around plenty of quality sizes.
8 - MAXX CHARLES - still active on the IFBB scene, the New Yorker will certainly be one of the favorites here. After turning pro in 2016, "Mad Maxx" has been on all the big stages, such as the Olympia, Arnold, and New York Pro.
9 - MICHEAL ELY - he earned his pro card in 2013 and competed in the open category for two years (2014 and 2015) before taking a few years off and returning to the stage in the master's category in 2019 and 2022.
10 - MICHAEL LYNN - a second-generation bodybuilder from Indiana, Lynn was very athletic growing up and like the two aforementioned, suffered a serious injury in the past that nearly ended his life. Following a car accident, Lynn was in a coma for 10 days before waking up and eventually making a full recovery. He became a pro in his early 40s.
11- PHILIP CLAHAR - known as "The Jamaican Tank," Clahar is a huge bodybuilder in his late 50s. A pro since 2002, he competed in the regular open at the 2022 Boston Pro and placed in the top six.
12 - ROBERT BURNEIKA - the Lithuanian may be the most athletic man on the stage, being a pro bodybuilder and pro-MMA fighter (2-2 record).
13 - RON STEVENS - turning pro in 2019, he has competed six times in the masters, and one win and two second-place finishes.
14 - RUSTY JEFFERS - at 58, Jeffers has been competing since 1981 and as a pro since 2004. He has won his last three shows - 2014 Pittsburgh Pro Masters, 2021 Legion Sports Fest Masters, and 2022 Masters World Pro Championships
15 - SERGIO LIMA - the huge Brazilian has competed at the 2021 Mr. Big Evolution Pro and 2022 Bigman Weekend Pro
16 - SLAVOJ BEDNAR - he competed as recently as this month, placing tenth in the Arnold Classic Brazil. In 2022, Bednar finished fifth at the Toronto Pro, and eighth at the New York Pro and Indy Pro. And all of these were in the open category.
17 - TONY LAGRENE - in 2022, LaGrene won the masters in both the over 50 and 55 categories at the Chicago Pro.
18 - VINNY GALANTI - the New Jersey native hit the pro stage for the first time way back in 2012 at the Europa Show of Champions in the 212 division. He won his last show (2022 Daytona Pro, masters open bodybuilding over 50).
19 - VLADIMIR AGRINSKY - he has tried his hand at both bodybuilding and classic physique as a pro, last competing in 2019 at the Baltimore Classic Masters Pro (second) and the Romani Muscle Fest Pro (DNP in the open).
(Image courtesy of the Masters Olympia)
1 - FRED SMALLS - the longtime veteran has competed on the biggest stages in the industry, such as the Olympia, Arnold Classic, etc., and will not be intimidated in this setting.
2 - JOSEPH PIERSANTE - coming from law enforcement, Piersante is a story within himself. Going from the Detroit Police Department to the DEA, he was eventually assigned to the federal unit's Foreign Adversary Support Team and served three tours in Afghanistan. Piersante was shot in the head and lost his sight, but that did not deter him from continuing his goal of earning an IFBB pro card.
3 - JOSHUA LENARTOWICZ - the Australian also has an amazing inspirational story, having to undergo surgery to remove a growth in his head and later having to be placed in an induced coma from brain swelling. Lenartowicz then nearly was lost when fluid built up in his lungs. He persevered and is now making a very unlikely comeback, one that is already a win just to be able to get up there.
4 - KAMAL ELGARGANI - the 2019 winner of the 212 Olympia, the Libyan has also been victorious at the 2018 Arnold Classic. His career has been long and convoluted, with Elgargani giving up his initial IFBB pro card and competing overseas for a long stretch before coming back to the US and putting his stamp on the two most prestigious titles in the 212. He has competed many times in the open category, mainly earlier on in his career when there was no such lighter division. So going up against bigger adversaries is nothing new to him.
5 - KEN JACKSON - the Michigan native has competed on many occasions since earning his IFBB pro card in 2011 and two of those shows were in the master's category. Jackson won the 35-plus and 40-plus divisions at both the 2021 and 2022 Legion Sports Fest Pro shows.
6 - LOGAN ROBSON - following years of success competing in Scotland and Germany with NABBA, Robson earned his IFBB pro card at the 2019 Amateur Olympia.
7 - MAREK OLEJNICZAK - the man known as "Oley" hails from Poland and carries around plenty of quality sizes.
8 - MAXX CHARLES - still active on the IFBB scene, the New Yorker will certainly be one of the favorites here. After turning pro in 2016, "Mad Maxx" has been on all the big stages, such as the Olympia, Arnold, and New York Pro.
9 - MICHEAL ELY - he earned his pro card in 2013 and competed in the open category for two years (2014 and 2015) before taking a few years off and returning to the stage in the master's category in 2019 and 2022.
10 - MICHAEL LYNN - a second-generation bodybuilder from Indiana, Lynn was very athletic growing up and like the two aforementioned, suffered a serious injury in the past that nearly ended his life. Following a car accident, Lynn was in a coma for 10 days before waking up and eventually making a full recovery. He became a pro in his early 40s.
11- PHILIP CLAHAR - known as "The Jamaican Tank," Clahar is a huge bodybuilder in his late 50s. A pro since 2002, he competed in the regular open at the 2022 Boston Pro and placed in the top six.
12 - ROBERT BURNEIKA - the Lithuanian may be the most athletic man on the stage, being a pro bodybuilder and pro-MMA fighter (2-2 record).
13 - RON STEVENS - turning pro in 2019, he has competed six times in the masters, and one win and two second-place finishes.
14 - RUSTY JEFFERS - at 58, Jeffers has been competing since 1981 and as a pro since 2004. He has won his last three shows - 2014 Pittsburgh Pro Masters, 2021 Legion Sports Fest Masters, and 2022 Masters World Pro Championships
15 - SERGIO LIMA - the huge Brazilian has competed at the 2021 Mr. Big Evolution Pro and 2022 Bigman Weekend Pro
16 - SLAVOJ BEDNAR - he competed as recently as this month, placing tenth in the Arnold Classic Brazil. In 2022, Bednar finished fifth at the Toronto Pro, and eighth at the New York Pro and Indy Pro. And all of these were in the open category.
17 - TONY LAGRENE - in 2022, LaGrene won the masters in both the over 50 and 55 categories at the Chicago Pro.
18 - VINNY GALANTI - the New Jersey native hit the pro stage for the first time way back in 2012 at the Europa Show of Champions in the 212 division. He won his last show (2022 Daytona Pro, masters open bodybuilding over 50).
19 - VLADIMIR AGRINSKY - he has tried his hand at both bodybuilding and classic physique as a pro, last competing in 2019 at the Baltimore Classic Masters Pro (second) and the Romani Muscle Fest Pro (DNP in the open).
(Image courtesy of the Masters Olympia)
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