The bodybuilding pioneer wants to expand his legacy in Romania.
The 2023 Masters Olympia is scheduled to take place over the weekend of August 26-27, 2023 in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. A lot of history will be made at this competition. It is the first time the men’s Open Masters Olympia will be held since Dexter Jackson won the title in 2012. It will be their first Masters Olympiad for the other nine divisions, including Division 212.
One of the men in this 212 lineup is David Henry, who knows a lot about making Olympic history. He is the first Olympic gold medalist in the history of the 212, going back even before the weight limit was 212 pounds.
Henry was part of the lineup for the inaugural Olympia 202 Showdown in 2008 when the division’s weight ceiling was 202 pounds. This competition in Las Vegas, NV marked the first time since 1979 that the Olympia had two different weight divisions. Frank Zane won the lightweight and overall Mr. Olympia titles before the classes were reunited in 1980 — the year Arnold Schwarzenegger came out of retirement to win his seventh Mr. Olympia title.
In winning that first Olympia 202 title, Henry faced a number of competitors that included two eventual bodybuilding greats. Kevin English took second place – he would win the next three 202 Olympia titles from 2009 to 2011. Flex Lewis finished third in 2008, eventually overtaking English to begin his own run of seven titles once the weight cap was raised to 212 in 2012.
Henry never regained his title after losing in 2009, but he’s been a mainstay in the division ever since. As an active competitor, Henry most recently placed third at the Japan Pro 2022 and earned his most recent competitive victory at the Legion Sports Fest Pro 2021. At 48, he is eligible to line up for the 2023 Masters Olympia 212 with a minimum age of 40.
The full 18-man lineup for the 2023 212 Masters Olympia is below.
- Anwar Darwin Ali
- Masoom butt
- Fernando Noronha de Almeida
- Ricardo Silver Duran
- Jim Everton
- Derick Farnsworth
- Ahmed Fawzi
- David Henry
- Milton A. Martinez
- Zohir Mihoubi
- She was Ojex
- Jicheng Qian
- Johnny Shreve
- Steve Thaler
- Ryan Walters
- Wayne Williams
- Jeff Williamson
- Hidetada Yamagishi
Whoever wins this competition will make history as the first Masters Olympia 212 champion, but Henry has even more history in this coveted championship. The only competitor to have won both the Masters Olympia and Mr. Olympia titles is Dexter Jackson, who also won the Sandow Trophy in 2008 — the same year Henry won his Olympia title.
If the United States Air Force veteran does achieve victory in Romania, his legacy in the sport could be even more secure than it already is.
