“Thought I Was About to Pass Away”: Ronnie Coleman Recalls Near-Death Feeling During 2001 Mr. Olympia

Amongst several bodybuilders, only a few could attain the GOAT status due to their successful careers and titles. Ronnie Coleman was the shining star during his time, with eight Mr. Olympia titles and a physique that set the blueprint for the upcoming generation. But even his life had its own ups and downs, including some unpleasant experiences.

People knew him for constantly pushing himself and his boundaries to the very edge, and when they felt he couldn’t do more, he’d trudge forth a little further. Every subsequent Mr. Olympia since his first win witnessed him up his physique level every year.

However, 2001 saw the great King of Bodybuilding falter in his steps a bit as he almost felt like he’d experienced a near-death feeling. In his recent YouTube video, he talked about one of his toughest Mr. Olympia experiences, which turned out to be just before winning his fourth title.

The AMA video featured some of the most common questions fans asked him about his life and career. Out of these, one of them asked Coleman about his toughest Mr. Olympia throughout his successful years.

“The most hardest one was probably 2001, when I was thinking about…not entering because the morning of that show, I actually thought I was about to pass away.”

This was a well-known anecdote that Coleman has often narrated about his 2001 Mr. Olympia fiasco. Bodybuilders generally have to be dehydrated to exhibit their muscle definition to its finest. However, Coleman began feeling uneasy on the day of the competition and almost quit to go to the hospital because he felt like he was about to die.

“At the last minute, I was talked out of it by my nutritionist. So for sure, by a long shot, that had to be the most hardest Mr. Olympia ever.”

Coleman went on to win that night by a landslide despite facing one of the scariest days of his life. While he learned that night to not take his health for granted, life eventually led him to a series of health problems that stemmed from his college football days.

Ronnie Coleman Earned the GOAT Status Because of his Determination

It was easy for a champion like Coleman to give up when a pile of physical issues plagued him and kept him away from his passion. But he wasn’t one to lose hope and went through thirteen surgeries before finally hitting the gym like he used to.

Today, Coleman travels the world to promote fitness brands, works out in various gyms, and inspires the younger generation to be resilient. He’s currently on his way to standing up on his own two feet after some successful stem cell and physiotherapy sessions in Dubai. At 60, he pushes people to beat all odds and dedicate themselves to their goals.