Real Deal to return to stage for a pair of shows in August
by Allan Donnelly
May 5, 2005
FLEXONLINE.COM
Chris Cormier announced on Pro Bodybuilding Weekly that he will be returning to the stage in August for a pair of contests, the Pro Bodybuilding Weekly Championships on August 9 and the Europa SuperShow on August 16.
Cormier, one of the most successful competitors in IFBB history and a likely future Hall of Famer, last competed at the 2007 Atlantic City Pro, placing sixth. A week before Atlantic City, Cormier placed fourth at the Montreal Pro. Those competitions marked an improbable return to the stage, as just a year earlier Cormier lost the ability to walk while hospitalized with a severe back injury. Cormier guest posed at the Pittsburgh Pro Figure Championships last weekend weighing 275 pounds and said he feels rejuvinated and ready to challenge for an Olympia qualification once again.
?It’s taken me lot of time to get comfortable with mu body again, but I finally felt like I was starting to hit poses right again,” Cormier said. “I haven?t felt good since the injury. I felt like I competed way too soon, when I wasn’t ready to show where my body was at. I felt really uncomfortable on stage never been uncomfortable on stage ever in my life. It has just been a chopping wood type of thing. I knew I wasn’t done, I still have the fire inside of me.”
Never one to mince words, Cormier says he will know when it is time to walk away. But he is convinced he still has a few good years left on the competitive circuit and enough left in the tank to close out his career on a winning note.
“This means everything,” Cormier said. “I’m not going to do A, B and C and then miss the X, Y and Z. I gotta finish the alphabet type of thing. No I way can live with myself without doing that. I’m not that type of person. The passion I have, the things I’ve learned and experienced over the years ? I don’t want to be Muhammad Ali, just getting punched on by these fools coming through. If I can?t be competitive with the top guys in the world, I’m not going to do it.”
CHRIS CORMIER IFBB CONTEST HISTORY 1994 Arnold Classic, 4th Grand Prix France, 7th Grand Prix Germany, 6th Ironman Pro Invitational, 2nd Mr. Olympia, 6th
1995 Grand Prix England, 5th Grand Prix France, 5th Grand Prix Germany, 4th Grand Prix Russia, 5th Grand Prix Spain, 4th Grand Prix Ukraine, 4th Night of Champions, 4th Mr. Olympia, 6th
1996 Grand Prix Czech Republic, 8th Grand Prix England, 8th Grand Prix Germany, 7th Grand Prix Russia, 8th Grand Prix Spain, 8th Grand Prix Switzerland, 8th Mr. Olympia, 7th
1997 Canada Pro Cup, 3rd Grand Prix Czech Republic, 2nd Grand Prix England, 2nd Grand Prix Finland, 2nd Grand Prix Germany, 6th Grand Prix Hungary, 8th Grand Prix Russia, 4th Grand Prix Spain, 6th Night of Champions, Winner Mr. Olympia, 8th Toronto Pro Invitational, 3rd
1998 Arnold Classic, 5th Grand Prix Finland, 4th Grand Prix Germany, 4th Mr. Olympia, 6th
1999 Arnold Classic, 3rd Ironman Pro Invitational, 1st Mr. Olympia, 3rd
2000 Arnold Classic, 2nd Ironman Pro Invitational, 1st
2001 Arnold Classic, 2nd Grand Prix Australia, 1st Grand Prix England, 2nd Grand Prix Hungary, 2nd Grand Prix New Zealand, 2nd Ironman Pro Invitational, 1st Olympia – IFBB, 5th San Francisco Pro Invitational, 1st
2002 Arnold Classic, 2nd Grand Prix Australia, 1st Grand Prix Austria, 1st Grand Prix England, 1st Grand Prix Holland, 2nd Ironman Pro Invitational, 1st Mr. Olympia, 3rd San Francisco Pro Invitational, 2nd GNC Show of Strength, 3rd
2003 Arnold Classic, 2nd Grand Prix Australia, 1st San Francisco Pro Invitational, 2nd GNC Show of Strength, 7th
2004 Arnold Classic, 2nd Grand Prix Australia – IFBB, 2nd Grand Prix England, 2nd Grand Prix Holland, 2nd Mr. Olympia, 7th
2005 Arnold Classic, 2nd Grand Prix Australia, 2nd Mr. Olympia, 13th San Francisco Pro Invitational, 1st
