Clarida will follow the 212 as he begins the ascent of certainly one of bodybuilding’s tallest mountains.
Reigning 212 Olympia champ Shaun Clarida often wears his coronary heart on his outsized sleeve. The athlete hasn’t been shy about sharing his bodybuilding targets and his subsequent mission is likely to be the famous person’s loftiest but.
On Mar. 23, 2023, Clarida appeared on an episode of The Reality podcast with esteemed bodybuilding coach Hany Rambod. Because the pair mentioned the two-time 212 Olympia champion’s (2020, 2022) future plans, Clarida didn’t mince his phrases: he needs to interrupt James “Flex” Lewis’ 212 Olympia report of seven titles (2012-2018). The athlete can be primarily sticking with the 212 division for the foreseeable future in the hunt for this hallowed ambition.
Clarida’s long-term 212 aspirations would possibly come as a slight shock, contemplating he most recently featured in the Men’s Open division on the 2023 Arnold Basic (AC). Regardless of the athlete being significantly smaller than his extra huge friends, the bodybuilder took home a fifth-place finish at the contest.
Shifting ahead, in an method that appears each life like and training-efficient, Clarida didn’t essentially rule out related moonlighting Males’s Open appearances. Nonetheless, he’ll in any other case maintain his deal with the 212 division, as that’s the place he has shined probably the most in his profession.
“I’m staying in 212 for certain,” Clarida defined. “The objective is to win a number of titles right here [in the 212 division]. In fact, I prefer to dabble in just a few smaller [Men’s] Open reveals, perhaps one other Arnold Basic. However me simply doing the Arnold Basic and doing effectively is just not sufficient for me to simply depart the 212 … I’m life like. If I couldn’t win the [2022] Arnold [Classic], then what’s the purpose of me transferring on from there? If I had gained perhaps it could be a distinct dialog.”
Clarida is behind Lewis’ dominating streak by 5 titles, but when anybody can match or eclipse the icon within the present panorama, it’s the 5-foot 2-inch competitor appropriately known as “The Big Killer.” Normally, that’s in reference to Clarida overcoming larger friends en path to a victory. On this case, Clarida surpassing Lewis can be extra like beating a dwelling legend — a metaphorical “large” of the game.
Clarida’s teasing his pursuit of the 212 Olympia report makes the years forward probably among the most enjoyable the division has ever seen.
“212 is my house, it’s in my coronary heart, and I need to stroll away as the most effective to ever do it,” Clarida stated. “I like Flex Lewis to dying however the objective is to beat his report.”
If Clarida have been to unexpectedly cling up his posing trunks as we speak, he’d already be remembered as one of many best bodybuilders of all time. Full cease. Nonetheless, vying for Lewis’ mark would doubtless place him amongst an elite handful of names, no matter division. For somebody accustomed to “killing giants,” it’d be fairly a sight to see him repeatedly attain that 212 Olympia summit.
Featured picture: @shaunclarida on Instagram