In his powerlifting career, Gainesville's Tim "T" Moon has won so often that sometimes he makes it look easy.
His latest triumph in one of the world's most prestigious events definitely was not in the "easy" column.
In fact, it reads as a story made for Hollywood. Moon, a multi-time National and World Champion and national and world record holder, overcame a nagging shoulder problem and two accidents to win his fourth straight Mr. Olympia benchpress title in Las Vegas and picking up yet another Best Lifter Award along the way.
The 55-year-old Master's lifter successfully pressed 342.5 kilograms/755.08 pounds to take home the championship, despite having been hospitalized until early in the morning on the day of the meet. His all-time max is 821 pounds.
"I've always been competitive, even as a child," Moon said. "Most people's athletic adventures are usually behind them by the age of 45 but little did I know I was just taking it to the next level when I started a new friendship with (IronDawg teammate) R. Garry Glenn (Oakwood); and that it would lead me down a new path in my life."
"First off, I consider myself to be very blessed and I take nothing for granted. "I am asked all the time, 'When will you quit this insanity of laying under ridiculous amounts of weight?' Every year I do wonder myself if this will be my last. This year has been no different."
"I train a lot and find it much easier to perform in the gym when you are hanging out with your buds in the comfort of your own gym, sleeping in your own bed and eating your regular food. To face the hardships of travel, skipped meals, loss of sleep, time changes, etc., makes it much more difficult."
Moon said this year's Mr. Olympia was his first competition of 2019 due to shoulder tendinitis from a fall he suffered in the spring. Usually, he has three or four meets under his weightlifting belt before going to the Mr. O. He had been training around this soreness for months, and even considered not going because of the pain; but kept pushing and with the help of his wife, training partners and many others decided to go.
But two weeks before the competition he had what seemed to be another setback.
"My wife Patty had rescued a kitten and I tripped over it at the top of my basement stairway, falling all the way to the bottom and crashing through the wall at the bottom. I feared I would have to withdraw. It's always in the back of my mind that this might be my last opportunity, so I persevered and decided to go," Moon said
He weighed in at the convention center at 299, which is nine pounds below his weight class limit but heavy for him individually. After that, his traveling companion and training partner Landon Jameson and he got an Uber to go back to their hotel, get dinner and rest for the rest of the evening before the competition at 9 a.m. the next morning.
"Our driver had stopped in traffic and a moment later we were rear-ended," Moon said. " 'Geez' I thought, 'Here's another setback!' It hurt my neck and my back. I was transported in an ambulance to get checked out. I lay there at the hospital reflecting on what I had already been through in this preparation for the competition only to get more frustrated. I wondered if I would be able to compete. Would I even be released? If so would it be in time to get there? Would I want to? Many thoughts tried to fog my determination."
The imaging showed no fractures. The medical personnel explained to Moon that he would be sore for days, and he was told to follow up with his doctors at home. They finally released him at 2 am.
"My psyche had been dealt a heavy blow, not to mention my body!" Moon exclaimed. "But if you know me, my Mama always said I'm hard-headed and I was not going to be denied one more opportunity to compete at Mr. Olympia. I came this far and I'm here, so let's get it done."
He got it done indeed.
"I'm blessed to say I won my fourth Mr. Olympia 140 kilo/308.65 lb. weight class championship in a row. I lifted 332.5 kilos (733.04 lbs.) on my first attempt. I won it on my second lift with 342.5 kilos (755.08 lbs). I missed my third attempt at 367.5 kilos (810.2 lbs.)
At the end of the day, Moon was awarded “Best Lifter," with the highest score in the meet, determined among all the lifters by body weight and amount lifted in a formula.
After, that Moon left the lights of Vegas to go home to sit on their front porch "with my beautiful wife, drink some coffee and relax on her birthday! Life is truly a blessing. God has made me strong."
