The 2020 Arnold Sports Festival may not have seen a lot of people due to coronavirus concerns, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t see a lot of action. Quite the contrary, as from a competitive standpoint this was one of the most exciting Arnold festivals in a while.
We saw new bodybuilding champions crowned and some repeats; world records broken; emotional moments shared; and more.
Here’s a rundown of some of the moments you may have missed from the 2020 Arnold Sports Festival.
The rivalry between Sergio Oliva Sr. and Arnold Schwarzenegger is well-documented, and while they had their differences on stage it’s clear the two had immense respect for each other. More than 50 years after the two iconic bodybuilders first did battle, Oliva’s son, Sergio Oliva Jr., shared an unforgettable moment with Schwarzenegger at the 2020 ASF.
After receiving the “Best Poser” award, a prize that came with a $10,000 payday, Oliva Jr. discussed his father’s legacy with The Oak. And in a moment fans won’t soon forget, Arnold hit “The Myth’s” iconic victory pose while Junior imitated Schwarzenegger’s.
Right after, Arnold told Oliva Jr. he hopes he one day wins the competition (he came in fifth overall). “You’re in incredible shape and I wish you the best of luck in the future,” he said.
Check out Oliva Jr.’s posing routine and his chat with Arnold in this video by Nick’s Strength and Power.
Julius Maddox is a name that will live in the powerlifting annals for quite some time. For the fourth time since August 2019, he’s broken the world record for raw bench press—and it now sits at 770 pounds. That’s five pounds heavier than his personal best set just last month!
Maddox has made it clear he’s aiming to become the first person to accomplish an 800-pound raw bench, and his next meet is scheduled for May 30.
Speaking of powerlifting monsters, Larry Wheels set a world record of his own—beating the previous record by just 0.1 pounds!
Wheels accomplished an 870-pound squat, 645-pound bench, and 855-pound deadlift to set the record—which was previously 2,369.9 pounds, held by Eric Lilliebridge.
While he may not be the reigning World’s Strongest Man, it’s hard to argue that there’s anyone on earth stronger than Hafbor Julius Bjornsson. The Mountain became a three-time Arnold Strongman champion over the weekend, besting rising star Mateusz Kiliszkowski in a hotly-contested battle that featured deadlifts, the wheel of pain, and a timber carry.
Bjornsson won by 2.5 points, with the deadlift (where he managed to pull a casual 1,026 pounds) and bag over bar events being his two strongest performances.
Larry Wheels wasn’t the only one to have a close call with a world record. Strongman Mark Felix broke his own dinnie stone (in which competitors hold up two stones with a combined weight of 733 pounds) record by 0.4 seconds, bringing the new benchmark to 31.4 seconds.
Felix is known for his grip strength, he also holds the world record for the Hercules Hold, and he proved it once again in this event.
This one was just scary. Strongman Tom Stoltman became the first man to lift a 602-pound Atlas stone over a bar— and he made it look easy. The feat of strength sets a new world record, with the previous one being 560 pounds, previously held by Brian Shaw.
