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IronLife Bodybuilding Tributes
by Ed Ouble, Admin at www.IronLife.com
Bev Francis
Born: Born: February 15, 1955 in Geelong, Australia
Family Background: Youngest of 5 Children
Education: Graduated from University of Melbourne, Australia in 1976
Current Residence: Syosset, (Long Island) New York
Maritial Status: Married to Steve Weinberger children Tara & Haley
Bev Francis, as a teenager, became an accomplished shot-putter in track and field. She progressed to powerlifting where she won six world titles from 1980-85 and earned the accolade of “Strongest Woman in History”. In 1983, Francis was invited to attend the Caesar’s World Cup in Las Vegas.
The contest was, in fact, a vehicle against which to film Pumping Iron II: The Women, and Francis was added to the event as a means of portraying what was then thought to be, for a female, the muscular extreme. At the other end of the female-form spectrum was the movie’s purported star, Rachel McLish. Francis’s appearance sparked a major “How much muscle is too much?” debate within the bodybuilding community.
At the contest, Francis met IFBB judge and powerlifter Steve Weinberger, whom she eventually married. She relocated to Weinberger’s Long Island abode. In 1986, she entered her first IFBB Ms. Olympia contest and placed 10th. The next year, she won the IFBB Women’s World Pro Championships and was third in that year’s IFBB Ms. Olympia, a placing she duplicated in ’88 and ’89 as a prelude to becoming the 1990 runner-up.
At the 1991 IFBB Ms. Olympia, she presented the most muscular female physique ever seen and finished as a controversial runner-up to Lenda Murray. In the wake of Francis’ 1991 physique, the sport tried to overhaul procedure.
Thus, in her career, Francis twice literally revolutionized her chosen sport. She and Weinberger live in Syosset, Long Island, as co-owners of Bev Francis Gold’s Gym.
- Titles
1987 IFBB World Professional Bodybuilding Championship
- Writing & Producing Career
Co-author of "Bev Francis' Power Body building" Book
Produced Training Video.." Hard Core Training With World Champion Bev Francis"
Contributor to Monthly article Published in "Female Body building" Magazine
Writer for "Flex", "Ironman" and "Muscle and Fitness" Magazines
- Magazine Covers
1985 October Muscle Training Illustrated
1985 November Flex
1987 December Flex
1988 March Female Bodybuilding
1991 July Female Bodybuilding
(courtesy of ifbb.com & bevfrancis.com)
Sergio Oliva
Born: July 4, 1941 in Guanabacoa, Cuba
Parents: Julia and Alfonso Oliva, one of 22 children
Current Residence: Chicago
Maritial Status: Divorced from ex-wife Arlene in 1987 and has full custody of son, Sergio Jr and daughter, Julia
Nickname: The Myth
Sergio Oliva, “The Myth”, was a member of the Cuban weightlifting team. While the squad was in Jamaica for the Pan American Games in 1962, Sergio defected and made his way to the United States, eventually taking up residence in Chicago.
Once there, he became a police officer and briefly continued to compete in lifting events before concentrating on physique exclusively. After winning the IFBB Mr. World in 1966, Sergio entered the IFBB Mr. Olympia that same year but had to give ground to Larry Scott.
After that, however, with his huge full muscle bellies, tiny joints, fine proportions and sensational mass, Sergio began to be thought of as unbeatable. Sergio won the IFBB Mr. Universe in 1967 and went on to sweep the IFBB Mr. Olympia titles in 1967, 1968 and 1969, beating Arnold Schwarzenegger for his victory in ‘69. Arnold turned the tide in 1970 though, beating Oliva as he would again in 1972.
Following that defeat, Sergio did not compete under the IFBB banner again until 1984 when, at 43 years of age, he placed 8th at that year’s IFBB Mr. Olympia. He finished 8th again in 1985, and that marked the end of a career for a man who will always carry the enigmatic nickname of “The Myth”. Sergio still resides in Chicago.
- Titles
1966 AAU Junior Mr America
1966 IFBB Mr World
1967 IFBB Universe
1967 IFBB Olympia
1968 IFBB Olympia
1969 IFBB Olympia
1972 WBBG Mr Galaxy
1975 WBBG Olympus
1976 WBBG Olympus
1978 WBBG Olympus
1980 WABBA Pro World Cup
1981 WABBA Pro World Cup
- Magazine Covers
1968 Peak Muscle Maker
1968 February IronMan
1968 March Muscle Builder
1968 June Mr America
1968 December Muscle Training Illustrated
1969 March Muscle Builder
1970 June Muscle Builder
1978 January Bodybuilding World
1978 May Muscle Builder
1980 April Muscle Training Illustrated
1981 March Muscle Mag International
1995 May IronMan
(courtesy of ifbb.com & sergiooliva.com)
* Article by Ed Ouble, Admin at www.IronLife.com
* Back to Issue #6 Frontpage
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