Valliere seems very poised to snag a spot at the 2023 Olympics.
On May 30, 2023, veteran bodybuilder Iain Valliere shared a series of photos on his Instagram page in which the athlete’s legs look torn. Just days later, on June 1, 2023, the bodybuilder released a similar teaser detailing his apparent progress in the gym in just a few months. While the connection isn’t entirely clear, they appear to be a taste of Valliere’s recent training progress as he prepares to compete at the Toronto Pro 2023 on June 4, 2023.
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The 2023 Toronto Pro will be Valliere’s first competitive appearance on stage in calendar year 2023. More importantly, the Canadian native will look to use the competition to qualify for the 2023 Mr. Olympia in Orlando, Florida in early November.
After the International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB) made changes to the Olympic qualification system, Valliere – who finished 11th in the men’s Open division at the 2022 re-run of the flagship competition – has no choice but to have one to win a major competition in 2023 to take part in the Olympics again. Only previous Olympic division winners and top 5 finishers from the previous edition are automatically qualified. Competitors like Valliere need an overall win in one of the sanctioned IFBB competitions ahead of this year’s event.
This relatively new obstacle shouldn’t necessarily pose a problem for Valliere. The athlete won his only other competition outside of the 2022 Olympics, the Vancouver Pro 2022. According to his page on NPC News Online, the athlete has a number of other notable IFBB wins to his credit during his career. These include wins at the 2020 New York Pro, 2021 Tampa Pro and 2021 Texas Pro.
At this point in Valliere’s professional career, one of his main goals is likely to be greater success on the Mr. Olympia stage. Valliere made his Olympic debut in 2018 where he placed 14th. His best results at this competition remain his two consecutive seventh places in 2020 and 2021.
Valliere previously made headlines for coaching Chris Bumstead, the reigning four-time Classic Physique Olympian (2019-2022). The two parted ways when Bumstead began working with coach Hany Rambod in the fall of 2022. As for opinions on the bodybuilding field as a whole, Valliere stated in February 2023 that he believed Olympia should get leaner and advocated the abolition of the 212 division.
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Though experienced, on paper Valliere might not be one of the biggest stars in the modern bodybuilding pantheon. Taking his torn legs to a potential victory at the 2023 Toronto Pro, followed by the usual preparation for an improvement at the 2023 Olympics could go a long way in putting the athlete back on the map.
Featured image: @iainvalliere on Instagram
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