“The Mutant” should overcome a number of accidents to make his return.
Coming off a third-place end on the 2022 Mr. Olympia, Nick Walker seemed sure for a podium end on the 2023 Mr. Olympia. Sadly for the gifted bodybuilder, his quest to seize the 2023 Mr. Olympia crown got here to a untimely and painful finish earlier than the competition began.
Forced to withdraw from the largest competitors of the season due to a torn hamstring, Walker not too long ago revealed he suffered much more injury than initially thought. In a video posted on his Instagram web page on Nov. 6, 2023, “The Mutant” delivered an replace about his damage standing and his mindset as he embarks on the highway to restoration.
After congratulating Derek Lunsford for changing into the 18th Mr. Olympia and the primary two-division champion, Walker divulged extra particulars about his well being standing. Not solely did Walker undergo a severe hamstring damage within the leadup to the Olympia, however he additionally damage his calf.
“I believe it was Friday, we went and received the MRI accomplished and it got here again that I do have a partial hamstring tear and a grade 1 pressure, little tear in my calf as properly,” Walker stated. “Nothing loopy, nothing too important that might require surgical procedure, in order that’s nice information. I’m very pleased, actually very pleased about that.”
Fortunately for Walker, a grade 1 pressure contains delicate injury to particular person muscle fibers that usually causes a small lack of energy and movement. Then again, a grade 3 pressure includes an entire rupture of a muscle or tendon and normally requires surgical procedure to reattach the broken construction. So, though Walker’s Olympia dream became a little bit of a nightmare, he prevented the worst-case situation.
The 2021 Arnold Traditional winner famous that his docs had been “very impressed” with how rapidly his physique began the therapeutic course of. Regardless of coping with a significant setback on the most inopportune time, Walker displayed maturity and humility when discussing his damage.
“I’m a agency believer that issues occur for a purpose, and I can’t appear to search out what purpose this,” Walker defined. “This was presupposed to be a very particular second. I’m simply holding on to that saying, issues occur for a purpose, for higher issues to occur, in order that’s what we’re going to do.”
[Related: 2023 Amateur Olympia Results]
Though Walker can’t crush a leg workout anytime quickly, he gained’t let that cease him from making ready to compete once more in 2024. Centered on training his upper body and testing his limits as he recovers, he vowed to return stronger for subsequent yr’s Olympia.
Nevertheless, whether or not Walker could have a chance to take part within the sport’s tentpole contest is way much less sure than his conviction about making a comeback. Attributable to changes to the Olympia Qualifying System, solely the highest three finishers from the Mr. Olympia contest routinely qualify for subsequent yr’s occasion.
With Walker already ruling himself out of the 2024 Arnold Traditional, he should win an IFBB Professional League present to safe a spot within the Males’s Open lineup for the 2024 Olympia. Then once more, maybe promoters will grant “The Mutant” his request to obtain a particular invite to share the stage with the newly topped champion and the remainder of the Olympia hopefuls.
Featured Picture: nick_walker39 / Instagram
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