1989 Mr. Olympia - Winner Lee Haney

The 1989 Mr. Olympia was held on September 9th, 1989 at the Sala Dei Congressi in Rimini, Italy. This was the first time for the prestigious contest to be held in Italy, marking the end of a decade known by the success of a bodybuilding icon named Lee Haney.

As the 1980s were finishing and the 1990s approaching, Lee Haney looked at the 1989 Mr. Olympia as the best chance he has to equal the big record that Arnold Schwarzenegger set with his return on the scene in 1980 and get his sixth consecutive title.

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There were more than twenty professional bodybuilders competing for the 1989 Mr. Olympia title. However, most of them knew that approaching the greatest at the time (Haney) was a difficult job. There were so many great bodybuilders at this competition - but all of them fell under Haney's shadow.

Lee Haney was seen as successful at the time because he used a different type of training method that gave him mass, volume and perfectly lined up muscles. Because of his dominance, Haney was known as 'The Shadow' - but a lot of that nickname had to do with the crazy freakiness that he showed on stage.

Lee Labrada was 'the only Lee who could challenge' Lee Haney at the time. His body featured classic lines, great proportions and flawless posing. And even though Labrada did his very best, Haney once again won the contest and took the 1989 Mr. Olympia in his hands, equaling the record of the legendary Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The next milestone for Lee was the 1990 Mr. Olympia contest and his chance to set a new record in the bodybuilding world.