Kevin Levrone looks back at his comeback, regrets nothing, but was disappointed in the way he looked.
Bodybuilding legend Kevin Levrone is considered by many to be one of the greatest bodybuilders to grace the Mr. Olympia that will go down in history for his impressive physique. Even with that kind of reputation, Levrone wasn’t pleased with how he went out in 2003 and decided to make a comeback in 2016. He competed twice, at the Mr. Olympia and later at the Arnold Classic Australia. It was a momentous occasion that led to a standing ovation at the end of his posing routine. In our latest GI Exclusive, Kevin Levrone looks back at his comeback and reveals his true thoughts on the entire experience.
When Kevin Levrone announced he would be making a comeback to compete at the Mr. Olympia, the community went into a firestorm. Some believed that it was a foolish endeavor and that there was no way he could place well. Others hoped this would be a shocking comeback that brought Levrone back to his former glory.
Ultimately, Kevin Levrone’s comeback didn’t place him high among the top competitors. Despite this, he received a standing ovation. Proof that he had accomplished something big regardless of his placing. Levrone still thought he could do better. So he competed later at the Arnold Classic Australia. His physique was much improved – but his placing still lacked compared to the younger top talent going against him. You can watch a behind the scenes account of his comeback in our documentary film Born To Overcome.
Kevin Levrone: After the Comeback
Many years have passed since Kevin Levrone’s comeback. During our latest video conversation catching up with the legend, we wanted to know how he looks back at his comeback now with time behind him. Does he have any regrets? Does he look at the whole experience differently now in hindsight?
Kevin Levrone still has a very big place in his heart for his two comeback competitions. He regrets nothing and even admits that his comeback Olympia was the most memorable Mr. Olympia competition of his career. The support and passion shared with his fans and others in the industry made the entire experience more than worth it. Unlike his quiet retirement in 2003, his comeback allowed for him to actually say goodbye with one last hoorah.
Of course, being a competitor, he was also critical of what he could have improved. He claims that his only disappointment was in the way his physique looked. As many already know, Levrone had very little time to prepare for the Olympia considering he had been retired for years. On top of that, he had some medical issues that slowed down his progress, issues that he wasn’t aware of until he started stressing his body again during prep.
All of these factors added into a final physique that wasn’t up to par with what he wanted to achieve. It’s part of the reason he did a second show at the Arnold Classic Australia. He was much improved – but it seems that Levrone was still disappointed in the final look of his physique.
A behind the scenes look at Kevin Levrone’s comeback in Born To Overcome (above).
Despite his disappointment, it wasn’t enough to take away the importance and joy of his comeback. Kevin Levrone goes on to state in our interview:
“I have to say that out of all the Mr. Olympias I’ve done, that one was the most memorable one in my entire life. And it meant the most to me because I did it for my fans. And they pushed me along to do it. So I felt like even though I was disappointed – I feel like I was disappointed because I let my fans down with the way I looked. But I had all the support in the world up there on stage.”
As we stated at the top of this article, during Kevin Levrone’s comeback many fans questioned why he was making the decision to come back. They felt it was obvious that he could not achieve a high placing. Perhaps that was true – but Levrone’s words during our interview show there is more to a comeback than winning a competition. It’s about the moment, the passion, and sharing it with the community.
Does Kevin Levrone think his comeback was perfect? No. But he certainly doesn’t regret it one bit. That’s the mark of a man who is comfortable with the legend he’s left for himself in the sport.
You can watch Kevin Levrone’s full statements in our latest GI Exclusive interview above. Let us know what you think in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
