Home > Contest Results

Mr. Olympia 1998

as reported by Lori Victoria Braun

The sold out 1998 Mr. Olympia competition was held in New York's Madison Square Garden. Hosted by the very funny Sinbad who made constant jokes about bodybuilders and working out. There were guest appearances by the charismatic and charming Lee Haney, Sergio Oliva, Chris Dickerson, Vince Taylor, Samir Bannout and Dorian Yates. I have never seen so many perfect physiques all lined up in a row, each one more outstanding than the next. They just kept getting bigger and bigger...

With bad boy Dorian Yates now retired from professional bodybuilding, the door was left wide open for a new champion to take his place at the top. The crowd was already psyched by the time the pose down got under way between the competitors. The finalists were Nassar El Sonbaty (1996 and 1997 Mr. Olympia runner up), Flex Wheeler (winner of the 1998 Arnold Classic), Kevin Levrone (19 pro career victories) and Ronnie Coleman, the cop from Arlington, Texas.

When Levrone walked onto the stage, I nearly fainted. I was thinking, 'How does it get better than this?' But Flex Wheeler followed him out and looked just as good. Next came Nassar El Sonbaty, who has to be the biggest bodybuilder that I have ever seen in my life! Everyone expected him to win. Unfortunately, Sonbaty only walked away with third place, while Levrone captured fourth and Wheeler, looking quite disappointed had to content himself with second.

The audience genuinely freaked however, when it was Ronnie Coleman's turn to take the stage. He had the biggest back in the show, even bigger than Sonbaty. He was totally ripped and symmetrical, striated and simply beautiful to look at.

Competing in his tenth Mr. Olympia contest, Shawn Ray took fifth place. Chris Cormier was also amazing, but ended by taking sixth place. Lee Priest took seventh and Ernie Taylor placed at eighth. Ninth place went to Mike Matarazzo and tenth went to Jean-Pierre Fux.

The title of Mr. Olympia went to Ronnie Coleman, aged 34, in a victory over the more seasoned physiques. Coleman fell to his knees with gratitude and exhaustion upon the announcement of his name as Mr. Olympia 1998. As a joke, someone on stage suggested to Coleman that he go have a sandwich. His girlfriend and mother came running out to hug him.

"If you want to see where I got my genetics from," Coleman joked, pointing to his mother standing beside him who then flexed her bicep for the crowd. Mrs. Coleman herself must have had at least 14in. biceps!

Coleman then flexed a double bicep shot for the surrounding throng of pleased photographers. He was massive, elegant and powerfully built. Congratulations to Ronnie Coleman and his family; you honestly deserved the title.

Lori Victoria Braun
http://www.femalemuscle.com