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