The eight-time Mr. Olympia virtually bailed on bodybuilding.
Final up to date on November seventh, 2024
Ronnie Coleman’s legendary bodybuilding profession virtually ended earlier than it started — in earnest, a minimum of. Most bodybuilding followers (rightfully) acknowledge Coleman because the eight-time Mr. Olympia and debatable trendy G.O.A.T. His early days, then again, had been something however wonderful:
- “Bodybuilding is dragging me down,” Coleman recollects telling his then-partner whereas reflecting on his early days in physique sports activities. “I don’t want this sh*t.”
As Coleman tells it, he was teetering on the sting of giving up bodybuilding altogether earlier than his luck turned in 1998. Right here’s the way it occurred.
Ronnie Coleman’s Pity Celebration
Coleman’s reign atop aggressive bodybuilding started along with his win on the 1998 Mr. Olympia. It got here as a shock to everybody, together with and particularly Coleman himself, who didn’t anticipate to do any higher than third.
- “Fourth place was referred to as, and it wasn’t me,” Coleman advised former colleague (and four-time Mr. “O”) Jay Cutler throughout an Oct. 28, 2024 episode of the Cutlercast podcast. “I used to be like, ‘Thanks Jesus, I’ve achieved my life purpose.’”
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Coleman had spent the earlier aggressive season getting trounced by a smaller, meaner, and extra polished Lee Priest. “Lee was in entrance of me once more, and I actually had a pity get together with myself,” Coleman mentioned.
He was referring to the 1997 IFBB Ironman Professional Invitational. Ken Wheeler received that present; Priest received second, bumping Coleman again to bronze regardless of being of smaller stature, which pissed off Coleman to the purpose of despair.
- “I didn’t know what to assume. I used to be form of in shock,” Coleman continued. “How can a man this quick and nowhere close to as massive as I’m beat me?”
He’d end a modest ninth on the ‘97 Mr. Olympia. Priest received sixth. Coleman, momentarily, thought of giving up bodybuilding to concentrate on his profession in regulation enforcement — he was enthusiastic about physique sports activities, however confessed he had primarily stayed within the sport to maintain his free gymnasium membership.
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The wind modified in ‘98 when Coleman received his first Mr. Olympia. In a transfer that many up to date bodybuilders would balk at, Coleman additionally competed in 5 professional exhibits that 12 months. He received all of them, save for a second-place end to Kevin Levrone on the San Francisco Professional.
“Vickie [Gates, bodybuilder and Coleman’s then-partner] advised me, ‘Boy, shut up,’” Coleman recalled to Cutler. To today he stays glad that Gates pushed him to remain within the bodybuilding sport — heck, so are we.
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Featured Picture: @ronniecoleman8 / Instagram