American bodybuilder Jon DeLaRosa began competing in 2007, securing second place in the heavyweight category at both the “Eastern USA Championship” and the “New York Metropolitan Bodybuilding, Fitness & Figure Championships.” He claimed his first victory in 2011 at the USA Championships in the heavyweight category, where he earned his IFBB professional card. DeLaRosa made his pro debut on the 2012 “New York Pro” stage, finishing fifth. He competed extensively between 2012 and 2014, achieving high placements. In 2014, he made his debut at the “Olympia,” placing 14th. From 2015 to 2024, DeLaRosa participated in 24 shows, winning five silver medals and four golds, with his most recent victory at the 2024 “Tampa Pro” tournament.
At the annual competition in Tampa last weekend, 10 athletes claimed gold in various categories and earned invitations to “Mr. Olympia.” Among the champions was Jon DeLaRosa, who won in the open bodybuilding category. Mohamed Foda took second place, while Jordan Hutchinson came in third. Just a day after securing his qualification for the 2024 “Olympia,” DeLaRosa reported receiving threats. Some fans believed that Jon’s victory was undeserved. According to the voting results, DeLaRosa outscored Egypt’s Mohamed Foda by 11 points. Some speculated that Jon won the show only because Foda had already qualified for “Olympia” through a recent win at “Chicago Pro.”
“I’m receiving death threats and all sorts of crazy stuff in my profile. I know some of you are big fans of Mohamed. I’m a fan of Mohamed. He has a great physique. I think some things go too far. I understand the passion of the fans behind what we do, and I appreciate it, but death threats, guys? Come on”.
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There is speculation that “Olympia” organizers are pursuing a policy where more athletes are granted the right to compete in the biggest event of the year. However, DeLaRosa disagrees with this opinion.
“The judges have no political motives to give me the win. Let’s look at this. What do the judges gain by giving me the win? Do they make money? Do they receive any compensation? I’m not driving ticket sales. I’m not Ramy or Chris Bumstead, for whom it would matter”.
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The athlete also added that it wasn’t just him receiving death threats but also his loved ones, who have nothing to do with it.
Current “Mr. Olympia” Derek Lunsford faced a similar issue after last year’s contest when he beat out Iran’s Hadi Choopan. He supported Jon and believes that his physical conditioning earned him the gold in Tampa. “Overall, I saw that the judges were absolutely right. I see from photos, videos, and similar things online that perhaps another perspective could be formed. But being at the show speaks for itself. I was there in the front row, and it was quite clear to me that Jon’s conditioning was what earned him the win at the show,” Derek said. “I’ve also heard some offensive comments from certain fans. I experienced this myself when I won the ‘Olympia’ last year; I still get a ton of negativity, and it’s wrong. Guys, listen, we have our favorite bodybuilders we love to support, we want to see them win. I started by seeing this with my own eyes, and Jon was the clear winner,” he explained. Lunsford called DeLaRosa a legitimate champion, stressing that threats against him or his family are inappropriate: “Could Mohamed have won? Sure. If he had performed a bit better, he could have won the show, but on that day, Jon was the legitimate champion. Aggressive comments, whether directed at athletes, competitors, or family members, spouses, or anyone else, are simply inappropriate for men.”
Fortunately for the fans of DeLaRosa and Foda, both men have qualified for the 2024 “Olympia.”
