06/11/2021
Former Mr. Olympia Shawn Rhoden Reportedly Dead At 46 Years Old
Pro bodybuilder and former Mr. Olympia champion Shawn Rhoden has died.
More sad news has hit the bodybuilding world in already tragic year – pro bodybuilder and former Mr. Olympia champion Shawn Rhoden has reportedly died of a heart attack. He was 46 years old. The pro bodybuilder was a modern legend in the sport who also faced serious controversy in the years after winning the Mr. Olympia in 2018.
Very little information has been revealed at the time of this writing. But sources close to Generation Iron have reported that Shawn Rhoden suffered a fatal heart attack. Rhoden’s trainer, Chris Aceto, has also confirmed to close friends that the bodybuilder had passed away. Posts on social media from fellow athletes, experts, and fans have begun to pour out Saturday morning for the late pro bodybuilder.
An aspiring soccer player in his early teens, Shawn Rhoden discovered bodybuilding in 1992. One of his earliest inspirations was the former Mr. Universe champion Yohnnie Shambourger. Rhoden entered into his amateur bodybuilding career – only to face several injuries that pulled him out of competing. Shortly after, his father passed away.
The combination of these two events led to Shawn Rhoden developing an addiction to alcohol – completely derailing any chance of returning to a career of competitive bodybuilding. However, after putting much work into slow recovery, he returned to the sport and eventually earned his IFBB Pro card in 2010.
Shawn Rhoden placed 11th at his Mr. Olympia debut in 2011. Just one year later he rose up to third place. From that moment on, Rhoden remained in the top five at the Mr. Olympia competition year after year. He was seen as a serious threat to the title and was well known and respected for his smaller more aesthetic physique compared to the “mass monster” body types of his fellow competitors.
In 2018, Shawn Rhoden defeated Phil Heath in the Mr. Olympia. He was 43 years old – making him the oldest bodybuilder to ever win the title. His win was also notable for being the first person to dethrone Heath, who had won seven straight titles in a row and was looking to tie the world record of eight championship victories.
