Courage Opara Biography

Courage Opara is an American IFBB Pro in the 212 division. 🏆 He has won nine professional shows — six in Classic Physique and three at 212 — and finished fifth at the 2025 Mr. Olympia.

He did it the hard way: eighteen months away from the stage, a switch of divisions, and a self-run prep all the way to the Olympia top five.

Opara competes at 212 pounds and under, and is known online as @courageopara. This biography covers his early life, his amateur career, and every professional contest he has entered.

Courage Opara Quick Facts

Full name	Courage Opara
Age	Not published (date of birth not on record)
Nationality	American (from Pilot Point, Texas)
Division	212 (Men’s 212 Bodybuilding)
Known online as	@courageopara
Coach	None — he prepares himself
Pro debut	Pittsburgh Pro, May 2017 (4th)
Mr. Olympia	5th in 2025 (212); 9th in 2019 (Classic Physique)
Professional record	19 contests, 9 wins

Early Life and Background

Opara is an American bodybuilder from Pilot Point, Texas. He trains at Brickhouse Gym in Denton, Texas, and holds a degree in exercise science.

He is married to Gizelle Webber. They married on 8 November 2023, and she stood beside him when he switched divisions two years later.

His exact date of birth, height and birthplace have not been published in a reliable source, so this biography does not print them.

Turning Professional

Opara’s amateur record on file shows a fifth place in Men’s Physique at the 2015 NPC National Championships, and a second at the 2016 NPC Junior Nationals.

He was already a professional by May 2017. Which amateur show earned him his pro card is not named in any source read.

His professional debut came at the Pittsburgh Pro on 4 May 2017. He finished fourth in Classic Physique, behind Chris Bumstead, Divine Wilson and Lee Banks.

Ten weeks later he finished tied 16th at the Wings of Strength Chicago Pro, in a 28-man Classic field won by Cleveland Thomas.

The Classic Physique Years

Opara’s Classic career began in earnest at the 2018 Arnold Classic. He finished third there, behind Breon Ansley and Arash Rahbar, and took home $1,500.

Three weeks later he won the Upper Midwest Pro, his first professional title. He closed the year with a tenth place at the Mr. Olympia.

He repeated the pattern in 2019: third at the Arnold Classic, another $1,500, then a second Upper Midwest Pro win and a ninth place at the Olympia.

The 2020 season brought one show and one win: the Battle of Texas Pro on 5 December. In 2021 he finished fourth at the Arnold Classic and 15th at the Olympia, on 72 points.

In 2022 he won twice in eight days: the Tampa Pro on 4 August, over 18 competitors, and the Texas Pro on 12 August.

The two wins qualified him for the Olympia — but he did not take the stage that year.

He returned to the Arnold Classic in March 2023 and finished fifth, then won the San Antonio Pro on 23 September — his sixth professional win. He qualified for the Olympia again, and again did not compete.

In 2024 he was due at the Arnold Classic again, but fell ill and withdrew. He did not compete at all that year.

The Switch to 212

After the 2023 season Opara stepped away from the stage. In January 2025 he posted an off-season update at 240 lb, and said it had been 16 months since he last competed.

The break ended with a change of divisions. His wife Gizelle and Keone Pearson talked him into the move — in his words, they had a “come to Jesus moment” with him about switching.

On 8 June 2025 he won the Toronto Pro Supershow in his 212 debut, on a perfect score of seven and wearing tag 148. Cody Drobot finished second and Francisco Barrios Vlk third.

The win qualified him for the Mr. Olympia. After eighteen months away from the stage, he was heading back to bodybuilding’s biggest stage — in a new division.

Fifth at the 2025 Olympia

At the 2025 Mr. Olympia in Las Vegas, on 10 October, Opara finished fifth in the 212 division. He scored 27 points, wore tag 15, and took home $6,000.

Keone Pearson won his third straight 212 title, with Shaun Clarida second, Lucas Garcia third and Nihat Kaya fourth. It was Opara’s fourth Olympia appearance — and his first in the 212 division.

He had prepared himself. After the show he wrote that he was proud of the work he put in, “especially prepping myself this go around” — no coach has been named for him anywhere.

The 2026 Season

Opara opened 2026 with two wins in a fortnight. At the Tampa Pro on 1 August he won the 212 title on a perfect score of six, wearing tag 51, ahead of Felipe Moraes and Dontravious Ballard.

Two weeks later he won again, at the Texas Pro on 15 August. He took the 212 title on a perfect score of three, wearing tag 128, ahead of Marco Ruz and Juan Aleman in a 15-man field.

The two wins had qualified him for the 2026 Mr. Olympia, and he went into the autumn as one of the division’s top contenders. Then, on 22 September, he withdrew.

Reports said he had suffered a bout with rhabdomyolysis during his preparation and could not recover in time. He has not publicly detailed the circumstances himself.

Coaching, Diet and Training

Opara prepares himself. No coach has been named for him in any source read, and his training partners — @joshualukeawb in the 2025 prep, @seandoesntlft and @ray_baker_ in earlier years — are partners, not coaches.

His sponsors are GASP, Better Bodies and The Pride Foods. He holds a degree in exercise science, and trains at Brickhouse Gym in Denton, Texas.

The full detail of his eating and training is in his standalone diet-plan article on this site.

What Makes Him Stand Out

Opara has won nine of his nineteen professional shows — and has done it in two divisions, six wins in Classic Physique and three at 212.

He has stood on the Olympia stage four times, in two divisions, and twice finished third at the Arnold Classic. He did all of it while preparing himself.

He has also qualified for the Olympia three times without taking the stage — in 2022, 2023 and 2026. The 2026 withdrawal came days before the show, after two wins had made him a contender.

Courage Opara Contest History

Opara’s professional record stands at nineteen contests, nine wins, eleven top-three finishes, fifteen top-five finishes and seventeen top-ten finishes.

Year	Contest	Division	Place
2017	Pittsburgh Pro	Classic Physique	4th
2017	Wings of Strength Chicago Pro	Classic Physique	tied 16th
2018	Arnold Classic	Classic Physique	3rd
2018	Upper Midwest Pro	Classic Physique	1st
2018	Mr. Olympia	Classic Physique	10th
2019	Arnold Classic	Classic Physique	3rd
2019	Upper Midwest Pro	Classic Physique	1st
2019	Mr. Olympia	Classic Physique	9th
2020	Battle of Texas Pro	Classic Physique	1st
2021	Arnold Classic	Classic Physique	4th
2021	Mr. Olympia	Classic Physique	15th
2022	Tampa Pro	Classic Physique	1st
2022	Texas Pro	Classic Physique	1st
2023	Arnold Classic	Classic Physique	5th
2023	San Antonio Pro	Classic Physique	1st
2025	Toronto Pro Supershow	212	1st
2025	Mr. Olympia	212	5th
2026	Tampa Pro	212	1st
2026	Texas Pro	212	1st
2015	NPC National Championships (amateur)	Men’s Physique	5th
2016	NPC Junior Nationals (amateur)	Men’s Physique	2nd

Note: every pro result above was verified against the official scorecards and independent show reports. Opara qualified for the Olympia in 2022 and 2023 but did not compete either year, and he withdrew from the 2026 Olympia — none of those three years counts as a contest.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Courage Opara?

Courage Opara is an American IFBB Pro in the 212 division. He has won nine professional shows and finished fifth at the 2025 Mr. Olympia.

How old is Courage Opara?

His date of birth has not been published in a reliable source. He was already a professional by May 2017, when he made his pro debut at the Pittsburgh Pro.

When did Courage Opara turn professional?

He was a professional by May 2017, when he finished fourth at the Pittsburgh Pro on his debut. Which amateur show earned him his pro card is not on record.

Why did Courage Opara miss the 2026 Mr. Olympia?

He withdrew on 22 September 2026, days before the show. Reports said rhabdomyolysis during his preparation had left him unable to recover in time.

Who coaches Courage Opara?

No one. Opara prepares himself — “prepping myself this go around”, in his own words after the 2025 Olympia — and no coach has been named for him anywhere.

How many professional shows has Courage Opara won?

He has won nine of his nineteen professional contests: the Upper Midwest Pro in 2018 and 2019, the Battle of Texas Pro in 2020, the Tampa Pro and Texas Pro in 2022, the San Antonio Pro in 2023, the Toronto Pro in 2025, and the Tampa Pro and Texas Pro in 2026.

Bottom Line

From a fourth place on his professional debut in 2017 to fifth at the Mr. Olympia in 2025, Courage Opara’s career has been long — and patient. 🏆

Nine wins, four Olympia appearances across two divisions, and a self-run prep to the top five: at the next Olympia he qualifies for, he will be one to watch.

Related: Courage Opara Diet Plan and Workout Routine, 2026 Mr. Olympia Results and 2025 Mr. Olympia Results.

This article is based on published contest results, interviews and reporting. Stats and placings are stated as published at the time of writing; where sources conflicted, the official scorecards were followed.