With the 2022 Mr. Olympia right around the corner, the world’s bodybuilding elite will start to pull out all the training and nutritional stops in the final steps of their preparations. A flagship competition like this necessitates an athlete putting their best foot forward to try and notch the best possible result. Long-time Men’s Open and Olympia veteran William “The Conqueror” Bonac is no different.
On Nov. 1, 2022, Bonac shared an update on where he stands with his current physique roughly six weeks before the Olympia on Dec. 16-18, 2022, in Las Vegas, NV. While the competitor didn’t share what his precise body weight was at the time of the clip, every part of his frame — from hulking legs to a bulging chest and arms — has the polish you’d expect of one of the biggest names in the sport.
Bonac has been around the major bodybuilding for a little while, capturing notable victories in the past, such as two victories in the annual Arnold Classic (2018, 2020). As far as recent results, Bonac won the 2022 Boston Pro and came in second in the same year’s iteration of the Arnold Classic. That said, despite a competitive resume that resembles more a laundry list than a simple fact sheet, Bonac has yet to break through on the biggest platform — the Olympia stage.
After a 15th-place debut in 2014, Bonac steadily improved his performance at the Olympia almost every year, eventually plateauing with a second-place finish at the 2019 edition. (Note: Brandon Curry, a fellow 2022 Olympia competitor who bested Bonac for the 2022 Arnold Classic title, took home that title.)
In fact, the 2021 Olympia was the first time Bonac finished outside of the top five (in sixth) since his eighth place finish in 2015. He might not have stated it outright, but it would be fair to assume Bonac wants to improve upon that result in addition to finally shining with a moment of glory.
The gentlemen Bonac is chasing — some of whom paced ahead of the athlete in the top five in 2021 — assuredly won’t make his mission any easier. Between two-time reigning Mr. Olympia Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay, Curry, the meteoric rise of Nick Walker, and even the transition of Derek Lunsford to the Men’s Open division: this field is a real “who’s who” of superstars.
He’ll face a gauntlet like anyone else, but they don’t call Bonac “The Conqueror” for nothing.
Featured image: @william_bonac on Instagram
