SWEAT
2018 MR. OLYMPIA RECAP
SHAWN “FLEXATRON”
RHODEN IS THE NEW 2018
MR.OLYMPIA
By MYLES SHANE
YING IN HIS HOSPITAL BED WITH A SEVERE
FLU AND TWO BLEEDING ULCERS, SHAWN
"FLEXATRON" RHODEN NEVER THOUGHT
HE'D RECOVER IN TIME TO WIN OR EVEN
COMPETE IN THE 2018 MR. OLYMPIA
COMPETITION. He’d already skipped the
Arnold Classic because of health issues.
"I caught a horrible flu that was going
around. My hemoglobin dropped to four
when it should have been 14. I lost a lot
of blood and was given six blood transfu-
sions." Rhoden was lucky. Things could
have been much worse but the competi-
tor in him fought back.
Rhoden immigrated to America from
38 MUSCLE MEMORY
| DECEMBER/JANUARY 2019
Jamaica at age 15, and brought a strong
work ethic with him. He climbed his
way to the top of the bodybuilding
circuit, despite the obstacles he faced.
As a young adult he battled alcoholism
after the tragic death of his father. He
even quit bodybuilding for a time. "One
of the last things I remember my father
asking me, was when was I going to get
back on stage. That question rung in my
head for a very long time until one day I
decided to stop drinking and get back to
the gym." His motivation and deter-
mination are what separates him from
the pack and pushes him to be his best.
After weeks in the hospital he got back
to the gym. This time he was prepped for
success. Equipped with a new plan from
his legendary coach Chris Aceto, and his
training crew Psycho Fitness, his sights
were set on winning the crown. His
incredibly successful feat of winning the
2018 Mr. Olympia title at age 43, has him
tied with Chris Dickerson as the oldest
person ever to win the coveted Mr. O.
Rhoden doesn’t mince words when he
brags about finally beating seven time
Mr. Olympia, Phil Heath. “You can
quote me on this. I don’t believe Heath
won the last three Olympia’s. I’ve seen
Heath’s best and that’s behind him. In
2012 and 2013 I could say, 'Wow' when
Heath walked out, but the past few years