1ST SET
ASK THE CHAMP
BY FLEX LEWIS, SIX-TIME
212 OLYMPIA WINNER
THE OTHER
GUYS
A LOOK AT THE PROS
ROUNDING OUT THE 2017
212 OLYMPIA’S TOP FIVE.
What is
your take
on the other
pros in the 2017 212
Olympia top five?
Ahmad Ashkanani
(2nd) is a great guy.
He’s a very likable pro
with a phenomenal lat
spread. He has so much
thickness in his upper
body. It creates a bit of
an imbalance because
he needs to bring up
his legs, but, like me,
he’s pushing against the
212 weight limit. Does
he downsize to bring
his legs up? It’s a tough
place to be.
David Henry (4th)
has a great physique.
He’s always a
formidable opponent.
He’s the hardest guy
in the show. He’s always
improving. He defines
and defies the age
brackets. Here’s a guy
who stood against
some of the best pros
in the past, and he is
still one of the most
unpredictable pros.
He’s a massive threat
on the stage.
Derek Lunsford
(5th) is a young guy
who shot to the top
fast. I think he’s got a
future in 212 as long
as he stays humble and
doesn’t come across
as cocky. It’s a heady
thing when you move
up th at fast. I don’t
think he can just jump
over the guys ahead
of him yet, but he will
be a threat to the top
of the 212 in the future.
For now, he has his
foot in the door for the
future. It will be
interesting to see
what he does with
that opportunity.
From left: Derek Lunsford,
Jose Raymond, Flex Lewis,
Ahmad Ashkanani, and
David Henry.
Jose Raymond (3rd)
is a competitor who,
despite his age, is as
hungry as ever to
compete and win.
He went back to the
drawing board and
returned with a new
look and new energy,
and he came back
to win. He has had a lot
of injuries over the
years, and he just
pushes past them.
He pushed Ashkanani.
Some say it was
very close. When
Raymond is on, he
is one of the fiercest
guys on the stage.
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FLEX | MARCH ’18