A Comprehensive List of Natural Olympia Champions Through the Years
Every titleholder of the prestigious Natural Olympia—the pinnacle of drug-tested bodybuilding!
The Natural Olympia competition stands as the premier event in the realm of natural bodybuilding, mirroring the significance of the Mr. Olympia contest within the International Federation of BodyBuilding and Fitness (IFBB) Pro League. However, the defining difference between these two elite competitions is the rigorous drug-testing protocols enforced at Natural Olympia. Every athlete undergoes comprehensive screening under the highest standards set by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to ensure they are free from performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs), including anabolic steroids and SARMs. In contrast, IFBB athletes are not subject to such testing, and it is widely acknowledged that many competitors in that federation utilize PEDs to push their physiques to the extreme.
The prestigious Natural Olympia is organized by the International Natural Bodybuilding Association (INBA) and its professional division, the Professional Natural Bodybuilding Association (PNBA), the leading global federation dedicated to natural bodybuilding.
The foundation for this movement was laid in 1988 when Denny Kakos co-founded the American Bodybuilding Association (ABA), an organization committed to providing a platform for drug-free bodybuilding. In 1990, Kakos established the PNBA to offer natural bodybuilders an opportunity to compete at the professional level. This initiative expanded further in 1994 with the inception of the INBA, a move that aimed to unify natural bodybuilding on a global scale by setting standardized competition guidelines across multiple nations.
Today, the INBA PNBA league boasts competitors from over 60 countries, showcasing the best natural physiques from around the world. The 2022 edition of Natural Olympia saw champions crowned in various bodybuilding divisions, with athletes representing multiple nations. This esteemed competition also offers the most lucrative cash prizes and sponsorships available in the natural bodybuilding circuit.
The most coveted title and the highest monetary reward at Natural Olympia are awarded to the victor of the Men’s Bodybuilding Open category. Below, you will find a detailed historical record of the champions who have claimed the prestigious Natural Olympia title in the Men’s Bodybuilding division over the years.
John Hansen (1998)
Keith Bullock (2001)
Ron Williams (2002)
Rodney Hawthorne (2003)
Danny Chau (2004)
Komang Arnawa (2005)
Warren Clampit (2006)
Philip Ricardo Jr. (2007, 2008, 2015, 2019)
Kiyoshi Moody (2009-2014)
Michael Waddington (2016)
Rob Terry (2017, 2018)
Meshack Ochieng (2020)
Paul Krueger (2021)
Tommi Thompson (2022)
Michael Waddington (2023)
Every Natural Olympia Champion
We have meticulously curated a complete list of every Natural Mr. Olympia titleholder—let’s delve into the legacy of these elite athletes.
John Hansen (1998)
John Hansen claimed victory at the inaugural Natural Olympia in 1998, held in Corinth, Greece. A dominant force in natural bodybuilding, he also secured three Natural Universe titles. With over four decades of experience in the sport, Hansen has honed his expertise as a training and nutrition specialist. He contributed extensively to Iron Man Magazine with his training and nutrition column and authored the book Natural Bodybuilding in 2005, a comprehensive guide to building muscle and achieving peak physique naturally, without the use of performance-enhancing substances.
Keith Bullock (2001)
Ron Wiliams (2002)
Ron Williams won the third PNBA Natural Olympia in 2002. He’s won a total of 21 world natural bodybuilding titles. Now, he’s a life and fitness coach, speaker, pastor, inventor, and author.
Rodney Hawthorne (2003)
Danny Chau (2004)
Komang Arnawa (2005)
The sixth PNBA Natural Olympia champion was Komang Arnawa. He won his last six competitions and became one of the youngest ever Pro World Champions.
Warren Clampit (2006)
Philip Ricardo Jr. (2007, 2008, 2015, 2019)
Philip Ricardo Jr. is a four-time Natural Olympia champion, claiming titles in 2007 and 2008 in San Diego, California, and again in 2015 and 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. A longtime competitor in the INBA PNBA league, Ricardo Jr. began his natural bodybuilding journey after entering a competition while serving in the Marine Corps. Today, he continues to excel in the Men’s Bodybuilding Grand Masters division. In addition to competing, he hosts the annual Pro/Am Philip Ricardo International Legends Classic in Virginia.
Kiyoshi Moody (2009-2014)
Kiyoshi Moody dominated Natural Olympia for six consecutive years, winning titles from 2009 to 2014. His victories began in Australia in 2009, followed by Reno, Nevada, from 2010 to 2012, and San Diego, California, in 2013 and 2014. Moody's journey into weightlifting was sparked by his athletics coach’s remark, “Curls get the girls.” A standout athlete, his promising track and football career was unfortunately cut short by injuries. Transitioning into personal training, he was encouraged by a friend to compete in the ABA Natural Hercules Championships in Corona, California—an event that opened the door to his natural bodybuilding success.
Michael Waddington (2016)
Michael Waddington is the INBA Australian President, a PNBA Hall of Fame inductee, and a trainer/coach at Olympia Personal Training. He holds a Bachelor of Nutrition Science from the Queensland University of Technology. In 2016, Waddington claimed the Natural Olympia title in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Rob Terry (2017-2018)
Former Welsh professional wrestler and bodybuilder Rob Terry secured back-to-back Natural Olympia titles in Las Vegas, Nevada, in 2017 and 2018. A former WWE and Impact Wrestling star, Terry's passion for bodybuilding was inspired by the impressive physiques of 1980s action movie stars, WWF wrestlers, and British Gladiators. His journey into natural bodybuilding was shaped early on when, at just eight years old, he underwent kidney removal surgery due to hydronephrosis.
Meshack Ochieng (2020)
Meshack Ochieng claimed the 2020 Natural Olympia title, proving that height is no limitation at just 5’2.” His bodybuilding journey began in Kenya, where he trained alongside his brother using stone dumbbells and barbells in their backyard. Now a champion, Ochieng also works as a personal trainer and posing coach, helping others perfect their craft.
Paul Krueger (2021)
Paul Krueger claimed the 2021 Natural Olympia title, achieving victory just weeks after earning his pro card. A lifestyle and prep coach, he also runs his own YouTube channel, sharing insights on training and competition. Krueger is a strong advocate of the golden ratio—how the approximate number 1.618 applies to mathematics and helps create the ideal V-taper in bodybuilding through a balanced shoulder-to-waist ratio.
Tommi Thompson (2022)
He took the title at the 2022 Natural Olympia. He is a Men’s Open bodybuilder in the INBA/PNBA natural bodybuilding league, and he’s been a rising star in the sport.
Michael Waddington (2023)
In 2023, Michael Waddington took home the title of the overall Natural Mr. Olympia champion.
wrap up
Natural Olympia is the pinnacle of natural bodybuilding, hosted by the INBA PNBA, the world’s largest natural bodybuilding federation. Each year, elite natural bodybuilders from around the globe compete for the sport’s highest honors, striving to achieve the same accolades as past champions. Winning this prestigious event, often called the “Super Bowl of Natural Bodybuilding,” comes with substantial cash prizes and rewards.
