So this weekend saw the 25th anniversary of the Arnold Classic body-building competition. Now it's moment like these that remind me how much water has passed under my bridge. I remember as if it was just the other day that I watched Rich Gaspari shred his way to the inaugural classic in 1989. Though back then I had to wait until the context results appeared 2 months later in Flex and Muscle Mag magazines, remember no Internet or streaming video in those days!
The following year was an interesting one as Shawn ray was disqualified due to a failed drug test, though even back then I couldn't comprehend that the runner up and new winner was the supposed drug free Mike Ashley. See back in the eighties drug use in body-building was not discussed. Weider very deliberately ignored the concept of drugs and it was only during the eighties with the advent of more hardcore magazines that this view softened. Slowly the champs went from writing that you don't need drugs to be a champion to 'you don't need to abuse dugs to be a champion". To be fair though in the early nineties there was still guys with great natural lines as this was pre the ridiculous excess of gear and GH that infects the sport today.
So this years event saw Dexter Jackson tie the great Flex Wheeler with four victories though it is amazing to see the event grow into the huge sport festival it is today rather than just bodybuilding.
One day I'd love to get to Columbus and see the event up close, given the mainstream sports there it is much less freaky than the Olympia weekend.
Stay Strong
Thomo
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