Rude Awakening

Richardo "Rude Boy" corriea is one of bodybuilding's brightest new stars after winning two pro shows in a week

- John Plummer

British fans are used to seeing Flex Lewis win the 212 Olympia. The Welshman won the first of his five titles in 2012 and was on a 14-contest winning streak going into the 2017 event in Las Vegas. But since the 212s started, no other Brit had even qualified for the Olympia until this year, when Ricardo “Rude Boy” Correia did so in style by winning two 212 shows in one week.

Correia was barely known in America when he landed in June to join a 24-strong lineup at the Chicago Pro that included well-known names such as Charles Dixon and Tricky Jackson. But he soon put that right by taking straight firsts and repeating the feat a week later at the Vancouver Pro in Canada to become one of this year’s breakthrough stars.

Europeans have long talked about Correia as a guy who could not only qualify for the Olympia but also trouble the top six. At 5'6", he is tall for the 212s and combines beautiful shape with full muscle bellies. Despite his genetic advantages, his journey to the top has not been easy.

Correia moved to Britain from Portugal in 2004 seeking a better life, but he ended up working on a production line at a turkey factory in Norwich. After two years removing bones from turkeys, he decided he couldn’t stomach the job anymore, so he moved across the Fens to live with his brother in Peterborough, where he joined a gym.