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Shaun Clarida won the 212 Olympia title during last month's 2022 Mr. Olympia competition. With the 2023 Arnold Classic scheduled for March 2 to 5, Shaun Clarida will be looking forward to winning the title at the Arnold Classic.
Clarida grabbed the spotlight when he won the 212 Olympia title at the 2020 Mr. Olympia. After losing the 212 title to Derek Lunsford during the 2021 Mr. Olympia, Clarida was determined to make a strong comeback.
He succeeded at the 2022 Mr. Olympia by emerging victorious in the 212 Olympia division. This was his second 212 Olympia title.
In a video posted yesterday on Muscular Development Magazine's YouTube channel, Shaun Clarida spoke with Giles Thomas, host of MD Global Muscle. During the exchange, Clarida spoke about competing against Samson Dauda at the 2023 Arnold Classic.
Shaun Clarida said:
"Yeah, I think (a call-out between me and Samson) would be fun. It'd be great. I think we have very similar physiques. Obviously, he's bigger version. But as far as round muscle bellies, things popping, I think it would be a great call-out. I'm excited for it. Yeah, I'm going to have to out-pose him a little bit, so we'll see."
A while ago, Samson Dauda and Shaun Clarida competed in the 212 division, but at the 2022 Mr. Olympia, Clarida competed in the 212, and Samson competed in the open division. At the 2023 Arnold Classic, both bodybuilders will compete in the Men's Open Division.
Shaun Clarida said:
"Listen, I know what my strengths are and it's conditioning. I push. I work my ass off to make sure I'm the most conditioned guy on that stage, whether it's 212 or the Open. In the past year, we really stepped it up because we knew what the goal was. We knew that title was wide open. Obviously, still being in 212, I'm not going to be the biggest guy there.
The 212 Olympia title winner at the 2022 Mr. Olympia further continued,
"But what can I beat these guys on. presentation, symmetry, and of course, my conditioning. Obviously I believe having a combination of that plus the fullness I bring to the stage is what carries me to that championship. I believe that's what's going to carry me to, God willing fingers crossed, an Arnold Classic champion this year."
Shaun Clarida will be looking forward to challenging for the title in his first-ever appearance in the Arnold Classic.
Shaun Clarida opened up about people doubting him and his mental space ahead of Arnold Classic
While interacting with Thomas, the American bodybuilder explained how people doubted his size after his victory in the nationals in bantamweight. Shaun Clarida said:
"Yeah, well the one thing that really sticks out in my head was in 2012 when I won the nationals in bantamweight class and I won my pro card. Someone and I won't say names, came up to me and said, 'congratulations, your career is over.' I go, 'what do you mean?' They were like, 'well there's never been a bantamweight who has ever gone on to do anything in the IFBB' and I was like okay. Obviously, I could have easily said, 'okay, he's right' and quit. But I didn't. Again I knew what I was capable of, and I knew what the goal was."
The 212 Olympia title winner claimed that he started competing in 2005, then in 2007, he told his training partner that if they were going to the Olympia, it would be as competitors and not as audiences. Clarida also opened up about the time he thought of pulling out of Mr. Olympia.
Clarida said:
"I'm mentally in better space right now. For the Olympia, I was very stressed out because my girlfriend was home and set to be due any day. She could have easily gone into labor while I was at Mr. Olympia, and I could have missed the birth of my child. But there was a part of me that wanted to pull out of the Olympia this year because I didn't want to miss that or have that in my mind. She told me I couldn't pull out. So we continued on and it was very stressful."
Shaun Clarida termed his preparations for the 2023 Arnold Classic 'smooth sailing.' He said:
"Now, entering into this prep (for the 2023 Arnold Classic), it's smooth sailing. I have no stress whatsover. I feel great. I'm very motivated right now. I'm back to training 100 percent. We're ready. We're going to be ready for this Arnold Classic. I absolutely think we'll be just as good, if not better."
With some strong competition, such as Samson Dauda, William Bonac, Blessing Awodibu, and Kamal Elgargni, Clarida will have to do his absolute best to emerge victorious at the 2023 Arnold Classic.
