Derek Lunsford went into the 2026 Mr Olympia as defending champion and came out third. The 33-year-old from Indiana, who won the title in 2023 and again in 2025, was only a point behind Nick Walker after prejudging, but his finals fell apart. “I just felt like I was off,” he said afterwards. “No excuses.”
He’s still one of the most decorated bodybuilders of his era: the first man to win both the 212 Olympia and the Mr Olympia. Here’s who he is, his height and weight, and what went wrong in Las Vegas.
- Born: 14 May 1993, Petersburg, Indiana (33)
- Height: 5ft 6in (168cm)
- Weight: about 225lb (102kg) on stage and 240lb (109kg) off-season, per Wikipedia
- Biggest wins: Mr Olympia (2023, 2025), 212 Olympia (2021)
- Mr Olympia record: 2nd (2022), 1st (2023), 3rd (2024), 1st (2025), 3rd (2026)
- Coaches: Hany Rambod (2021 to 2024), then Fabrício Pacholok and Chris Aceto
Who is Derek Lunsford?
Lunsford was born on 14 May 1993 in Petersburg, Indiana. He played soccer and wrestled in high school, then took up weight training at college with a personal trainer, James Brown, according to his Wikipedia profile.
He moved quickly through the amateur ranks, winning the NPC Junior Nationals in 2015 and 2016 and earning his pro card at the 2017 NPC USA Championships. He started his pro career in the 212 division, for bodybuilders weighing 212lb or less, and won his first pro show, the 2017 Tampa Pro.
From 212 champion to Mr Olympia
Lunsford was runner-up at the 212 Olympia in 2018 and 2019 before winning it in 2021, the year he started working with Hany Rambod, the coach behind many Olympia champions. In 2022 he moved up to the Men’s Open and finished second to Hadi Choopan at his first attempt.
A year later he won the 2023 Mr Olympia, becoming the first man to win both the 212 and Open titles. He lost it to Samson Dauda in 2024, finishing third, then won it back in 2025 ahead of Choopan and Andrew Jacked. Only Jay Cutler had done that before, regaining the title a year after losing it, as Fitness Volt noted.
When Rambod announced his retirement in late 2024, Lunsford moved to Brazilian coach Fabrício Pacholok and Chris Aceto for 2025.
Derek Lunsford’s height, weight and age
Height: 5ft 6in (168cm), an inch shorter than Nick Walker and five inches shorter than Samson Dauda.
Weight: Wikipedia lists his contest weight as 225lb (102kg) and his off-season weight as 240lb (109kg). His Open stage weight hasn’t been officially published, and the 225lb figure may date from closer to his 212 days.
Age: he was born on 14 May 1993, so he’s 33.
What went wrong at the 2026 Olympia
Lunsford skipped the 2026 Arnold Classic to focus on his family and his title defence. “My daughter is going to be born in February, right before the Arnold,” he told Fitness Volt in December 2025.
In Las Vegas he was close after prejudging, on 9 points to Walker’s 8, with Dauda back on 15. But he placed third in the final round, scoring 15, and finished third overall on 24 points, behind Walker’s 18 and Dauda’s 20.
| Bodybuilder | Prejudging | Finals | Total | Place | Prize (US$) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nick Walker | 8 | 10 | 18 | 1 | $600,000 |
| Samson Dauda | 15 | 5 | 20 | 2 | $200,000 |
| Derek Lunsford | 9 | 15 | 24 | 3 | $100,000 |
He didn’t blame anyone else. “If I’m honest with you, even last night, it didn’t feel right. I just felt like I was off,” he told Fitness Volt. His muscles weren’t firing the way he wanted and his peak never came together. “No excuses. Just didn’t come together tonight. And I told Nick, ‘Hey, you earned it.’”
The crowd stung, though: “It wasn’t exciting to hear a lot of people excited for me to get third. That kind of sucks.”
Derek Lunsford’s Olympia record
| Year | Division | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 212 | 5th |
| 2018 | 212 | 2nd |
| 2019 | 212 | 2nd |
| 2020 | 212 | 4th |
| 2021 | 212 | 1st |
| 2022 | Open | 2nd |
| 2023 | Open | 1st |
| 2024 | Open | 3rd |
| 2025 | Open | 1st |
| 2026 | Open | 3rd |
What his career tells the rest of us
Lunsford proves you don’t need to be tall to be the biggest man on stage, and that moving up a weight class takes years, not months. He spent five years at 212 before moving up. If you’re trying to add size, start here:
- How to bulk and build muscle, and the bulking calculator to set your calories.
- The high protein foods list, with grams per serve.
- Our leg day workout.
More bodybuilders on MFO
- Sam Sulek: age, height, pro career and how he trains
- He didn’t start bodybuilding until 57. At 60, Phil Earley is winning championships
- The bodybuilding competition that makes every athlete take a lie detector test
Derek Lunsford FAQ
Where did Derek Lunsford place at the 2026 Mr Olympia?
Third, with 24 points, behind Nick Walker (18) and Samson Dauda (20).
How many times has Derek Lunsford won Mr Olympia?
Twice, in 2023 and 2025. He also won the 212 Olympia in 2021.
How tall is Derek Lunsford?
5ft 6in (168cm).
How old is Derek Lunsford?
33. He was born on 14 May 1993.
How much does Derek Lunsford weigh?
Wikipedia lists about 225lb (102kg) on stage and 240lb (109kg) in the off-season.
Where is Derek Lunsford from?
Petersburg, Indiana, in the United States.
Who coaches Derek Lunsford?
Fabrício Pacholok and Chris Aceto since early 2025. He was coached by Hany Rambod from 2021 to 2024.
