James Lewis | |
---|---|
Bodybuilder | |
Personal info | |
Nickname | "Flex" |
Born | Llanelli, Wales | November 15, 1983
Height | 5 ft 4 in (1.63 m) |
Weight | (Pre-Contest): 212 lb (Off-Season): 238 lb |
James "Flex" Lewis (born 15 November 1983) is a Welsh former bodybuilder and has won 7 consecutive 212 Mr. Olympia titles. On 12 May 2022 he announced his retirement from competitive bodybuilding. He lives in Las Vegas, Nevada. [1]
Lewis' interest in bodybuilding began at the age of 12 after discovering a book on Tom Platz. It was Platz's legs, he claims, that inspired Lewis to join a gym and start bodybuilding. Arnold Schwarzenegger was one of Lewis' biggest idols as a child.
One day, when Lewis was home alone, he had scouted his father's shed and came across plastic weights, that his parents wouldn't allow him to use. Despite his parents' prohibition, Lewis would take the weights and hide them under his bed, performing various exercises every night with them, before his parents found out and took them back. This was his introduction to weight training.
At the age of 15 Lewis stepped into a gym for the first time. He had played rugby at a high school level and he needed to gain some size for the sport. After coming across a local bodybuilder by the name of Steve Naylor, he was told that his physique had great potential. He took heed in the advice and trained with Naylor for a year, before he entered his first bodybuilding competition, the Junior Mr. Wales, which he promptly won. [2]
Lewis had a tattoo printed on his left arm at the age of 15, which he claims had stretched and morphed itself completely around his arm as they grew in size. Rugby also introduced Flex to weight training for increasing super power and he consequently has the ability to lift an enormous weight and hold it for long periods of time. [3]
2018 Mr Olympia - 212 - 1st
2017 Mr Olympia - 212 - 1st
2016 Mr Olympia - 212 - 1st
2015 Mr Olympia - 212 - 1st
2014 IFBB San Marino Pro - 212 - 1st
2014 EVL's Prague Pro - 212 - 1st
2014 IFBB Korea Grand Prix - 212 - 1st
2014 Mr Olympia - 212 - 1st
2014 IFBB Arnold Classic - 212 - 1st
2013 EVL's Prague Pro - 212 - 1st
2013 Mr Olympia - 212 - 1st
2012 EVL's Prague Pro - 212 - 1st
2012 British Grand Prix - 212 - 1st
2012 Mr Olympia - 212 - 1st
2011 Arnold Classic Europe - 5th
2011 Mr Olympia - 202 - 2nd
2011 New York Pro Championships - 202 - 2nd
2011 Mr Europe Grand Prix - Open - 3rd
2011 IFBB British Grand Prix - 202 - 1st
2009 IFBB Atlantic City Pro - 202 - 1st
2009 Mr Olympia - 202 - 5th
2008 Europa Pro - Overall - 7th
2008 Europa Pro - 202 - 1st
2008 Tampa Pro - Open - 7th
Amateur Competition History:
2007 British Nationals (Earned Pro Card) - Overall - 1st
2006 Mr Wales - Overall - 1st
2006 Mr Britain - U90 - 1st
2004 NABBA Mr Universe - 1st
2004 EFBB Jr Mr Britain - 1st
2004 EFBB Jr Mr Wales - 1st
2004 NABBA Mr Europe - 1st
2004 NABBA Jr Mr Britain - 1st
2004 NABBA Mr Wales - 1st
2003 EFBB Jr Mr Britain - 1st
2003 EFBB Novice Mr Wales - 1st
2003 EFBB Jr Mr Wales - 1st
At the 2014 Arnold Classic he became the first man to be presented as winner of the 212 class. In 2011, Lewis placed third in the IFBB Mr. Europe pro mens. He holds the record of holding the most 212 class wins at the Mr. Olympia with 7 total wins.
Henri Christophe Dickerson was an American professional bodybuilder.
Samir Bannout is a Lebanese former professional bodybuilder and commentator. Nicknamed 'The Lion of Lebanon', he won the 1983 Mr. Olympia, defeating Mohamed Makkawy and Lee Haney. He is the first Middle Eastern bodybuilder to win a Mr. Olympia title.
Lee Andrew McCutcheon , known professionally as Lee Priest, is a competitive bodybuilder. He is a former International Federation of BodyBuilders (IFBB) professional bodybuilder and a current National Amateur Body-Builders' Association (NABBA) professional athlete.
Dexter "The Blade" Jackson is an American retired IFBB Pro League professional bodybuilder and the 2008 Mr. Olympia bodybuilding and 2012 Masters Mr. Olympia champion. With 29 wins, Jackson has the most professional men's bodybuilding titles. He has the distinction of winning the Arnold Classic a record five times. After winning the Arnold Classic in 2015, he placed second in the 2015 Mr. Olympia. He is from Jacksonville, Florida. He retired from professional bodybuilding following the 2020 Mr. Olympia.
Dennis Tyron James is a German-American retired IFBB Pro bodybuilder.
Mustafa Mohammad is a retired IFBB professional bodybuilder. He came in tenth place in the championship of Mr. Olympia held in Las Vegas in 2005. He was elected in 2013 as Assistant President of the Austrian Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness, and Assistant to the President of the European Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness.
Johnnie Otis Jackson is an American IFBB professional bodybuilder and powerlifter. Jackson has been said to have one of the best developed upper bodies in professional bodybuilding in the world. He is known for training in Arlington, Texas, with fellow American IFBB pro competitor Branch Warren. Due to his strength, he has sometimes been referred to as the world's strongest bodybuilder.
Troy Alves is an American retired IFBB professional bodybuilder.
Bertil Fox is a British former International Federation of BodyBuilders professional bodybuilder and convicted murderer. He was pardoned for that crime by the Governor General of Saint Kitts and Nevis on 4 August 2022.
Ronny Rockel is a former IFBB professional bodybuilder from Germany.
Hidetada "Hide" Yamagishi is a Japanese IFBB professional bodybuilder. In 2007 he became the first Japanese bodybuilder to compete in the Mr. Olympia contest and was the first Japanese bodybuilder to have been invited to compete at the Arnold Classic.
Michael Kefalianos, first name also spelt Michalis and Mihalis, is a Greek bodybuilder with Greek and Australian dual citizenship who is an International Federation of BodyBuilders (IFBB) professional bodybuilder. He is widely considered to be the best Greek bodybuilder. In 2009 at the IFBB Australian Pro Grand Prix he placed fourth and became the first Greek bodybuilder to ever qualify for the Mr. Olympia competition, which is held in Las Vegas once a year in September. He has since competed in more than 35 professional bodybuilding shows, with his career highlight the 2012 Mr. Europe win in Madrid, Spain.
Robert "Terminator" Piotrkowicz, also nicknamed the "White Eagle", is an IFBB professional bodybuilder and powerlifter from Poland. He is only the second Mr. Olympia contestant to represent Poland in history. The first being Miroslaw Daszkiewicz. And the only one to have represented Poland twice. Since receiving his membership card in the IFBB in 2007, he is currently the only Polish bodybuilder recognized by the Federation. He is a Polish powerlifting champion and karate practitioner.
Shawn Rhoden was a Jamaican-American IFBB Pro professional bodybuilder and past Mr. Olympia. He won the 2018 Mr. Olympia contest by defeating seven-time Mr. Olympia Phil Heath.
Dennis Wolf is a Soviet-born German IFBB professional bodybuilder.
Roy Callender is a Barbadian Canadian IFBB Hall of Famer retired professional bodybuilder, professional wrestler and actor.
Mamdouh Mohammed Hassan Elssbiay, also known as Big Ramy, is an Egyptian professional bodybuilder who competes in the men's open bodybuilding division in the IFBB Pro League. Known for his size and conditioning, he is a two time Mr. Olympia champion, winning in 2020 and 2021.
Egberton Rulove "Roelly" Etienne-Winklaar is a Curaçaoan/ Dutch IFBB professional bodybuilder.
Samson Dauda is a Nigerian-British professional bodybuilder who competes in the men's open bodybuilding division in the IFBB Pro League. He is the current Mr. Olympia, having won the title in the 2024 Mr. Olympia competition.