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Bodybuilding legend and “Sultan of Symmetry”, Flex Wheeler, received a prestigious honor at the 2022 Arnold Sports UK Festival.
For his contributions to the sport, the bodybuilder will receive the 2023 Arnold Classic Lifetime Achievement award. Following the announcement, Arnold UK shared a picture of Wheeler and wrote:
“A true legend of the sport and a continued driving force in modern bodybuilding”.
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The announcement was made on September 25, on the final day of the 2022 Arnold Classic UK Contest in Birmingham, England. The ceremony will be held in Columbus, Ohio in March, where the 2023 Arnold Classic U.S. will take place.
During the announcement, Wheeler was present at the event and received a standing ovation from his contemporaries and fans. A video of Flex Wheeler was also played by the promoters as a tribute to the bodybuilder.
What's the Arnold Classic Lifetime Achievement Award?
The Arnold Classic Lifetime Achievement Award is given to notable people who have significantly contributed to fitness and bodybuilding on and off the stage.
In 2022, there was no recipient for this award, while, in 2021, Ronnie Coleman received it for his lasting impact on the bodybuilding industry. Coleman gave an emotional speech and said later that it was the hardest and most heartfelt speech he has ever given in his life.
Other notable past honorees who have earned the Arnold Classic Lifetime Achievement Award include Paul “Triple H” Levesque (2020), Dr. Jan and Terry Todd (2019), and Dr. Robert Goldman (2018). The first recipient to receive this prestigious award was Joe Weider in 2000.
Flex Wheeler’s Bodybuilding Career
Nicknamed the “Sultan of Symmetry”, Flex Wheeler is renowned for his unique combination of conditioning and mass.
He won the Arnold Classic title four times, doing so in 1993, 1997, 1998 and 2000, and he was also a three-time Mr. Olympia runner-up. Despite not winning the Olympia title, Wheeler is still considered one of the greatest bodybuilders in history. In 2020, he received the Olympia Inspiration and Courage Award.
In 2017, at the age of 5, Flex Wheeler returned to stage one last time to compete in the Classic Physique Olympia. He finished 15th, while two-time Classic Physique Olympia champion Breon Ansley won the competition.
During and after his bodybuilding career, Wheeler has always been open about his mental and physical health. He has faced several medical issues and has undergone numerous surgeries over the years.
In 2003, he had a kidney transplant, and he revealed recently that his kidneys are showing signs of failing. In 2019, he had to get his right leg amputated following blood circulation problems that eventually became life-threatening. Wheeler also underwent a successful surgery on his left shoulder this year.
Takeaway
Flex Wheeler reckons bodybuilding has undergone several changes over the years. The steroid culture has changed, and drugs are now partially to be blamed for untimely deaths of bodybuilders. Wheeler is thankful to still be alive, and his love for the sport hasn’t waned.
Although he no longer competes, Wheeler is now a posing trainer and coach for athletes like Andrew Jacked, winner of the Arnold Classic UK contest.
