Vlad Yudin asks IFBB Pro Head Judge Steve Weinberger whether or not Phil Heath’s physique improved between Olympia 2018 and 2020.
One of the most exciting elements of the Mr. Olympia 2020 competition was the return of Phil Heath. A 7x Olympia champion who was dethroned by Shaun Rhoden in 2018, his return potentially signaled a comeback as champion. This ultimately didn’t happen. In fact, Phil Heath placed third at the Olympia 2020.
Phil Heath’s abdomen was cause for concern in 2018 and even hinted at in previous years. Simply put, he couldn’t keep his gut pulled in. It was noticeable and many believe the key factor in his 2018 loss. So regardless of his third placing in 2020, was his physique still improved? Did he fade further? Or stay the same. Fans and athletes have all chimed in with their opinions. We turned to IFBB Pro Head Judge Steve Weinberger for a more direct answer. In our latest GI Exclusive, Steve Weinberger details whether or not Phil Heath’s physique, and his gut, improved since his last pro appearance.
Phil Heath’s return to the Olympia stage did not bring back a comeback that some fans were hoping for. If Heath had won, he would become the third man to tie the world record of most Mr. Olympia wins. This hope was ultimately dashed with his third place finish. But was this due to his physique fading from previous years? Or did his fellow competitors simply improve more than him?
We asked this very question to Steve Weinberger. As the IFBB Pro Head Judge, he was front and center during the Olympia 2020. He also had the final review and confirmation of the judges scores.
Steve Weinberger is often blunt and honest with his comments. This was no different as he plainly stated that Phil Heath did not improve from his 2018 showing. In fact, he seemed to not only have the same issue with his stomach but also smaller legs than usual.
“Honestly, no… No he [Phil Heath] did not,” Steve Weinberger directly answered in our interview. He continued:
“If you saw as the contest went on, his mid section was pretty much protruding. And it looked like he lost a little bit of size especially in the legs. I mean he still looked great. Don’t get me wrong. 7x Mr. Olympia. He’s one of the greats in our sport but he wasn’t at his best.”
Weinberger then later turns to the Olympia 2020 scoresheet. He had it with him as we interviewed him about the results. Based off of the pre-judging, Phil Heath was initially placed in second. But the finals dropped him down one placing.
This showcases just how close overall the competition was. While it might initially seem shocking to see a former reigning Olympia champion fall to third place, he was neck and neck with Brandon Curry for a second place win.
If Big Ramy had not shown up in the best conditioning of his life, but instead showed as he did in previous years, there is a world where Phil Heath got second or third. But what if doesn’t quite matter. The point we are simply trying to make is that this was a close race.
Steve Weinberger admits as much during our conversation. Regardless of whether Phil Heath improved or not – he is still a top 5 athlete in the world. He is still a 7x Olympia champion. Perhaps this is the point where his reign has ended and a new generation will move ahead into great achievements.
You can watch Steve Weinberger’s comments on Phil Heath and the entire Men’s Open Olympia 2020 judging in our GI Exclusive interview segment above.
