Phil Heath

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This is the latest accepted revision, reviewed on 17 November 2024.

Phillip Jerrod Heath (born December 18, 1979) is an American IFBB Pro League professional bodybuilder. Known as 'The Gift',[3] he is a seven-time Mr. Olympia winner, having won the competition every year from 2011 to 2017. Heath is tied with Arnold Schwarzenegger for the joint-second number of all-time Mr. Olympia wins, behind Ronnie Coleman and Lee Haney, who are joint-first with eight wins each. He was known for his rivalry with Kai Greene.[4]

Phil Heath
Bodybuilder
Heath in 2015
Personal info
Born (1979-12-18) December 18, 1979 (age 44)
Seattle, Washington, U.S.
Height5 ft 9 in (175 cm)[1]
WeightContest: 240 lb (109 kg)
Off season: 270 lb (120 kg)[2]
Professional career
Pro-debut
  • Colorado Pro Championships
  • 2006
Best win
  • Mr. Olympia
  • 2011–2017
PredecessorJay Cutler
SuccessorShawn Rhoden
ActiveYes

In October 2024, Heath was inducted into the International Sports Hall of Fame.[5]

Early life

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Phillip Jerrod Heath was born in Seattle, Washington,[6] on December 18, 1979.[7] He attended Rainier Beach High School in Seattle, where he was the shooting guard on the varsity basketball team, which won the state title in 1998.[8][6] He attended the University of Denver on an athletic scholarship, majoring in business administration while playing shooting guard for the university's Division I basketball team.[6][9]

Bodybuilding career

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Heath entered bodybuilding in 2002. In 2005, he won the overall title at the NPC (National Physique Committee) USA Championships, earning the right to compete as an IFBB Pro. He won his first two IFBB professional events the following year: The Colorado Pro Championships and The New York Pro Championship. In 2007, Heath placed fifth at the Arnold Classic.[10] Although he still qualified to compete in the 2007 Mr. Olympia contest, Heath, nevertheless, decided not to enter the contest, stating that he needed additional time to improve his form.

Heath won the 2008 Iron Man show and placed second to Dexter Jackson at the 2008 Arnold Classic. In his 2008 Mr. Olympia debut, Heath finished third to become the first novice to place in the top three since Flex Wheeler in 1993. He claimed the fifth position at the 2009 Mr. Olympia title and second place at the 2010 event. He gained the crown in 2011. Heath defended the title of Mr Olympia consecutively six times since then until 2018 when he placed second to Shawn Rhoden.

Professional wrestling

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During the countdown to TNA's Bound for Glory pre-show on October 20, 2013, Heath accompanied The BroMans (Jessie Godderz and Robbie E) to the ring for their tag team gauntlet match, which they won; later in the night, he accompanied them to their TNA World Tag Team Championship match against Gunner and James Storm.[11] After the match, he celebrated their title victory with them in the ring and backstage during an interview.

Competitive history

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Competition 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 SR
Mr. Olympia 3rd 5th 2nd 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 2nd A 3rd 7 / 12

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Phil Heath – Complete Profile: Height, Weight, Biography". August 18, 2019.
  2. ^ "Phil Heath – Complete Profile: Height, Weight, Biography – Fitness Volt". fitnessvolt.com. August 18, 2019.
  3. ^ "7x Mr. Olympia Phil Heath | 'The Gift' Has a Legacy Under His Belt".
  4. ^ "Phil Heath Vs. Kai Greene and 9 Other Fiery Bodybuilding Rivalries That Shaped the Sport | BarBend". September 12, 2021.
  5. ^ Lockridge, Roger "Rock" (October 7, 2024). "The 2024 Olympia's International Sports Hall of Fame Inductees". Muscle & Fitness. Retrieved October 15, 2024.
  6. ^ a b c "Phillip Heath". denverpioneers.com. Retrieved April 3, 2018.
  7. ^ "phillipheath.com - About Phillip Heath". Archived from the original on November 21, 2011.
  8. ^ Merritt, Greg (September 15, 2023). "Phil Heath & Basketball". The Barbell. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  9. ^ Branch, John (October 28, 2016). "No One Is Looking at This Headline". The New York Times. Retrieved April 3, 2018. got a Division I basketball scholarship at the University of Denver. He majored in business and averaged 1.3 points over four seasons.
  10. ^ "Results". bodybuilding.com. [dead link]
  11. ^ Tilton, Robert (October 21, 2013). "TNA Bound for Glory 2013 Results". Archived from the original on October 21, 2013.
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Mr. Olympia
Preceded by:
Jay Cutler
Succeeded by:
Shawn Rhoden