Arnold on First Meeting Sergio Oliva
I rushed to the Mr. Olympia contest. I entered the dressing room the way I’d been going in every place lately, like I was just taking over. Then, for the first time, I saw Sergio Oliva in person. I understood why they called him the Myth. It was jarring, as if I’d walked into a wall. He destroyed me. He was so huge, he was so fantastic, there was no way I could even think of beating him. I admitted defeat and felt some of my pump go away. I tried. But I’d been so taken back by my first sight of Sergio Oliva that I think I settled for second place before we walked out on the stage.
Joe Weider on Sergio Oliva
Sergio, when he was at his peak, was unbelievable. I remember one day we met in Chicago and I invited him to a very sophisticated restaurant and he had to wear a shirt and tie and, sure enough, Sergio came in with his tank top and with his medals in front of him, and I thought they were going to throw all of us out. But not Sergio. They looked at him, the Maître d’ didn’t say a word. The place was quiet; they just stared and stared at him. He was absolutely the most fabulous sight you could imagine- when he was in shape.
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