Phil Clahar‘s competitive bodybuilding career has come to an abrupt end. The standout Men’s Open competitor joined Ron Harris on YouTube (August 5, 2024) to discuss why he decided to part ways with the sport after tying for 16th place at last weekend’s Tampa Pro.
Having earned his Pro card dominantly at the age of 43, Phil Clahar is a unicorn of the bodybuilding world. He reached tremendous success despite his age and often pushed contenders decades younger than him to the brink of defeat.
Clahar sported a mass-with-class physique, but his competitive drive separated him from the rest of his adversaries in the IFBB Pro League. As a commanding talent in the Open class, Phil Clahar, known as the ‘Jamaicantank,’ knew how to occupy a stage and acquired impressive Pro show victories including his crowning moment at the 2023 Orlando Pro.
In addition to winning gold in Florida last year, Clahar proved himself against a stacked lineup of threats at the prestigious 2023 Masters Olympia contest, which returned after an over 11-year absence from the IFBB Pro League Calendar, In the end, Clahar clinched third place competing against the best bodybuilders in the world at his age.
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Men’s Open Bodybuilder Phil Clahar Reveals Why He Retired From The Sport
He also took 16th at the 2023 Olympia contest before taking home the same result at his last show, which saw him hang up his posing trunks at the 2024 Tampa Pro last weekend. Although he disagreed with his 16th-place showing in Tampa, it was enough for him to step away from the sport after such a decorated tenure. Below, he details his decision to retire from competitive bodybuilding.
“It wasn’t a decision that was made that this was going to be my last year because I turned 50. You know, 5-0, normally, is the perfect age to walk away. But I wanted to do, I could have walked away last year. I had a very successful year last year but I wanted to give back to my fans, myself, an opportunity to come in better than last year.”
“That was the decision. I was going to retire either way. This was going to be my last year either way. Now, there were some things that was helped that decision be final a little bit sooner. I’ll explain about that a little bit.”
Before diving into the reasons why he walked away from competitive bodybuilding, Clahar shared some details about his background in the sport.
“Yes. I went Pro at a young 43 years old at a very stacked international Pro level show. It was very very stacked. All over the world competitors. So I competed in both Masters and Open. I won both of those and the overall. That told me even me being the age that I am, I can be and stack up against the best of the best in the world.”
“I never really competed a very long time. My Pro career was seven years. My amateur career I probably competed five or possibly six times as an amateur as an NPC athlete.”
“This was just me, god, and family, doing our thing,” said Clahar.
“I look back at Romania, that was one of the main shows I look back on because I really really enjoyed myself and with the battles I had last year going into Romania with the leg infection being hospitalized a week prior and still was able to come in with that journey.”
He explains what led to his decision to retire after competing at the 2024 Tampa Pro.
“It didn’t happen [top six]. I said okay, then I wasn’t in the second call-out. Now, I’m furious. I’m debating on walking off stage but I’m too much of a classy guy to do that so I did not do that. Then, I’m pretty much at the bottom of the third call-out. I was not that bad.”
He mentioned that the outcome in Tampa felt like a ‘dagger’ was plunged inside of him.
“It was like a dagger, Ron, in my heart that with the short period of time with success that I’ve brought and I’ve done things outside of the sport.
I went to colleges that have bodybuilding teams. I’ve went to posing clinics when I’m called to go to these clinics. I’m very involved in this sport behind the scenes a lot to help teach these young individuals that are up and coming in the NPC.”
Ultimately, Clahar thought that he was being pushed out of the sport and chose to leave and not look back.
“To have that happen, then I said, that’s when I said, ‘Okay, I am being pushed out.’ So, I walk off. I was told to come back and take a 10, I said no I’m sorry. I am done. I will not come back. I just can’t come back and wave again when I know I’m deserving of being in a much better place so I did not go back.”
“How they scored me for the finals, I couldn’t even tell you because I did not go back.”
Phil Clahar’s Competition History
(*Data collected from npcnewsonline.com)
- 2020 IFBB Chicago Pro: 8th Place
- 2021 IFBB Chicago Pro: 11th Place
- 2022 IFBB Boston Pro: 6th Place
- 2022 IFBB Orlando Pro: 3rd Place
- 2022 IFBB Tampa Pro: 5th Place
- 2022 IFBB Texas Pro: 8th Place
- 2023 IFBB Orlando Pro: 1st Place
- 2023 IFBB Masters Olympia Pro: 3rd Place
- 2023 IFBB Mr. Olympia: 16th Place
- 2024 IFBB Chicago Pro: 13th Place
- 2024 IFBB Tampa Pro: 16th Place
Phil Clahar was not just a bodybuilding veteran at the highest level, but an inspiration to anyone who planned on entering the sport after 40. His ability to transform his physique and compete with the best won’t be forgotten. He leaves behind a career full of highlights and we wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors.
“Thank you to every fan, company, competitor, gym, family, client, friends etc that has supported me over my amateur and pro career….it’s meant more than you’ll ever know” Clahar shared.
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