Sergio Oliva is famous for winning the Mr. Olympia title for three consecutive years. MuscleMag International's publisher Robert Kennedy once said that he considered Sergio Oliva to have the world's greatest physique of all time.
Several famous personalities have praised him including Arnold Schwarzenegger. Sergio was also the one who defeated him in 1969, Mr. Olympia. This was Arnold's first attempt at winning the title. The Myth retired from competing in professional bodybuilding in 1985. He made his last two attempts in 1984 and 1985 at Mr. Olympia but finished in eighth place in both editions.
He passed away on November 12, 2012, at the age of 71. Sergio Oliva is said to have died due to kidney failure. The Myth was ill and under dialysis treatment prior to his death. He was found unresponsive by a family member and was pronounced dead at St. Francis Hospital Evanston in Illinois, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Sergio Oliva won his first-ever Mr. Olympia title in 1967
Sergio Oliva won three Mr. Olympia titles from 1967 to 1969. However, the Myth didn't start his career as a bodybuilder. While he was relaxing on the beach, a passerby saw him and invited him to the local weightlifting club in Cuba. Sergio looked great even in an untrained state due to his genetics.
He trained as a middle-heavyweight and after six months showed off a 300-pound clean and jerk. After some time, Sergio was able to lift a total of 1,000 pounds in Olympic lifts which included clean and jerk, the snatch, and the press.
He was very skilled, which helped him get selected for the 1962 Cuban Weightlifting team which participated in the Central American and Caribbean Games.
He competed at the Central American and Caribbean games held in Kingston, Jamaica, where he won a silver medal.
Oliva first lived and worked as a TV repairman in Miami before moving to Chicago based on his close friend's request. In the meantime, he continued training as a weightlifter.
Upon moving to Chicago, he started working at a local steel mill before joining the police force. He became a member of the Duncan YMCA (also known as The Midwest Mecca of Muscle) after moving to Chicago. This place is famous among weightlifters and bodybuilders.
According to bodybuilding trainer Randy Roach, Duncan had a massive impact on the sport of bodybuilding as well as the Myth's career. Bob Gajda and Sergio became friends and later training partners. Helped by Gajda and the other members of the Duncan, Sergio Oliva switched from weightlifting to bodybuilding.
Sergio emerged victorious in Mr. Chicago, Mr. Illinois, IFFB's Mr. World, and Mr. Universe before he entered the Mr. Olympia arena. The Myth participated in the 1966 Mr. Olympia but finished in fourth place, while Larry Scott won the title.
Sergio returned the following year with the aim of winning and he was the favorite to win the title. He won his first-ever Mr. Olympia in 1967. The following year, in 1968, Sergio was the only competitor at Mr. Olympia, so he was announced as the uncontested winner.
In 1969, a young Arnold Schwarzenegger entered the Mr. Olympia competition and many expected him to defeat Oliva. However, Sergio Oliva was undoubtedly the best bodybuilder in that edition of Mr. Olympia. Sadly, that was Sergio's last Mr. Olympia title.
He was able to win several more titles in the years to come, but not Mr. Olympia. Sergio Oliva's last participation in Mr. Olympia came in 1985 where he finished in eighth place. November 12 marked 10 years since the death of Sergio Oliva, and he is still fondly remembered as 'The Myth' by his fans and other bodybuilders.