In a heartfelt and candid revelation, IFBB Pro League Men’s Open bodybuilder Brett Wilkin has announced his withdrawal from the highly anticipated 2023 Mr. Olympia contest, citing ongoing digestive issues as the pivotal reason behind his decision. The contest, scheduled to unfold from November 2-5, 2023, in Orlando, FL, will proceed without Wilkin, who was among the first athletes to secure a spot in the competition.
Wilkin, who catapulted into the limelight with a triumphant win at the 2022 Bigman Weekend Pro, shared his struggles and the subsequent decision to withdraw in a deeply personal video on his Instagram page. “To make a long story short, the body was not responding like it should be from the get-go,” Wilkin confided. “I had some early red flags, and that just progressed into me not being able to keep food down, keep meals down.”
The bodybuilder, affectionately known as “The Butcher,” detailed his ordeal with gastrointestinal issues that not only hindered his ability to retain meals but also resulted in a significant weight loss of 15 to 17 pounds within a two-week period. His training was inevitably impacted, with Wilkin revealing he hadn’t trained in over two weeks at the time of the video.
In a somber tone, he disclosed:
“This is going to be one of the harder videos I’ve ever had to make before. It took the last few days to bring together and actually talk about it with the decision. With that being said, I will not be competing at the mr. Olympia here in four weeks time.”
Wilkin’s journey to this point has been nothing short of remarkable, with his victory in the 2022 Bigman Weekend Pro marking his first in the IFBB Pro League. The forthcoming Mr. Olympia would have been his debut on the esteemed stage, a moment now postponed as he prioritizes his health and recovery.
Despite the setback, Wilkin remains optimistic about his future in the sport, concluding his video with a hopeful note about competing again and potentially qualifying for the 2024 Olympia.
“I will be back. This isn’t something that is chronicled, hopefully. The last few days have been better. De-stressing has helped a little bit. I still can’t eat like I want to but I imagine that will get better with time and that’s all I need here.”
The bodybuilding community, including seven-time Mr. Olympia Phil Heath, seven-time Olympia 212 champion Flex Lewis, and fellow Mr. Olympia competitor Nick Walker, has rallied around Wilkin, offering support in the wake of his announcement.
Wilkin’s withdrawal marks the third such instance from the world championship event, following the earlier exits of two-time Sandow Trophy winner Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay and 2023 Toronto Pro Supershow winner Iain Valliere, both due to injuries and the latter also announcing his retirement from competitive bodybuilding.
As the 2023 Mr. Olympia roster now stands at 21 athletes, the bodybuilding world watches with bated breath, awaiting to witness the spectacle that will unfold in Orlando, FL, this November.
