The 1960s were all about Sergio Olivia and Arnold Schwarzenegger. ( 2) While this rivalry didn’t have the longevity of others, it was the first bodybuilding result that divided fans and ignited years-long debates. Park returned to competition the following year to win the Mr. In the aftermath, Reeves turned more to film, famously portraying Hercules on the silver screen for several years. Reeves won by a single point in what would ultimately be his final bodybuilding contest. “I can hear the deafening applause that is greeting the appearance of Park and Reeves as they display their breath-taking poses before the world’s most enthusiastic audience…I marveled at these two supermen in the ruthless daylight of the afternoon.” ( 1) One of the judges that evening, George Walsh, described the climate of the contest: Reeves represented the United States, and was beginning his rise as a film star alongside his bodybuilding career.Ī post shared by Jon Jon Park was the favorite heading into the show, but Park defied expectations and pushed Reeves right up to the finish line. Only 22 years old at the time, Park was already Europe’s biggest bodybuilding star. In 1950, British-born bodybuilder - and future inspiration to Arnold Schwarzenegger himself - Reg Park faced Steve Reeves at the Mr.
Still, a competitive landscape did exist before the inaugural Mr. Considering its status as the most prestigious event in the sport, with $650,000 awarded to the top three finishers in 2020, this makes sense. Many of the iconic rivalries in bodybuilding revolve around the Olympia. Here we look at some of the biggest rivalries in bodybuilding and the legacies left behind on the sport. Each year, these champions beat various competitors whose strengths - and weaknesses - pushed them to more impressive heights. These victories were not achieved in isolation. Cory Everson won six consecutive Olympia titles. Olympia titles, making her the most decorated Olympia winner of all time. In women’s bodybuilding, Iris Kyle wears the crown - she won 10 Ms. Lee Haney and Ronnie Coleman each won eight. These rivalries are usually the story of one champion dominating the field and a prospective usurper seeking the throne. Photo by Kevin Laval under Creative Commons CC0 1.0. Since that time, each decade has boasted a bodybuilding rivalry that helped color the competitions themselves. The first bodybuilding show was held in 1901, but it was not until 1939 that yearly physique shows became the norm. So when two competitors come head to head, and one is marginally better, it can be near impossible for the other to overtake them.įor this reason, bodybuilding rivalries emerge rather easily.
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Across the field of professional athletics, where genetics, aging, or injury can define a career, bodybuilding stands apart as one of the few sports where a champion can be almost unbeatable for a decade or more. Bodybuilding advances through its rivalries.
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