Franco Columbu
| Francesco (alias "Franco") Columbu | |
|---|---|
| — Bodybuilder — | |
| Personal info | |
| Nickname | The Sardinian Samson |
| Born |
August 7, 1941 Ollolai, Sardinia, Italy |
| Height | Five Feet Four Inches (5'4") |
| Weight | 88 kg (194 lb) |
| Professional career | |
| Pro-debut | 1968 Mr. Universe, 1968 |
| Best win | IFBB Mr. Olympia 1976, 1981, |
| Predecessor | Arnold Schwarzenegger (1975, 1980) |
| Successor |
Frank Zane (1977) Chris Dickerson (1982) |
| Active | Retired 1981 |
Francesco Columbu (born in Ollolai, Sardinia, August 7, 1941) is an Italian actor, author, former champion bodybuilder and World's Strongest Man competitor.
Columbu was born in Ollolai, Sardinia (Italy). Starting his athletic career as a boxer, Columbu progressed into Olympic Weightlifting, powerlifting, and later bodybuilding, winning the title of Mr. Olympia in 1976 and 1981. At Template:5'4", though shorter than most of his competitors, his height did not prevent him from achieving widespread success.
In 1977, Columbu competed in the first World's Strongest Man competition, placing fifth in overall points; a remarkable outing, considering Franco weighed much less than the other competitors. He was forced to drop from competition due to an injury. While leading the "refrigerator race", a downhill race while wearing a heavy, unwieldy refrigerator strapped to the racer's back, Franco stumbled and collapsed with a grotesquely dislocated leg, and aired on national television. After a court settlement, he received a reported $1 million in compensation for his injury. After Arnold Schwarzenegger's comeback victory in the 1980 Mr. Olympia, Franco followed suit and won the 1981 Mr. Olympia.
Columbu is a longtime friend of Schwarzenegger, whom he met in Stuttgart in 1965 and against whom he competed in several international-level bodybuilding competitions. For the Mr. Olympia competitions however, he competed in the under-200 lb (90.7 kg) category, whereas Schwarzenegger was in the over-200 lb category. The IFBB has since abandoned weight classes. Arnold and Franco were inseparable friends and training partners during the late 60s to mid-1970s. Columbu served as Schwarzenegger's best man at his wedding to Maria Shriver in 1986. Columbu and Schwarzenegger had been encouraged to come to America by bodybuilding guru Joe Weider in 1969; Weider sponsored them with an $80/week stipend. They arrived in America and began a bricklaying and patio business called European Brick Works in 1969.
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