“My Goal Is To Win Mr. Olympia” — Two-Time 212 Olympia Champion Keone Pearson Trains Like He’s Still Chasing the Title
One of the most anticipated showdowns at the 2024 Olympia was the rematch between 2023 212 Olympia champion Keone Pearson and two-time winner Shaun Clarida, who lost the title to Pearson last year. That rematch occurred in Las Vegas, NV, on Friday, Oct. 11, and Pearson was crowned champion for the second straight year. Clarida finished second again.
Pearson became the first athlete since Flex Lewis to win consecutive 212 Olympia titles. However, he still has a long way to go to match Lewis’ seven titles — the most of any 212 athlete in history. Pearson has yet to celebrate his 30th birthday, so he has plenty of time to chase that mark in the record books.
After taking time to recover from the intense training for the 2024 Olympia, Pearson joined BarBend for an interview about his time onstage, his thoughts on Clarida, and what his future holds as CELSIUS representative, including potentially dipping into another division before retiring from the competitive stage.
[Related: What It’s Like to Put Weight Back On After a Bodybuilding Show]
BarBend (BB): Comparing your winning physique from 2023 to the package we saw at the 2024 Olympia, what are the biggest differences?
Keone Pearson (KP): They would be two different humans. The biggest differences are the conditioning, size, and muscle maturity.
I was five to six pounds heavier this year, and my muscles are more mature. I’m 29 years old, and I’m starting to reach that peak. I’m not there yet, but I am on my way.
BB: What did you do differently for this year, if anything?
KP: I didn’t do anything different this time, not even my mindset. I went in pretending as if I had never won the title. Once you beat the guy that had it, you need something new to chase. That kept me hungry, humble, and the fire in my eyes every day. Even after I won last year, I went back to the gym with that same aggression.
BB: You mentioned harsh social media criticism for pulling out of the 2020 Olympia and not faring as well in 2021. What advice would you share for other competitors and athletes who may face similar scrutiny?
KP: The hardest part is blocking it out, especially when you are a competitor like me, but you have to. The second part is having a solid team around you. It was during those years that I needed to find the people I could count on who wanted to see me win.
I even had a therapist to help with that. There is nothing wrong with that, either. I know some people think that you have to be crazy to need a therapist, and that is not true at all. Everyone can benefit from a therapist or sports psychologist to help them through tough times.
[Related: A Strongman’s Perspective On Therapy]
BB: Two years after that, you reached the top. What do you think helped you ascend to the level you are at now?
KP: My girlfriend, Amanda, now my fiancée, was a big part of it. I also got a new coach and relocated to Las Vegas, which is the bodybuilding mecca.
My whole environment changed, and then my mindset changed. I started believing in myself and began walking and acting like a champion, which I think is why I eventually became one.
BB: You used to compete in Classic Physique, which had a lower weight cap for your height. What were the other biggest differences between the two divisions?
KP: It was just making the weight. The weight cap for Classic Physique for my height (5’5”) was 180 pounds. I struggled to make weight that first year in the Classic Physique division.
The weight cap for 212 is obviously 212 pounds. The trunks are different too, but the main difference is the weight and height. Most guys over 5’6” in 212 don’t fare as well. Shorter frames usually win in 212. Guys over six feet tall do better in Classic.
BB: What did you weigh at the Olympia?
KP: When I stepped onstage for pre-judging, I was 201 — a 21-pound difference from when I competed in Classic Physique.
BB: Another past 212 champion, Derek Lunsford, has competed in and won the Men’s Open contest. Have you thought about competing in an Open show in the future?
KP: Open will be later for me. Right now, I am focused on one goal: holding onto my title and creating my legacy in the 212. I still have over 10 pounds before I cap out. I don’t see myself going into Open and just placing when I can stay here and max out in 212.
BB: Derek Lunsford became the first champ-champ, winning the 212 in 2021 and the Sandow in 2023. Would that be something you would consider before calling it a career?
KP: Down the road, I will compete in the Open. My goal is to win the Mr. Olympia one time. That is the vision I have for myself, eventually.
BB: What are your plans for the near future?
KP: I am in a health phase. I am eating fruits and foods I couldn’t eat during my prep, but it is still healthy food because I have been in a deficit for the prep. I am making sure my health is right.
I am working back up to my maintenance calories and traveling for appearances. After that, I will try to enter a growth phase and focus on improving for the 2025 Olympia.
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Featured Image Provided by CELSIUS
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