One Step Away: The History of Mr. Olympia’s Runners-Up – PART 2
The Mr. Olympia is bodybuilding’s most popular event, with the winner receiving all the praise and focus from all the media, but what about the runners-up?
The Mr. Olympia will be celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2024. A truly incredible accomplishment for an event, that was created by Joe and Ben Weider while having dinner, way back in 1964.
During the 59 events that have taken place since 1965, only 18 men have won this prestigious title. Of the 18 champions, five have unfortunately passed on. Larry Scott, Sergio Oliva, Franco Columbu, Chris Dickerson, and Shawn Rhoden have all passed away.
We all know who the winners are, and the bodybuilding world continues to celebrate and discuss their victories.
All the winners have gone on to have very successful careers after they retired from the sport. The majority of winners have gone on to become movie stars, politicians, successful business owners, and prominent figures within the bodybuilding industry.
What about the runners-up? Bodybuilding historians and dedicated fans know who they are, but the younger generation has absolutely no idea who pushed the 18 Mr. Olympia champions to the limit.
The Runners-Up
The 18 men who won the Mr. Olympia title, are phenomenal athletes, there have been some controversial decisions in the past, and even some believe the 2023 decision could have gone either way.
From 1965 to 2017, the Mr. Olympia was dominated by 12 athletes, with 10 of them defending their title for several years. Between 2018 and 2023, there have been five different winners.
Just as there were multiple winners, there were also athletes placing second consecutively for several years, never managing to win the title.
Every bodybuilder climbed the amateur ranks winning a number of prestigious titles, such as Mr. America, Mr. Universe titles within IFBB and NABBA, plus World and European Championships.
Let’s take a look at the runners-up during the 59-year history of the Mr. Olympia.
Check out Part 1: One Step Away: The History of Mr. Olympia’s Runners-Up – PART 1
Part 2 of the “One Step Away” series covers the Mr. Olympia events from 1985 to 1997.
Albert Beckles
The legendary Albert Beckles, had a bodybuilding career that spanned between 1965 to 1992.
Leading up to the 1995 Mr. Olympia, Albert Beckles was on a hot streak, winning four shows, including the 1985 Night of Champions.
There has been a lot of debate regarding Albert’s age, but according to sources on the internet, Albert would have been 55 at the 1985 Mr. Olympia.
Proving age is just a number, Albert arrived at the 1985 Mr. Olympia in fantastic condition, shocking the rest of the lineup, to finish in second behind the great Lee Haney and ahead of the very young Rich Gaspari.
Albert continued to have a very successful bodybuilding career, competing regularly at the top events. Something that rarely is seen today, regardless of his age, Albert would continue to compete 12 to 13 times per year.
Rich Gaspari
Rich Gaspari, the “Dragon Slayer”, or as Lee Haney would call him, Rich “The Itch” Gaspari, pushed Lee Haney for three consecutive years.
Rich was literally the first bodybuilder to display shredded glutes, and he raised the bar when it came to condition.
From 1983 to 1996, Lee had a very successful bodybuilding career, winning numerous titles throughout the years.
In 1985, it was Gaspari’s Mr. Olympia debut, and he finished in third place, an incredible result for the new pro bodybuilder.
At the 1986 Mr. Olympia, Rich impressed everybody with his improved physique, and he pushed the defending champion, Lee Haney, to the limit, always threatening to take his title away.
Unfortunately for Rich Gaspari, he would never win the Olympia title, but he can proudly say he finished second to Lee Haney, one of the greatest bodybuilders to ever grace the stage, between 1986 and 1988.
Thanks to Lee’s size and balance, he made it very difficult for the rest of the lineup, which included Rich Gaspari.
Rich would continue to have a very successful career, winning nine pro shows, which included the inaugural Arnold Classic in 1989.
After his retirement, Rich Gaspari launched Gaspari Nutrition, a supplement line that is still very popular and successful to this day.
Lee Labrada
The legendary Lee Labrada, is possibly one of the best bodybuilders to ever grace the stage. Unfortunately, the closes Lee has got to the Mr. Olympia title was second place.
Lee Labrada pushed Lee Haney to the limit in 1989 and 1990. Even though Labarada could not match Lee Haney’s incredible size, he could stand next to him confidently, thanks to his near-perfect symmetry, size, and condition.
Then when it came to posing, not many bodybuilders could match Labrada’s grace and perfection.
1988 and 1989 were Labrada’s best years, winning six events. In total, Labrada won seven pro events during his successful bodybuilding career. On his pro debut, Labrada won the Night of Champions in 1986.
As the bodybuilders started to get bigger in the 90’s, the Dorian Yates era started, and it was the right time for Labrada to retire in 1995. The era of aesthetics was replaced with mass monsters.
Labrada did not waste any time, as he started Labrada Nutrition, and turned it into one of the biggest and most successful supplement companies in the industry.
The Labrada legacy will continue in bodybuilding, thanks to his son, Hunter Labrada, who is one of the top bodybuilders in the world.
Dorian Yates
Before Dorian Yates “The Shadow” dominated the sport of bodybuilding by winning the Mr. Olympia for six years, he placed second to Lee Haney in 1991.
Haney went on to win his eighth consecutive Mr. Olympia title, and announced his retirement. Seeing the “The Shadow” entering the sport, Haney probably thought it was the best time to retire, after seeing the potential of the younger challenger.
After Lee Haney retired from the sport, the mass monster era entered the sport, and Dorian Yates led the way. Dorian was not only one of the biggest bodybuilders on the stage, but he had the condition and balance to match his size, something that was rarely seen.
Between 1991 and 1997, Dorian never lost a pro show, winning a total of 15 shows during his career, which includes six Mr. Olympia titles.
After suffering several serious injuries, Dorian had to retire from the sport of bodybuilding in 1997.
Dorian went on to start a supplement brand, train top athletes, and also published a fantastic biography about his life.
Kevin Levrone
Kevin Levrone, the”Maryland Muscle Machine”, has won 20 events during his professional bodybuilding career, which include two Arnold Classic victories.
Winning 20 events is an incredible accomplishment, especially during the late 90’s, which was one of the best eras in the history of the sport.
Levrone placed second four times at the Mr. Olympia during his career. He placed second to Dorian Yates on his Mr. Olymia debut in 1992, and again in 1995.
When Dorian Yates retired from the sport due to injury, Kevin had to go up against the massive Ronnie Coleman. Kevin came close and placed second to Ronnie in 2000, and 2002.
Many still debate that Kevin should have won at least one Mr. Olympia title during his career, but the judges preferred the bigger Dorian Yates and Ronnie Coleman.
Levrone believes that not winning the Mr. Olympia put him on a different path, which in return made him one of the most popular bodybuilders in the world today. Some fans wait up to 3hrs to meet Kevin at events.
Levrone now owns a very popular supplement brand, “Levrone Signature Series“, and tours the world every year, promoting health and fitness.
Kevin also is very talented and went on to release several songs, which can be found on Spotify.
Flex Wheeler
The “Sultan of Symmetry”, Flex Wheeler, is regarded as one of the most balanced and aesthetic bodybuilders in the history of the sport.
Flex came close to winning the Mr. Olympia on three occasions, once against Dorian Yates in 1993, and twice against Ronnie Coleman in 1998, and 1999.
During Dorian Yates’s reign, Flex was still very young, and just like Kevin Levrone, Flex finished in second on his Mr. Olympia debut.
In 1998, the Mr. Olympia title was vacant, due to Dorian retiring from the sport, and all eyes were on Flex Wheeler to become the new Mr. Olympia and dominate the sport.
Unfortunately for Flex Wheeler, the man that he and Levrone helped, Ronnie Coleman, shot to the top and edged past Kevin Levrone to win the Mr. Olympia title. Ronnie arrived in incredible condition and was impossible to beat.
Flex would again would come close in 1999, but it would be Ronnie Coleman again, who walked away with the Sandow trophy. the rest of the bodybuilding world would witness Coleman dominate the sport for eight consecutive years, matching the record of Lee Haney.
Flex would go on to win 17 pro shows, including an incredible four Arnold Classic’s.
Unfortunately for Flex, after he retired from the sport of bodybuilding, he had several health complications, which led to having a part of his leg amputated.
Flex continues to tour the world, promoting the sport of bodybuilding, and he has become a popular bodybuilding pundit on Olympia LLc’s official social media channels.
Shawn Ray
Shawn Ray needs no introduction, he is another bodybuilding legend, who holds an impressive Mr. Olympia record, that will most probably never be beaten.
From 1988 to 2001, Shawn qualified for the Mr. Olympia 13 consecutive times, placing in the top five between 1989 and 2001.
For the majority of his career, Shawn focused on the Mr. Olympia, not participating in any European tours, or events in the USA.
In 1990, Shawn won the Arnold Classic, but unfortunately, he was disqualified and came back to win it in 1991.
Shawn started his Mr. Olympia adventure a few years before his friends, Kevin Levrone and Flex Wheeler.
Coming close to winning the Mr. Olympia in 1994 and 1996, Shawn pushed the reigning champion, Dorian Yates, on both occasions.
In 1994, Dorian was still a force to be reckoned with, but in 1996, Dorian’s injuries started to show on his physique. while Shawn had the more balanced physique in 1996, the judges still favored the battle-scared Dorian Yates to lift the Sandow trophy.
After placing fourth at the Mr. Olympia in 2001, Shawn decided to end his bodybuilding career. Looking ahead, Shawn noticed more mass monsters were steeping on stage every year. Just like Lee Labrada, Shawn believed the judges were focusing on size rather than aesthetics.
Shawn continues to contribute to the sport of bodybuilding, working as a bodybuilding journalist, and promoting his show, the Shawn Ray Hawaiian Classic.
Nasser El Sonbaty
The late Nasser El Sonbaty had a bodybuilding career that started in the early 90s and ended in 2005.
Nasser finished in second against Dorian Yates in 1997. Bodybuilding pundits believe that the Mr. Olympia title should have gone to Nasser, rather than Dorian.
It was evident that Dorian was suffering from several injuries, and Nasser was the more complete and balanced bodybuilder.
The judges still preferred to give the nod to Dorian, awarding him his sixth consecutive Mr. Olympia title.
Nasser placed in the top five at the majority of events during his career. With six victories to his name, including the Arnold Classic and Night of Champions, Nasser had a very successful bodybuilding career.
Nasser retired from the sport of bodybuilding in 2005. Unfortunately, Nasser moved on to other projects and stepped away from the bodybuilding world.
Nasser passed away in 2013, due to heart complications.
Stay tuned for Part 3 of the “One Step Away” series.
If you are interested in bodybuilding history, subscribe to John Hansen’s YouTube channel. John has some great interviews with the legends of the sport, from the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s.
