Sergio Oliva
Encyclopedia
Sergio Oliva is a bodybuilder known as "The Myth". This sobriquet
was given to him by bodybuilder/writer Rick Wayne. Wayne had begun calling Oliva "The Myth" "(because everyone who saw him at the 1967 Montreal World's Fair said he was "Just unbelievable")".
on July 4, 1941. At the age of twelve he worked with his father in the sugar cane fields of Guanabacoa. When Oliva was 16, his father suggested that he enlist in Fulgencio Batista
's army. In the absence of a birth certificate, the recruiting officer took the senior Oliva's word that his son was old enough to enlist in the fight against communism
.
After losing the war to Fidel Castro
, Oliva stayed local and took to hanging out at the beach. There he met a fellow sun worshipper who invited him to the local weightlifting club. After just six months of training Oliva was doing clean & jerks with over 300 pounds and totaling 1000 pounds in the three Olympic lifts at a bodyweight of 195 lbs, considered a middle-heavyweight.
Because of an injury of the top weightlifter, Alberto R. Games, he was chosen to represent Cuba at the 1962 Central America Games hosted in Kingston, Jamaica
. In 1962 the National Weightlifting Championship for Cuba
was won by Alberto Rey Games Hernandez; Sergio Oliva took second place.
During his stay in Jamaica, Oliva snuck out of his quarters while the guards were distracted. He ran at top speed until he was safely inside the American consulate. Arriving breathlessly he demanded and received political asylum. Soon, sixty-five other Cuban nationals followed him, including Castro's entire weightlifting team. Soon afterward, Oliva was living in Miami, Florida
working as a TV repairman.
, Illinois
. There he worked at a local steel mill and began working out at the Duncan YMCA
. Working 10-12 hour days at the steel mill and putting in another 2.5–3 hours at the gym gave Oliva very little time for anything else. Soon the bodybuilding grapevine was abuzz with gossip about a Cuban powerhouse who lifted more than any of the local Olympic champs. Oliva won his first bodybuilding competition the Mr. Chicagoland contest in 1963. Then he was successful again at the Mr. Illinois in 1964 but he lost in 1965 at the AAU Jr. Mr. America winning 2nd place even though he won the trophy for "Most Muscular". In 1966, he won the AAU Jr. Mr. America and again he claimed the trophy for "Most Muscular". He then joined the International Federation of BodyBuilders IFBB
in which he won both the professional Mr. World and Mr. Universe Contests. In 1967 he won the prestigious Mr. Olympia contest, making him the undisputed world champion of bodybuilding.
Oliva then went on to win the Mr. Olympia
title three years in a row, at 5 feet 9 inches and at a contest weight of around 225 lbs.
| colspan = 3 align = center | Mr. Olympia
|-
| width = 30% align = center | Preceded by:
Larry Scott
| width = 40% align = center | 1967-1969
| width = 30% align = center | Succeeded by:
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Sobriquet
A sobriquet is a nickname, sometimes assumed, but often given by another. It is usually a familiar name, distinct from a pseudonym assumed as a disguise, but a nickname which is familiar enough such that it can be used in place of a real name without the need of explanation...
was given to him by bodybuilder/writer Rick Wayne. Wayne had begun calling Oliva "The Myth" "(because everyone who saw him at the 1967 Montreal World's Fair said he was "Just unbelievable")".
Early life
Oliva was born in CubaCuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
on July 4, 1941. At the age of twelve he worked with his father in the sugar cane fields of Guanabacoa. When Oliva was 16, his father suggested that he enlist in Fulgencio Batista
Fulgencio Batista
Fulgencio Batista y Zaldívar was the United States-aligned Cuban President, dictator and military leader who served as the leader of Cuba from 1933 to 1944 and from 1952 to 1959, before being overthrown as a result of the Cuban Revolution....
's army. In the absence of a birth certificate, the recruiting officer took the senior Oliva's word that his son was old enough to enlist in the fight against communism
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
.
After losing the war to Fidel Castro
Fidel Castro
Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz is a Cuban revolutionary and politician, having held the position of Prime Minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976, and then President from 1976 to 2008. He also served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba from the party's foundation in 1961 until 2011...
, Oliva stayed local and took to hanging out at the beach. There he met a fellow sun worshipper who invited him to the local weightlifting club. After just six months of training Oliva was doing clean & jerks with over 300 pounds and totaling 1000 pounds in the three Olympic lifts at a bodyweight of 195 lbs, considered a middle-heavyweight.
Because of an injury of the top weightlifter, Alberto R. Games, he was chosen to represent Cuba at the 1962 Central America Games hosted in Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...
. In 1962 the National Weightlifting Championship for Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
was won by Alberto Rey Games Hernandez; Sergio Oliva took second place.
During his stay in Jamaica, Oliva snuck out of his quarters while the guards were distracted. He ran at top speed until he was safely inside the American consulate. Arriving breathlessly he demanded and received political asylum. Soon, sixty-five other Cuban nationals followed him, including Castro's entire weightlifting team. Soon afterward, Oliva was living in Miami, Florida
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
working as a TV repairman.
Life in the United States
In 1963 Oliva moved to ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. There he worked at a local steel mill and began working out at the Duncan YMCA
YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
. Working 10-12 hour days at the steel mill and putting in another 2.5–3 hours at the gym gave Oliva very little time for anything else. Soon the bodybuilding grapevine was abuzz with gossip about a Cuban powerhouse who lifted more than any of the local Olympic champs. Oliva won his first bodybuilding competition the Mr. Chicagoland contest in 1963. Then he was successful again at the Mr. Illinois in 1964 but he lost in 1965 at the AAU Jr. Mr. America winning 2nd place even though he won the trophy for "Most Muscular". In 1966, he won the AAU Jr. Mr. America and again he claimed the trophy for "Most Muscular". He then joined the International Federation of BodyBuilders IFBB
International Federation of BodyBuilders
The International Federation of BodyBuilders is a competitive bodybuilding organization founded in 1946 by brothers Ben and Joe Weider and is the highest level of competitive bodybuilding in the world. Currently, the IFBB consists of seven different sub-divisions for different competitors ,...
in which he won both the professional Mr. World and Mr. Universe Contests. In 1967 he won the prestigious Mr. Olympia contest, making him the undisputed world champion of bodybuilding.
Oliva then went on to win the Mr. Olympia
Mr. Olympia
Mr. Olympia is the title awarded to the winner of the professional men's bodybuilding contest at Joe Weider's Olympia Weekend - an international bodybuilding competition that is held annually by the International Federation of BodyBuilding & Fitness . Joe Weider created the contest to enable the...
title three years in a row, at 5 feet 9 inches and at a contest weight of around 225 lbs.
Personal
- He served the city of Chicago as a police officer for more than 25 years.
- In 1986, Sergio survived being shot by his then-wife Arleen Garrett. He sustained 5 bullet wounds.
- His son, Sergio Oliva Jr, is following in his father's footsteps into competitive bodybuilding in Chicago, Illinois.
- Oliva co-starred with Mil MáscarasMil MáscarasAaron Rodríguez , best known as Mil Máscaras , is a semi-retired Mexican professional wrestler and actor, who has starred in several films with fellow luchadores...
in a Mexican wrestling movie in 1975 called El Poder Negro (Black Power), in which he played a super-strong dockworker who runs afoul of the local crime syndicate and helps Mil Máscaras to bring them to justice. His co-star was Venezuelan actress and singer Lila Morillo. - In 1977, Oliva starred in a second Mexican action film (this time a wrestling/ western hybrid) called "The Terrible Ones" (aka "Los Terribles").
Distinctions
- The first non-white athlete to win Mr. America, Mr. World, Mr. International, Mr. Universe, Mr. Olympia.
- The second bodybuilder to win the Mr. OlympiaMr. OlympiaMr. Olympia is the title awarded to the winner of the professional men's bodybuilding contest at Joe Weider's Olympia Weekend - an international bodybuilding competition that is held annually by the International Federation of BodyBuilding & Fitness . Joe Weider created the contest to enable the...
competition. - The only bodybuilder to ever defeat Arnold Schwarzenegger in a Mr Olympia contest, 1969.
Bodybuilding titles
- 1963 Mr Chicago
- 1964 Mr Illinois
- 1964 Mr America – AAU, 7th
- 1965 Junior Mr America – AAU, 2nd
- 1965 Junior Mr America – AAU, Most Muscular
- 1965 Mr America – AAU, 4th
- 1965 Mr America – AAU, Most Muscular,
- 1966 Junior Mr America – AAU, Winner
- 1966 Junior Mr America – AAU, Most Muscular
- 1966 Mr America – AAU, 2nd
- 1966 Mr America – AAU, Most Muscular,
- 1966 Mr World – IFBB, Overall Winner
- 1966 Mr World – IFBB, Tall, 1st
- 1966 Mr Universe – IFBB Winner
- 1966 Olympia – IFBB, 4th
- 1967 Olympia – IFBB, Winner
- 1967 Universe – IFBB, Overall Winner
- 1968 Olympia – IFBB, Winner
- 1969 Olympia – IFBB, Winner
- 1970 Mr World – AAU, Pro Tall, 2nd
- 1970 Olympia – IFBB, 2nd
- 1971 Universe – Pro - NABBA, Tall, 2nd
- 1972 Olympia – IFBB, 2nd
- 1973 Mr International – IFBB, Professional, 1st
- 1974 Mr International – WBBG, Professional, 1st
- 1975 Olympus – WBBG, Winner
- 1976 Olympus – WBBG, Winner
- 1977 World Championships – WABBA, Professional, 1st
- 1978 Olympus – WBBG, Winner
- 1980 World Championships – WABBA, Professional, 1st
- 1981 Pro World Cup – WABBA, Winner
- 1984 Olympia – IFBB, 8th
- 1984 Pro States Championships – WABBA
- 1985 Olympia – IFBB, 8th
External links
- SERGIO OLIVA: The Myth! Official Website
- Sergio Oliva Profile
- Sergio Oliva Gallery
- Sergio Oliva the Myth book website
- http://www.santoandfriends.com/ Mexican wrestlers website
- El cubano que derrotó a Schwarzenegger
- SergioOlivaJr.com Son's Official Website
| colspan = 3 align = center | Mr. Olympia
Mr. Olympia
Mr. Olympia is the title awarded to the winner of the professional men's bodybuilding contest at Joe Weider's Olympia Weekend - an international bodybuilding competition that is held annually by the International Federation of BodyBuilding & Fitness . Joe Weider created the contest to enable the...
|-
| width = 30% align = center | Preceded by:
Larry Scott
| width = 40% align = center | 1967-1969
| width = 30% align = center | Succeeded by:
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American former professional bodybuilder, actor, businessman, investor, and politician. Schwarzenegger served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 until 2011....