FIHC WORLD PHYSIQUE CHAMPIONS
MR. WORLD - MR. UNIVERSE
Physique contests made their appearance in Europe a few years before they were featured in America, although it wasn't until 1940 that the AAU officially accepted and sponsored the Mr. America physique event, even though two years before the first Mr. America contest took place in Amsterdam, N.Y. Then seven years after the first official Mr. America contest was staged the first Mr. Universe contest became a reality and was part of the World Weightlifting Championships held in Philadelphia. In 1948, as part of the Olympic festivities in London, a Mr. Universe contest was planned, the second in physique history, and was held as part of the first British Empire Lifting Championships. About a week later a Mr. World physique contest was held in France on the Riviera, Steve Reeves winning the title. The '49 World W/L Championships took place at The Hague, but Holland did not hold the physique event . . . in fact, neither the FIH or any other Mr. Universe physique contests were held in 1949. In 1950, however, the two world physique championships took place; the one in London which Reeves won, and the FIH Mr. World contest held in Paris, which was part of the World W/L Championships. John Farbotnik won this event.
The Mr. World title was selected by the FIH organization so as not to be confused with the Mr. Universe title that was being held in London. This latter event is not sanctioned by the FIH (Federation Internationale Halterophile).
It was around this time that the FIH decided to exercise control over these physique events and incorporate them under the FIH rules, which came to be know as the FIHC - or The Federation Internationale Halterophile et Culturiste. However, since all countries affiliated with the FIHC do not favor physique contests, such countries would not hold the physique contest along with the World W/L Championships, so these physique contests are not always held. Then in 1952, Olympic year, the York Barbell Club sponsored a Mr. World contest in Philadelphia under AAU auspices. Jim Park, then the holder of the Mr. America title, also won the Mr. World event that year.
A FIHC physique contest did not materialize in 1953. But in 1954 such a contest did take place in Roubaix, France, as part of a nightclub feature, although the World W/L Championships were held in Vienna, Austria, that year. Tommy Kono, who won his lifting class, won the Mr. World physique title, too. He won again the following year (1955) in Munich, Germany, where the World W/L Championships and the physique contest were staged. 1956 was another Olympic year and a FIHC physique contest did not take place. Then in Tehran, Iran, in 1957, Kono again repeated his physique victory. Stockholm, Sweden, hosted the World W/L Championships in 1958 but refused to hold the physique event. In 1959, however, the World W/L Championships were held in Warsaw, Poland, which did sponsor the physique contest. This time Guy Mierczuk, representing France, won the Mr. World title. No FIHC physique was held in 1960, another Olympic year, but in 1961 Vienna held the World W/L Championships and the physique contest with Kono winning the physique title for the fourth time.
In 1962 Budapest, Hungary, sponsored the World W/L Championships but not the physique contest. The following year, 1963, Stockholm again hosted the World W/L Championships but not the physique event. London, however, decided to hold the FIHC event at the same time and on the same day the NABBA Mr. Universe contest was being staged. This time the physique contest was called the World Physique Championships. El Guindi of Egypt won the title. This winner repeated his victory again the following year (1964) in Paris. Last year (1965), however, Bill March of York won top honors at Tehran, Iran.
The following pages are dedicated to the men that won the FIHC physique championships. MD Staff salutes them all!
PHOTO CAPTIONS
1950 JOHN FARBOTNIK is the only man to win three major physique titles consecutively: the Jr. Mr. America, Mr. America and the Mr. World title in Paris, all during 1950. John first started training at Fritshe's Gym in Philadelphia. During the 40s while he was in service he was stationed around Chicago. Later moved to California where he operated two health clubs. John then moved to Canada and is presently living in the Montreal area where he is still connected with gym operations. Fritshe photo
1954, '55, '57, '61 TOMMY KONO is the only man to enter and win the FIHC Mr. World - Mr. Universe title four times, although he was twice Olympic and several times World Weightlifting champion. At various times he has held National and World lifting records. When he failed to make the '64 Olympic team he opened up a health studio in Hawaii. Recently he gave up this project to coach and train the Mexican weightlifting team in preparation for the coming Olympics to be held in Mexico City. He is presently living there. Chu photo
1959 GUY MIERCZUK, Monte Carlo, France, is the only man to win the Mr. France physique title seven times -- more than any other competitor. In 1959 he was also chosen as Mr. Europe, and the same year annexed the FIHC Mr. Universe title. Guy is muscular with good symmetry. He operates a bodybuilding gym in Monte Carlo where he lives. A complete story about Guy appeared in the 1963 March edition of Strength & Health magazine. D. White photo
1963, '64 EL GUINDI, a shapely, well-developed Egyptian, won his FIHC crown for the first time in London (1963), then the following year repeated his victory again in Paris in 1964. He competed a few times in earlier FIHC events but failed to place among the top three. Through regular and intensified training, however, he was able to improve his overall development and achieve the goal of winning the title. Not once but twice! El Guindi and Tommy Kono are the only ones that won the title more than once. D. Hale photo
1966 BILL MARCH of York, Pa. has been a national weightlifting champion several times and does not include very much bodybuilding in his training. Though he failed to place in the World Lifting Championships in Tehran, Iran, due to a mild case of dysentery, his fans urged him to enter the physique event. This he did but rather reluctantly . . . and won! In 1961, however, in Vienna Bill placed second to Kono in the FIHC event. He also won the Best Built Athlete award - a Mr. Universe medal - in Vienna and Budapest. Bill was the first athlete to experiment with Isometric Contractions and made amazing gains in strength and bodyweight. During the off-season, when he doesn't train heavy, he participates in basketball, swimming, gymnastics and tumbling.