Rhode To The Top

Mr. Olympia runner-up Shawn Rhoden minces no words when talking about his latest clash with champ Phil Heath. Here, he looks back on his near miss while revealing his plans for bringing up his chest in 2017.

- Michael Berg, N.S.C.A.-C.P.T

“IS PHIL BEATABLE?”

Shawn Rhoden pauses, then chuckles as he gathers his thoughts on the loaded question just posed to him.

After a long moment of reflection, he smiles—the grin of a man who has so often stared down adversity, setbacks, and near misses with resilience and aplomb. “Ahhh…you can quote me on this. I don’t think Phil won the last three Olympias. As far as Phil being beatable, the answer is 100 percent yes. I’ve seen his best, and that’s behind him. I will get what’s mine sooner than later.”

That from the man who, over the past five Olympia contests, has given the six-time champion the most sustained challenge. Third in 2012, fourth in 2013, third twice more in 2015 and 2016, and runner-up this past September at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas. On the most recent scorecards, Heath earned straight firsts across the prejudging and final rounds, but Rhoden didn’t quite see it playing out that way.

“Having been in a position to be so close at the last three Olympias, I’m at the point where I just don’t give a shit anymore about being politically correct,” the 41-year-old Jamaica native asserts. “Back in 2011 and 2012, I could say, ‘Wow,’ when Phil walked out. But the past few Olympics, there's nothing that impressive—there’s nothing that said this guy’s going to be hard to beat. I feel at this last Olympia that I beat him.”

Still, Rhoden’s not dwelling on the past. The Sandow still resides in Arvada, CO, with no recourse to nudge it from Heath’s firm grasp for now. The only way forward is to come in stronger, bigger, better, and even more complete in 2017. And that’s exactly what Flexatron plans on doing.