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The IFBB professional delivered a clutch efficiency in Reno, Nevada.
Six months after struggling a scary setback that would have simply sidelined him for the remainder of the aggressive season, Charles Griffen confirmed the ability of perseverance by finishing his comeback story in championship trend.
On Sunday, Oct. 8, 2023, Griffen formally clinched a qualifying spot within the 2023 Mr. Olympia contest by outperforming the remainder of the Males’s Open division on the 2023 Legion Sports activities Fest Professional in Reno, Nevada.
With the Mr. Olympia contest — the most important bodybuilding present of the 12 months — scheduled for Nov. 2-5, the Legion Sports activities Fest Professional supplied a pathway for hopeful contenders to safe a number of the ultimate few spots within the lineup.
Not solely did Griffen guarantee he’ll have an opportunity to clean away the recollections of a 14th-place end on the 2022 Olympia, however he did so regardless of coping with the consequences of a severe damage he sustained throughout a chest training session earlier this 12 months.
The Minnesota native made social media waves again in April 2023 with a video that highlighted how the whole lot can change in a split-second when heavy weights are concerned. Griffen’s Instagram submit confirmed him injuring his left pectoral muscle as he ready to carry out an incline dumbbell press with a pair of 170-pound (77-kilogram) dumbbells.
Even after sustaining a probably career-threatening damage, he didn’t endure surgical procedure to restore the grade II tear. Dealing with a four- to six-week restoration interval from the partial tendon tear, Griffen didn’t let the mishap break his bodily or psychological fortitude. As a substitute, the damage set the stage for a livid comeback that culminated in a clutch victory with Olympia-bound ramifications.
What made his first-place end on the Legion Sports activities Fest Professional much more spectacular was the very fact he earned a unanimous stamp of approval from the judges regardless of having a visibly torn pec. In a sport that values each muscle density and symmetry, Griffen’s win spoke volumes about his full physique and elite conditioning.
Finally, his monstrous quads, well-developed back, and bulging biceps put him above the remainder of a crowded discipline that included John Jewett, who will be a part of Griffen on the ’23 Olympia in Orlando, FL to compete within the 212 division. Jewett’s efficiency in Reno actually turned heads, as he earned a unanimous second-place end in his Males’s Open debut.
Though it appeared like Griffen’s victory introduced some finality to the Olympia lineup, that didn’t precisely show to be the case. Lower than 24 hours after Griffen secured the final qualifying spot, Brett “The Butcher” Wilkin formally withdrew from the 2023 Mr. Olympia attributable to current digestive points which triggered important and sudden weight reduction.
With Wilkin, Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay, and 2023 Toronto Professional Supershow winner Iain Valliere all backing out for numerous causes, the Males’s Open division lineup now options:
Griffen faces an arduous street to complete forward of some big-name rivals with big-time physiques. With prime contenders like 2022 Males’s Open runner-up Derek Lunsford, 2023 Arnold Classic winner Samson Dauda, and 2019 Mr. Olympia Brandon Curry all vying to take down reigning champion Hadi Choopan, it will likely be fascinating to see the place Griffen locations following a 14th-place displaying a 12 months in the past and an Olympia debut of thirteenth in 2018.
Then once more, with all of the adversity he’s needed to overcome in 2023, the three-time IFBB Professional League champion has already proven he’s able to successful an uphill battle.
Featured Picture: ProStudio1 / Instagram
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