The king of Olympia competition expresses admiration for another bodybuilder.
8x Mr. Olympia Lee Haney discussed his bodybuilding career in an interview but what was probably the most surprising, was who he believed to have been the most genetically gifted bodybuilder ever…
“One of the people that I kept my eye on that I felt was the most gifted bodybuilder that mother nature said ‘here it is’… was Matt Mendenhall” Haney said. “I have never till today seen a physique as complete, as genetically gifted as Matt Mendenhall”.
“Matt was a walking He-Man, he was absolutely beautiful”.
Haney expresses how he was in awe of Mendenhall’s physique.
“If this guy ever got it together, he would be a challenge like no other but he lacked that fire and desire”.
Matt Mendenhall suffered many unfortunate occurrences in his competition days from illnesses to a car crash which all prevented him from reaching his full potential. He did however open a personal training business and sell supplements in his later years.
Lee Haney and his wife run a youth charity for at risk youth and he continues to contribute to the fitness community by being an inspiration to others.
Matt Mendenhall contest history:
- 1978 Mr Ohio High School, 1st
- 1979 Teenage Mr Ohio, 3rd
- 1980 Teen Mr. Metropolitan, 1st and Open winner
- 1980 Mr. Ohio Association, 3rd
- 1981 Mr Cincinnati 1st,
- 1981 Buckeye Open, 1st
- 1982 NPC Nationals, 2nd
- 1983 NPC Nationals, 4th
- 1984 NPC Nationals, 2nd
- 1985 NPC USA Championships, 1st
- 1985 IFBB World Games, 2nd
- 1986 NPC Nationals, 2nd
- 1987 NPC Nationals, 10th
- 1988 NPC Nationals, 11th
- 1991 NPC Nationals, 5th
