1. Ronald Dean Coleman was born on May 13,1964 and is an American former professional bodybuilder, who is widely regarded as the greatest bodybuilder of all-time.
49 Facts About Ronnie Coleman
1. 2.
Ronnie Coleman was inducted into the International Sports Hall of Fame in 2016 and was bestowed with the 'Arnold Classic Lifetime Achievement Award' in 2021.
3.
Ronnie Dean Coleman was born on May 13,1964, in Monroe, Louisiana to Jessie Coleman and Jessie Benton Coleman.
4.
Ronnie Coleman was raised in a household that emphasized hard work and commitment.
5.
Ronnie Coleman then became a police officer in Arlington, Texas, serving as an officer from 1989 to 2000 and a reserve officer until 2003.
6.
Ronnie Coleman decisively won 1991 IFBB World Amateur Championships's Heavyweight division.
7.
Ronnie Coleman's rise to the top of bodybuilding was relatively slow.
8.
Ronnie Coleman emerged 14th at the 1992 Night of Champions and 11th at the 1992 Chicago Pro Championships.
9.
In 1993 Ronnie Coleman did not take part in Mr Olympia, but managed a 6th place at 1993 Chicago Pro Championships, 4th place at 1993 IFBB French Grand Prix, 6th place at 1993 IFBB German Grand Prix and 6th place in 1993 Niagara Falls Pro.
10.
In 1994 Mr Olympia held in Atlanta, Georgia, Ronnie Coleman ended up being the 15th.
11.
The top athletes were continuously improving with Dorian Yates taking bodybuilding to the next level, and Ronnie Coleman increased the weights and intensity of his workouts.
12.
In 1995 Ronnie Coleman won his first pro show, winning 1995 Canada Pro Cup.
13.
Ronnie Coleman improved on his placement at Mr Olympia, emerging 11th at 1995 Mr Olympia held in Atlanta, Georgia.
14.
Ronnie Coleman secured 4th place at 1995 IFBB French Grand Prix, 6th place at 1995 IFBB Russian Grand Prix, 3rd place at 1995 IFBB Ukrainian Grand Prix, 6th place at 1995 Houston Pro Championships and 3rd place at 1995 Night of Champions.
15.
In 1996 Mr Olympia held in Chicago, Illinois, Ronnie Coleman emerged 6th, winning $12,000 in the process.
16.
Around this time, Ronnie Coleman started to compete prolifically, traveling around the world and taking trains instead of flights because it was all what he could afford, and kept up with the top athletes.
17.
Ronnie Coleman won 1997 IFBB Russian Grand Prix and came 3rd at 1997 Ironman Pro Invitational and 1997 IFBB Finnish Grand Prix.
18.
Ronnie Coleman secured 4th at 1997 Arnold Classic and 1997 IFBB Czech Grand Prix, 5th at 1997 IFBB English Grand Prix and 1997 IFBB German Grand Prix, 6th at 1997 IFBB Hungarian Grand Prix and 1997 San Jose Pro Invitational, and 7th at 1997 IFBB Spanish Grand Prix.
19.
In 1998, Ronnie Coleman who had made dramatic improvements to his physique came to the 1998 IFBB Finnish Grand Prix with one of his best physiques ever.
20.
Ronnie Coleman defeated Kevin Levrone and Nasser El Sonbaty to win the title and started getting recognition for his 'wide and thick' back development.
21.
Ronnie Coleman continued his success, winning 1998 IFBB German Grand Prix, 1998 Toronto Pro and 1998 Night of Champions.
22.
In 1999, Ronnie Coleman went up against one of the most iconic and toughest lineups in bodybuilding history at 1999 IFBB English Grand Prix, where he emerged victorious after defeating Wheeler, Levrone, Dexter Jackson, Milos Sarcev, El Sonbaty and Markus Ruhl who all came in with some of their best physiques ever.
23.
At 1999 Mr Olympia held at the iconic Mandalay Bay Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, Ronnie Coleman successfully defended his title after defeating the likes of Wheeler, Chris Cormier, Levrone, Ray, El Sonbaty, Paul Dillett, Lee Priest, Mike Matarazzo, Jean Pierre Fux and Pavol Jablonicky.
24.
Ronnie Coleman won 1999 World Pro Championships and still was working full-time at Arlington Police Department, being 2x Mr Olympia champion.
25.
Ronnie Coleman started 2000 with easily winning 2000 IFBB English Grand Prix and 2000 World Pro Championships.
26.
At 2000 Mr Olympia held again at Mandalay Bay Arena in Las Vegas, Ronnie Coleman won his third consecutive title with it being the third consecutive time he secured perfect scores following 1998 and 1999.
27.
Ronnie Coleman became only the sixth person after Sergio Oliva, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Frank Zane, Haney and Yates to win 3 Mr Olympia titles in a row.
28.
In 2001, Ronnie Coleman started the year with winning the 2001 Arnold Classic.
29.
Ronnie Coleman is noted for his conditioning in this competition.
30.
Ronnie Coleman made history by becoming the first person in history to win both Mr Olympia and Arnold Classic in the same calendar year.
31.
Ronnie Coleman won 2002 IFBB Dutch Grand Prix but came 2nd to Schlierkamp at 2002 Show of Strength Pro Championships, which was the only time he was defeated during his Olympia reign.
32.
Cutler, who had taken last year off described, even though he came well prepared and with confidence to dethrone the champion, the minute Ronnie Coleman took his clothes off backstage, his mouth dropped and he knew it was game-over.
33.
Olympia head-judge Steve Weinberger said that Ronnie Coleman brought a level of muscularity the world has never seen before or since.
34.
Ronnie Coleman secured a perfect score and convincingly won his 6th title, tying his predecessor Yates as the joint-third most decorated Olympian in history.
35.
Ronnie Coleman won his second Cadillac Escalade courtesy of Pinnacle Supplements.
36.
Ronnie Coleman did one more show that year, 2003 IFBB Russian Grand Prix, coming in even bigger than he came for the Olympia.
37.
Ronnie Coleman won his biggest prize money of $150,000 for his victory.
38.
Ronnie Coleman made his final appearance at 2007 Mr Olympia where he placed 4th, and soon announced his retirement.
39.
Movie director Mitsuru Okabe produced training videos of Ronnie Coleman, including The First Training Video, The Unbelievable, The Cost of Redemption, Relentless and On the Road.
40.
Ronnie Coleman has made many guest appearances around the world.
41.
Ronnie Coleman was the recipient of the 2001 Admiral in the Texas Navy Certificate Award from Texas Governor Rick Perry for outstanding achievements in bodybuilding and for the promotion of physical fitness.
42.
Ronnie Coleman was inducted into the International Sports Hall of Fame in 2016, and was awarded the 'Arnold Schwarzenegger Lifetime Achievement Award' in 2021.
43.
Ronnie Coleman is a supporter of Inner-City Games, co-founded by Schwarzenegger in 1991.
44.
In 1998, Ronnie Coleman met French-Lebanese personal trainer Rouaida Christine Achkar at a sports exposition in Paris, and they got married in 2007.
45.
In 2016, Ronnie Coleman married his long time girlfriend, American personal trainer Susan Williamson.
46.
Ronnie Coleman was noted for eating around 6,000 calories a day during his prime.
47.
Ronnie Coleman followed a strict diet regime sticking to basics such as grilled chicken breasts, turkey breasts, steak, egg whites, rice, baked potatoes and grits with cheese, eating six meals a day.
48.
The extreme weights Ronnie Coleman used over the years took a toll on his body, and he has undergone more than a dozen surgeries since 2007.
49.
Ronnie Coleman has always said that he does not regret his choices and admits that he was determined to be the best bodybuilder he could be at any cost; even saying that, if anything, he regrets not having done even more to consolidate his legacy.