In mid-July 2022, promising bodybuilder Michal Križánek switched from the International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB) Elite Pro League to the National Physique Committee (NPC). Križánek’s motivation behind the switch was to obtain his IFBB Pro Card and gain eventual qualification for the 2022 Mr. Olympia. Judging by his latest physique update, his training progress for those ambitious goals seems to be going well.
On August 16, 2022, Križánek shared a post on his Instagram where his upper body and lower body mass have a balanced shredded look. According to the bodybuilder, he weighs 133 kilograms (293.2 pounds) in the photo.
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Based on the NPC’s standards, to get his Pro Card, Križánek will have to qualify for and win at least one of the upcoming North American Championships or the National Championships. A top-five result in a National Qualifier would garner him a roster spot in the North American Championships. A top-three finish would place him in The National Championships.
The 2022 NPC North American Championships will take place on August 31 in Pittsburgh, PA. The 2022 NPC National Championships will take place on December 2-3 in Orlando, FL, as a potential last step before the Olympia.
In the event that Križánek earns his Pro Card in time, he will have to either win an IFBB Pro League contest or finish in the top three in points in the Men’s Open division by the time the qualification period ends on November 20, 2022. Notably, the NPC is the only amateur organization that the IFBB Pro League recognizes.
At the time of this article’s publication, Križánek has not confirmed his next steps and when he’ll compete in a necessary regional contest.
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Big Strides Ahead
Should Križánek successfully find himself in December’s Mr. Olympia, he’ll be another noteworthy competitor in what is shaping up to be a stacked Men’s Open field.
There’s two-time defending Mr. Olympia (2020-2021) Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay, who recently weighed in at 336 pounds, along with former winner (2019) Brandon Curry. Usual podium fixture Hadi Choopan could also be someone to watch. Finally, there’s 2021 fourth-place finisher Hunter Labrada and Nick “The Mutant” Walker, who took home fifth place at last year’s contest and believes he can potentially dethrone Big Ramy.
From the qualification process to potential competitors, the obstacles ahead are set for Križánek. Now it’s just about him making the Olympia opportunity official.
The 2022 Mr. Olympia will take place on December 16-18 in Las Vegas, NV.
Featured image: @ifbbmichalkrizokrizanek on Instagram
