American bodybuilder Sergio Oliva Jr. followed in the footsteps of his father, bodybuilding legend Sergio Oliva. In a recent post made on Instagram, Oliva Jr. showed off his jacked physique next to a picture of his father.
Former three-time Mr. Olympia Sergio Oliva was an elite Men’s Open contender for the better half of two decades between the 1960s and mid-80s. He started off in regional events before earning an entry into the 1966 Mr. Olympia. After placing fourth in his debut, Oliva took home the top prize in his next appearance.
Oliva earned the nickname ‘The Myth’ and successfully defended the title unopposed in 1968. The following year, Oliva went up against bodybuilding legend Arnold Schwarzenegger in a fierce battle at the 1969 Mr. Olympia. In the end, Oliva added a third Sandow trophy to his collection. ‘The Austrian Oak’ later admitted Oliva was the toughest competitor he ever faced.
Oliva’s son Sergio Oliva Jr. made a name for himself in the IFBB Pro League Men’s Open class. He cracked the top three at the 2021 Legion Sports Fest Pro and placed sixth at the 2021 Arnold Classic Ohio, where he also won the Best Poser Award for the second year straight.
In Sep. 2021, Oliva Jr. voiced his disapproval of posing in the Open category. He claimed competitors mostly lacked the effort in following through with practice. A few weeks later, he pushed back on criticisms against modern bodybuilders made by veterans Samir Bannout and Robby Robinson.
Two months ago, Oliva Jr. reflected on the career of his late father and his dispute with the Olympia organizers. He shared that there was a possibility of his father receiving a suspension to make way for Schwarzenegger to win the contest in 1971.
Oliva Jr. got involved in a traffic accident that resulted in the death of a man in Dubai last month. He was arrested and spent some time in jail before being released without any criminal charges. Following the incident, Oliva Jr. left fans stunned with a shredded physique update. He boasted a ripped midsection with striated delts.
Earlier this month, Oliva Jr. confirmed he would not participate in the 2023 Arnold Classic South America. He revealed his plan is to return at a later show in hopes of securing an invite to the Mr. Olympia event. While he wanted to compete sooner, the legal issues stemming from his accident in Dubai forced him to stay on the sidelines a little longer. He also opened up about the pressures he feels for his eventual comeback as well.
Sergio Oliva Jr. Mirrors father Sergio Oliva’s poses
In a recent Instagram post, Sergio Oliva Jr. showed off his jacked physique while recreating some of his late father’s poses.
“A continuation not a comparison,” wrote Oliva Jr.
Sergio’s update next to his father elicited a strong response from the bodybuilding community.
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Samir Bannout praised Sergio Oliva Jr. for his impressive package and extended his support to potentially win the Mr. Olympia contest two weeks ago. He encouraged Oliva Jr. to focus on developing the proper mindset and improving his conditioning levels to bring his absolute best to his next show.