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Karol Milewski made history in 2023 by beating five-time champ Harold Kelley to win the Wheelchair Olympia. That victory established him as one of the top guys in the division, and he reportedly took home $50k. His financial situation is rather more complicated than that one prize cheque, though.
After finishing third at the 2024 Olympia, Milewski’s publicly documented competitive record has not seen him in another pro contest. The Wheelchair Olympia has, of course, continued on its journey with new champions and a new prize structure. Here’s a look at his competition earnings, his bodybuilding record, his pro career, and where he stands in the history of the sport.
Milewski was 36 when he won the championship, according to a November 2023 interview with Dzień Dobry TVN. His foray into competitive bodybuilding came about as a result of a life-changing car accident which left him with a damaged spinal cord and in a wheelchair.
Despite the difficulties, Milewski remained in touch with sport and strength training. He was naturally skinny as a kid and remembers starting out with workouts at home before really getting into bodybuilding.
His prep for the 2023 Olympia was with coach Łukasz Sosiński. That had been going on for about two years, and it was all about the muscle, the nutrition, and the conditioning.
Prize money reporting for the division hasn’t always been consistent. Fitness Volt’s 2023 Olympia prize breakdown did list the top 5 Wheelchair competitors but didn’t assign any individual prize money as it hadn’t been announced. The $50k, therefore, should be treated as a reported figure rather than a fully reconciled official earnings figure.
His other pro wins are the 2023 Sheru Classic UK Pro (again, no publicly available sources to confirm individual prize money for that event).
There’s also no reliable public record of his total career earnings, sponsorship income, endorsement deals, or personal net worth.
For that reason, his $50k reported Olympia prize is by far the most concrete figure relating to his pro bodybuilding career rather than some kind of estimated total.
Milewski’s pro career started in 2022, and he very quickly showed that he was capable of competing against the established WBC athletes.
His recorded professional competition history includes the following results:
His 2023 season was a real one to watch. He won the Sheru Classic UK Pro prior to taking the Olympia title, and that really put him on the map as a genuine competitor against the experienced international pros.
His Olympia win was a big one in that it ended Harold Kelley’s five title-winning streak (2018-2022).
Milewski went back to Olympia in 2024 but couldn’t quite reproduce his championship performance. Kelley took the title again, Secundino came in second, and Milewski finished third.
As per the various competition databases, those are his most recent professional results to date (as of November 2026).
One of his most obvious physical attributes is his developed upper body. In wheelchair bodybuilding, the judges look at muscle development, proportions, symmetry, and presentation. Shoulder width, back development, and upper body conditioning are all key aspects of the physique.
His preparation under Łukasz Sosiński was also very important. The training partnership involved a build-up of muscle prior to moving on to competition-specific conditioning.
Milewski’s ability to take on and beat the experienced athletes showed that he could certainly bring a competitive physique to the biggest stage in bodybuilding.
His win also underlined the increasing international profile of wheelchair bodybuilding with the clear implication that athletes from outside of the traditional bodybuilding nations could be in a position to challenge for the division’s top prize.
Harold Kelley
Kelley was the man in the chair before Milewski’s breakthrough. He had five straight Olympia wins from 2018 to 2022 and was the dominant figure in the division. Milewski beat him in 2023, but Kelley came back to win the 2024 title, taking his sixth.
Kevin Secundino
Secundino became another major rival, having taken second at the 2024 Olympia, ahead of Milewski. That result showed the division was now genuinely competitive.
Gabriele Andriulli
Andriulli was one of Milewski’s early competition rivals. He beat Milewski at the 2022 Arnold Classic UK (Milewski finished 3rd that year). Milewski then went on to defeat him at the 2023 Sheru Classic UK Pro.
However, prize money varies from competition to competition.
As per the info published on wheelchairbodybuilding.com, a number of the 2024 IFBB Pro Wheelchair competitions had a total prize pool of $ 3500 (with $2,000 for 1st, $1,000 for 2nd, and $500 for 3rd).
The 2024 Wheelchair Olympia had a reported total purse of $13k; the 2026 published payout structure showed $18k in competition prize money plus $2k for travel and per diem.
2026 Wheelchair Olympia: Blake Colleton (James Berger, Ephraim Gudgeon).
These figures show the evolution of the division’s financial profile over time and also explain why you can’t work out an athlete’s career earnings from the number of titles they’ve won.
Although he finished third in 2024, his Olympia win is a major achievement for Polish bodybuilding and for the international wheelchair bodybuilding community.
As of November 2026, Milewski has no verified pro competition results beyond the 2024 Olympia. It’s not known whether he intends to go back to competition at all.
No matter what comes next, his championship season was a prime example of the value of sheer determination, of properly structured preparation and of competing on the international stage. His legacy is not just in the prize money he is said to have made but in the fact that he was one of the most well-known competitors in the division as a result of winning that historic championship.
After finishing third at the 2024 Olympia, Milewski’s publicly documented competitive record has not seen him in another pro contest. The Wheelchair Olympia has, of course, continued on its journey with new champions and a new prize structure. Here’s a look at his competition earnings, his bodybuilding record, his pro career, and where he stands in the history of the sport.
Who Is Karol Milewski?
Karol Milewski is a Polish pro bodybuilder competing in the IFBB Pro League Men’s Wheelchair division. He gained international recognition by winning the 2023 Wheelchair Olympia, becoming the first Polish athlete to win that title.Milewski was 36 when he won the championship, according to a November 2023 interview with Dzień Dobry TVN. His foray into competitive bodybuilding came about as a result of a life-changing car accident which left him with a damaged spinal cord and in a wheelchair.
Despite the difficulties, Milewski remained in touch with sport and strength training. He was naturally skinny as a kid and remembers starting out with workouts at home before really getting into bodybuilding.
His prep for the 2023 Olympia was with coach Łukasz Sosiński. That had been going on for about two years, and it was all about the muscle, the nutrition, and the conditioning.
Karol Milewski’s Career Payouts and Prize Money
Milewski’s biggest documented payday in his career was from his 2023 Wheelchair Olympia win. BarBend reported that he took $50k for beating Harold Kelley and taking the title.Prize money reporting for the division hasn’t always been consistent. Fitness Volt’s 2023 Olympia prize breakdown did list the top 5 Wheelchair competitors but didn’t assign any individual prize money as it hadn’t been announced. The $50k, therefore, should be treated as a reported figure rather than a fully reconciled official earnings figure.
His other pro wins are the 2023 Sheru Classic UK Pro (again, no publicly available sources to confirm individual prize money for that event).
There’s also no reliable public record of his total career earnings, sponsorship income, endorsement deals, or personal net worth.
For that reason, his $50k reported Olympia prize is by far the most concrete figure relating to his pro bodybuilding career rather than some kind of estimated total.
Karol Milewski’s Professional Bodybuilding Career and Major Achievements
Milewski’s pro career started in 2022, and he very quickly showed that he was capable of competing against the established WBC athletes.
His recorded professional competition history includes the following results:
| Year | Competition | Result |
| 2022 | Arnold Classic UK | 3rd place |
| 2023 | Sheru Classic UK Pro | 1st place |
| 2023 | Wheelchair Olympia | 1st place |
| 2024 | Wheelchair Olympia | 3rd place |
His Olympia win was a big one in that it ended Harold Kelley’s five title-winning streak (2018-2022).
Milewski went back to Olympia in 2024 but couldn’t quite reproduce his championship performance. Kelley took the title again, Secundino came in second, and Milewski finished third.
As per the various competition databases, those are his most recent professional results to date (as of November 2026).
What made Karol Milewski so successful in wheelchair bodybuilding?
Milewski’s success is a combination of relentless training, a very structured approach to preparation, and a very good ability to present himself in competition.One of his most obvious physical attributes is his developed upper body. In wheelchair bodybuilding, the judges look at muscle development, proportions, symmetry, and presentation. Shoulder width, back development, and upper body conditioning are all key aspects of the physique.
His preparation under Łukasz Sosiński was also very important. The training partnership involved a build-up of muscle prior to moving on to competition-specific conditioning.
Milewski’s ability to take on and beat the experienced athletes showed that he could certainly bring a competitive physique to the biggest stage in bodybuilding.
His win also underlined the increasing international profile of wheelchair bodybuilding with the clear implication that athletes from outside of the traditional bodybuilding nations could be in a position to challenge for the division’s top prize.
Karol Milewski vs. Other Top Wheelchair Bodybuilders
Milewski’s career is inextricably linked to a number of his key competitors in the division.Harold Kelley
Kelley was the man in the chair before Milewski’s breakthrough. He had five straight Olympia wins from 2018 to 2022 and was the dominant figure in the division. Milewski beat him in 2023, but Kelley came back to win the 2024 title, taking his sixth.
Kevin Secundino
Secundino became another major rival, having taken second at the 2024 Olympia, ahead of Milewski. That result showed the division was now genuinely competitive.
Gabriele Andriulli
Andriulli was one of Milewski’s early competition rivals. He beat Milewski at the 2022 Arnold Classic UK (Milewski finished 3rd that year). Milewski then went on to defeat him at the 2023 Sheru Classic UK Pro.
Prize Money and the Growth of Wheelchair Bodybuilding
Wheelchair bodybuilding has gained increasing international recognition through the IFBB Pro League, the Arnold Classic and Olympia Weekend.However, prize money varies from competition to competition.
As per the info published on wheelchairbodybuilding.com, a number of the 2024 IFBB Pro Wheelchair competitions had a total prize pool of $ 3500 (with $2,000 for 1st, $1,000 for 2nd, and $500 for 3rd).
The 2024 Wheelchair Olympia had a reported total purse of $13k; the 2026 published payout structure showed $18k in competition prize money plus $2k for travel and per diem.
2026 Wheelchair Olympia: Blake Colleton (James Berger, Ephraim Gudgeon).
These figures show the evolution of the division’s financial profile over time and also explain why you can’t work out an athlete’s career earnings from the number of titles they’ve won.
Karol Milewski’s Legacy and Future in Wheelchair Bodybuilding
Karol Milewski’s big achievement to date is his historic win at the 2023 Wheelchair Olympia. He did it by beating Harold Kelley and thus ended one of the longest championship runs in the division. He is now in the pantheon of the division’s greats.Although he finished third in 2024, his Olympia win is a major achievement for Polish bodybuilding and for the international wheelchair bodybuilding community.
As of November 2026, Milewski has no verified pro competition results beyond the 2024 Olympia. It’s not known whether he intends to go back to competition at all.
No matter what comes next, his championship season was a prime example of the value of sheer determination, of properly structured preparation and of competing on the international stage. His legacy is not just in the prize money he is said to have made but in the fact that he was one of the most well-known competitors in the division as a result of winning that historic championship.
Sources:
- BarBend – Karol Milewski Wins 2023 Wheelchair Olympia — 2023 championship results and reported $50,000 payout.
- Dzień Dobry TVN – Karol Milewski's journey to Mr. Olympia — Personal background, accident, coach, and preparation.
- Fitness Volt – Karol Milewski Athlete Profile — Professional competition history and career statistics.
- Wheelchair Bodybuilding – Inclusion, Prize Money, and Growth — Prize-money structure and historical payout information.
- 2026 Wheelchair Olympia Results and Prize Money — Latest championship results and payout structure.
- 2025 Wheelchair Olympia Results — 2025 championship results.
