The Universe Championships are annual worldwide bodybuilding events organised by the British National Amateur Body-Builders' Association (NABBA). Originally promoted as the Mr. Universe contest, the event was expanded to include women's classes in 1968. Notable previous winners include bodybuilder, actor, and former governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger, and bodybuilder and actor Steve Reeves (1926–2000).^[1]

The Universe Championships includes the following classes:

History

John Grimek, the first Mr. Universe, posing for the magazine organizing the event

In 1948 David Johnston, then editor of Strength and Health magazine, and his team organised the Mr. Universe contest in London to coincide with the Olympic Games. The event drew great attention from bodybuilders and the general public who packed the Scala Theatre to see the spectacle. John Grimek earned the inaugural title with Steve Reeves placing second. Reeves eventually found his way to the microphone to declare, "I think that John Grimek is the greatest bodybuilder who ever lived!"

While there was no contest held in 1949, behind the scenes, members of the Strength and Health League were arranging the formation of the National Amateur Body-Builders' Association or NABBA. NABBA announced that it would be hosting the Mr Universe contest again in 1950. Steve Reeves returned to England to be crowned champion that year. Despite being the first NABBA Mr Universe, Steve Reeves was not chosen as the silhouette for the NABBA logo. That distinction would go to John Grimek and his likeness is still used to this day as the emblem of the association.

When Oscar Heidenstam became the NABBA Secretary in 1955, after a highly successful competitive career, he quickly became the main driving force of not only NABBA but also the Mr Universe contest. Around the same time, a network of area shows in the UK was established to increase membership.

In 1957, the Guadeloupan-French bodybuilder Arthur Robin became the first Black man to win the Mr Universe title.^[2]

The early success of the Mr Universe was underpinned by the support of many of the big names taking part such as John Grimek, Steve Reeves, Reg Park and Bill Pearl. Into the 1960s and 1970s the Mr Universe also became the launching pad for many of the famous bodybuilders of the day such as Arnold Schwarzenegger, Lou Ferrigno, Serge Nubret and many others.

These were the most influential champions, who not only took part, but encouraged others in America and Europe to support the Universe. Their inspiration still encourages many young bodybuilders today.

While the contest was initially only for amateur male bodybuilders, a professional class was added in 1952. The NABBA UK Constitution traditionally defines an amateur as someone who has "never entered and accepted prize money in an advertised professional event." Today NABBA International, the worldwide governing body, offers Pro Cards to the four male height class winners at the Universe Championships and the NABBA World Championships. Between 2011 and 2013 there was no professional Mr. Universe class held as interest had diminished. In 2013 however, following a seven-year absence from competition, Lee Priest returned and won the overall title as an amateur. Following his victory, the NABBA International Council determined that in 2014 the NABBA Professional Division would be reestablished with the inaugural professional contest being the 2014 NABBA World Championships in Belfast, Northern Ireland. In 2014, Dave Titterton won the Professional Mr Universe title in Southport, England.

Women's bodybuilding classes were included from 1968 as Ms Physique and then divided in 1986 into Ms Physique and Ms Figure. The Ms Physique class was discontinued from 2010 at the Universe Championships, however Miss Trained, Athletic, and Toned Figures are now offered.

In 1985, a Junior Mr Universe class was included for men under 21 years. The class was discontinued between 1990 and 1999 but returned in 2000.

In 1991, a Masters Over 40 class was introduced. The inaugural winner was Graeme Lancefield from Australia, narrowly beating NABBA legend John Citrone for the title. A Masters Over 50 class was introduced in 2002 with Mr Universe veteran Ian Lawrence from Scotland capturing the new award.

The NABBA Universe Championships is conducted under the auspices of NABBA UK and its chairman Jim Charles.

A separate competition called IFBB Mr. Universe was organized by the IFBB however, its name was changed to the World Amateur Bodybuilding Championships in 1976.

Judging

The athletes are judged on their symmetry, proportions and the size and clarity of each muscle group. Most of the judging occurs during the day (this is called the pre-judging) before the evening show, the finals.

Winners

Year	Mr. Universe (Professionals)[3]	Mr. Universe (Amateur)[3]	Miss Physique[3]	Miss Trained Figure[3]	Miss Toned Figure[3]	Miss Athletic Figure[3]
1948		John Grimek
1950	Monotosh Roy	Steve Reeves
1951	Manohar Aich	Reg Park
1952	Juan Ferrero	Mohammed Nasr
1953	Arnold Dyson	Bill Pearl
1954	Jim Park	Enrico Thomas
1955	Leo Robert	Mickey Hargitay
1956	Jack Delinger	Ray Schaeffer
1957	Arthur Robin	John Lees
1958	Reg Park	Earl Clark
1959	Bruce Randall	Len Sell
1960	Paul Wynter	Henry Downs
1961	Bill Pearl	Ray Routledge
1962	Len Sell	Joe Abbenda
1963	Abd El Hamid El Gindi[4]	Tom Sansome
1964	Abd El Hamid El Gindi[4]	John Hewlett
1965	Reg Park	Elmo Santiago
1966	Paul Wynter	Chester Yorton		Elizabeth Lamb
1967	Bill Pearl	Arnold Schwarzenegger		Kathleen Winstanley
1968	Arnold Schwarzenegger	Dennis Tinerino		Silvia Hibbert
1969	Arnold Schwarzenegger	Boyer Coe		Jean Galston
1970	Arnold Schwarzenegger	Frank Zane		Christine Zane
1971	Bill Pearl	Ken Waller		Linda Thomas
1972	Frank Zane	Elias Petsas		Christine Charles
1973	Boyer Coe	Chris Dickerson		Jean Galston
1974	Chris Dickerson	Roy Duval		Linda Cheesman
1975	Steve Michalik	Ian Lawrence		Linda Cheesman
1976	Serge Nubret	Shigeru Sugita		Cindy Breakspear
1977	Tony Emmot	Bertil Fox		Bridget Gibbons
1978	Bertil Fox	Dave Johns		Sandra Kong
1979	Bertil Fox	Ahmet Enünlü		Karen Griffiths
1980	Tony Pearson	Bill Richardson		Erika Mes
1981	Robby Robinson	John Brown		Jocelyn Pigeonneau
1982	Edward Kawak	John Brown		Jocelyn Pigeonneau
1983	Edward Kawak	Jeff King		Mary Scott
1984	Edward Kawak	Brian Buchanan		Mary Scott
1985	Edward Kawak	Tim Belknap		Jocelyn Pigeonneau
1986	Lance Dreher	Charles Clairmonte	Monika Steiner	Heidi Thomas
1987	Olev Annus	Basil Francis	Connie McClosky	Sonia Walker
1988	Charles Clairmonte	Victor Terra	Lisa Campbell	Sarah Staunton
1989	Charles Clairmonte	Matt Dufresne	Tatjana Scholl	Tracey Citrone
1990	Charles Clairmonte	Peter Reid	Monika Debatin	Browny OBrien
1991	Victor Terra	Reiner Gorbracht	Ute Geisel	Helen Maderson
1992	Peter Reid	Mustafa Mohammad	Bernadette Price	Anita Lawrence
1993	Edward Kawak	Dennis Francis	Deborah Compton	Ali Slater
1994	John Terilli	Nick van Beeck[5]	Kathy Butler-Corish	Susana Perez
1995	Brian Buchanan	Grant Clemesha[5]	Kathy Butler-Corish	Susana Perez
1996	Shaun Davis	Chris Hoshi	Billie Kaine	Pina Theodoridis
1997	Eddy Ellwood	Grant Thomas	Patricia Veldmann	Jasraj Bhadana Gujjar
1998	Eddy Ellwood	Gary Lister	Julia Abel	Pina Theodoridis
1999	Eddy Ellwood	Franco Malè	Taylor Young	Giovanna Rosa
2000	Eddy Ellwood	Sergei Ogorodnikov	Olga Tikhonova	Giovanna Rosa
2001	Eddy Ellwood	Steffen Müller	Anja Timmer	Giovanna Rosa
2002	Gary Lister	Costantino Galeazzo	Claudia Bianchi	Giovanna Rosa
2003	Gary Lister	Hassan Al Saka	Olga Tikhonova	Cherie Loomes
2004	Hassan Al Saka	Steve Sinton	Sandra Waterschoot	Lorena Bucci
2005	Sergei Ogorodnikov	Charles Mario	Desiree Dumpel	Andrea Carvalho
2006	Steve Sinton	Tomáš Bureš	Olga Tikhonova	Silvia Finocchi Ferreira
2007	Orazio Salvatori	Orazio Salvatori	Alina Popa	Andrea Carvalho
2008	Alessandro Savi	Lionel Beyeke	Vivian Hijikema	Maria Stukova
2009	Alexey Netesanov[6]	Martin Kasal	Larissa Cunha	Dora Rodrigues
2010	Charles Mario	Miha Zupan	Valentyna Yefyemchuk	Flora Conte
2011	Sangram Chougule	Paulo Lima Santos		Maria Kuzmina	Maria Tereza Mendonca Pintya
2012	Sangram Chougule	Andy Polhill		Maria Kuzmina	Nicola Bentham
2013	Lepomir Bakić	Lee Priest		Flora Conte	Nicola Bentham
2014	Dave Titterton	Barny Du Plessis		Dora Rodrigues	Charlotte MacGill
2015	Tony Mount	Paul Stewart		Daria Diossi	Alex Larkin
2016	Tony Mount[7]	Fabian Mayr[8]		Emma Gormley	Amy Wilson
2017	Shaun Joseph-Tavernier[9]	Lee Seung Chul[3]		Gemma Lancaster	Natasha Novak	Lee Tae Hee[3]
2018	Lee Seung Chul[3]	Loughlin Gannon[3]		Jekaterina Übelacker	Natalia Jaremko	Christine Scerri[3]
2019	Josh Maley[10]	Jack Brooker[3]		Ilaria Armeni	Gabriela Dezan	Ana Carla Ceron
2020	These editions of the competition were not held due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021
2022	Petr Kovář[3]	Daniel Glamm [3]		Emma Thackray	Lisa Capper	Tracy Hutchinson
2023	Petr Kovář	Klaus Drescher		Elodie Moore	Kelsey Yung	Aurélie Moreau

References

External links

• Full Winners List at NABBA
• Complete Results - Amateur Men
• Complete Results - Amateur Women
• Complete Results - Pro Men
• www.nabba.co.uk
• www.nabba-international.com/