12
LUKAS OSLADIL
13
MAXX CHARLES
14
JOHNNIE JACKSON
15 |
16 |
GERALD
WILLIAMS
|
MICHAEL
LOCKETT
|
THE CHAMP
So for the seventh time in seven years , Phil Heath had the winning formula of size , shape , and conditioning . He has gone where only three other men in the 53-year history of the Mr . Olympia have gone : Arnold Schwarzenegger , Lee Haney ,
and Ronnie Coleman . But he has faced much harsher criticism than they did . “ I ’ m the first Mr . Olympia to be in the social media age ,” he says . “ That ’ s a whole other line of pressure that people don ’ t understand , and that no other Mr . Olympia , other than maybe Jay [ Cutler ], got a taste
of . But this is at its peak . So anyone coming after my dynasty , they ’ re going to have to withstand enormous amounts of pressure when it comes to social media .”
Over the next year , Phil Heath will have to withstand more than ever as he attempts to reach bodybuilding ’ s ultimate mark of excellence : eight . There are legions of haters who don ’ t want him to succeed . They say Coleman or a half-dozen other legends at their peak would ’ ve put him in his ( not first ) place . But contests aren ’ t virtual . They ’ re real and against flawed human beings in the here and now . Phil Heath won his seventh Sandow , fair and square . And Las Vegas oddsmakers would favour him to win No . 8 next year . You can yearn for a different outcome . You can tweet your criticisms , post photos of him at his worst next to ( insert name of your favourite ) at his best , and wish it was still and forever 1998 . But someone standing beside Phil Heath on the Orleans Arena stage at the 54th Olympia will need to best him with a superior combination of size , shape , and conditioning . If not , he ’ s going to kill their dreams once again , and yours , too .
JANUARY 2018 | FLEX 51