TOP 5 TEENAGE BODYBUILDING ATLETHES IN HISTORY
NUMBER 1
Harold poole
- Full Name: Harold Poole
Date of Birth: December 25th, 1943
In high school in Indianapolis, Indiana, when Poole didn't have a football game, track meet or wrestling match, he excelled in bodybuilding contests, winning the 1960 Jr. Mr. Indiana at 16. Thinking big, Poole wanted to be the first black Mr. America and to do so as a teen. He placed 18th in 1960 Mr. A. By the following year, at only 17, he contended for the title, finishing a stunning fourth. He probably deserved better. Ironman reported of Poole, "... he had the most outstanding physique from the standpoint of shape, development, definition and general overall proportion." Sounds like the winner. He did win four open contests at 17: Mr. Indiana, Mr. Mid States, Jr. Mr. America and Mr. Ohio Valley.
At 18, 5'10" 200-pound Poole added four overall trophies to his collection: Mr. Northern Indiana, Mr. Chicago Park District, Mr. Tri States and Mr. North America. And, before graduating from high school, he was second in the 1962 Mr. America, nabbing the "most muscular" prize. One report said it would be "hard to find a flaw" in his physique and the only thing keeping him from the title was "a slight speech impediment." Read between those lines, for no black man had won the AAU Mr. America until Chris Dickerson in 1970. At the 1963 Mr. America, Poole again received the "most muscular" trophy, but again was "awarded" second, just as he was in the AAU Teen Mr. America.
Poole then crossed over to the more egalitarian IFBB and promptly won the 1963 Mr. Universe, defeating Larry Scott. Poole was only 19 and Mr. Universe. The following year, at 20, he won the IFBB Mr. America (the first black man to hold that title in any organization), and the year after that, he was runner-up to Scott in the inaugural Mr. Olympia. At 21, Poole remains the youngest man to ever compete in bodybuilding's ultimate event, and he nearly won it each of its initial three years. He made a comeback years later but, like seven others on our list, never won an IFBB pro show, and yet, we now celebrate Harold Poole as the greatest teenage bodybuilder of all time.
NUMBER 2
Casey viator
- Born: September 4, 1951
- Birthplace: Lafayette, Los Angeles
- Residence: Indian Rocks Beach, Florida
- Height: 5' 10"
- Weight: 240 lbs
- Arms: 22"
- Chest: 58"
- Waist: 32"
- Thighs: 29"
- Calves: 20,5"
Growing up in southern Louisiana, Viator was 13 when he inherited a barbell set. When he outgrew his home gym, he first joined an Olympic weightlifting center and then a bodybuilding emporium. Soon thereafter, he showed off his results, winning the junior division of the 1968 Mr. New Orleans and placing third in the Open contest where he also took home awards for "best arms," "best legs" and "most muscular." He was 16. The following year, at 17, he was sixth in the Teen Mr. America. In 1970, when he was training with fellow Louisianian Boyer Coe, 18-year-old Viator burst into the bodybuilding big time. Amazingly, he placed third out of 29 in the Mr. America and won "best arms," "best chest" and "best back." Over the following two months, he added two overall titles: Teen Mr. America and Mr. USA.
In 1971, he triumphed at the Jr. Mr. America as a mere warm-up for the big show. Then, on June 12, 1971, in York, Pennsylvania, Viator easily defeated 32 others to win the Mr. America. Not blessed with wide clavicles, he packed a rocky 217 pounds on his 5'8" frame and took every best bodypart award except abs. At 19, he was the youngest Mr. America winner ever. Then he disappered. After returning in 1978, he won three pro contests in '80 and finished third in the '82 Mr. Olympia, but, at 31, the enigmatic Viator again vanished from the scene shortly thereafter and didn't reappear until the Masters Mr. Olympia 13 years later. Like DiMora's Viator's pro record feels abridged, leaving us to wonder what might have been, and yet it is difficult to imagine any bodybuilder ever accomplishing more onstage before turning 20 than Casey Viator did--except for the one man ahead of him on our honor roll.
NUMBER 3
Arnold Schwarzenegger
- Date of Birth 30 July1947, Thal, Styria, Austria
Birth Name Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger
Nickname Arnie
Austrian Oak
Conan the Republican
Styrian Oak
The Governator
The Running Man
Conan the Governor
Height 6' 2" (1.88 m)
One hot Sunday in July 1962, a skinny 14-year-old met Austrian bodybuilder champ Kurt Marnul, and soon thereafter the eager teen began training under the adult's tutelage at the Athletic Union Graz. Around the time Marnul won the '64 Mr. Austria and 16-year-old Schwarzenegger placed third, the still-skinny pupuil told the teacher, "I'm going to be the best bodybuilder ever." The following year, he won the Mr. Steinermark and, at 18, the 1965 Best Built Junior Athlete of Europe. Already, he was showcasing some of the size and shape that would carry bodybuilding to new heights.
In September 1966, the then 6'2", 230-pound 19-year-old finished second in the tall class of the Mr. Universe, behind overall winner Chester Yorton. Reporting on the contest in Ironman, Oscar Heidenstam prophesied of the teen phenom, "the lad has the potential to be one of the greatest of all time." The following month, the lad won the Best Built International Athlete and Best Built Athlete of Europe (25-year-old Franco Columbu was fourth both times), as well as the heavyweight powerlifting contest in the latter. Two months after turning 20 and weighing in at 245 with 20 1/2" arms, the Austrian Oak unanimously won the 1967 Mr. Universe (second to him in the tall class was 21-year-old Tinerino). In only five years, he had gone further than most men could dream, and yet Arnold Schwarzenegger's phenomenal journey had barely begun.
NUMBER 4
Lee Priest
- Name: Lee Priest
- Location: Venice, California, USA
- Born: July 6, 1972
- Height: 5'4"
- Off Season Weight: 270-285 lbs.
- Competition Weight: 200-225 lbs.
- Training since age 13
- Arms: 20 3/4" (in competition, pumped) to 21 3/4" (off-season, pumped)
Raised by his bodybuilding mother and stepfather in Newcastle, Australia, Priest took up weight training at 13 and set about turning himself from a Clark Kent to something closer to his hero: Superman. In 1986, at 13 and 14, he won the junior divisions of three local contests, competing against older teens. When Priest himself was an older teen, he defeated his continent's best adults. Starting in 1989, when only 17, lightweight Priest won the overall Australian Championships three successive years--an incredible feat of preeminence by a mere teenager.
Interestingly, in the earliest footage, his legs and delts grab attention more than his arms, though the latter would become his strong points. In 1990, at 18, the 5'4" Blond Myth finished fourth in the lightweight class of the World Championships. After journeying to the United States in 1993 with a no-longer-lightweight physique, Priest was conferred a pro card and he made his professional debut while still only 20, placing ninth at the '93 Niagara Falls Pro Invitational. By the following year, the audacious Aussie was a top pro.
Number 5
Shane Dimora
Marital: Status Single
Home: Florida, United States of America
Name: Shane Dimora
Hailing from upstate New York, Dimora took up bodybuilding as a young teen when his family moved to Florida. At 17 in 1984 he won the Teen St. Petersburg. Teen North Florida, Novice North Florida, Teen West Coast Florida and his class at the Teen Nationals (losing the overall to 19-year-old Franco Santoriello). The following year, he won the Teen Florida and middleweight class of the Teen Nationals (losing the overall to 19-years-old Shawn Ray). Then, in 1986, at age 19, the 5'3" densely developed middleweight completed one of the most shocking sweeps in bodybuilding history, winning not just the Teen Nationals overall, but also his class at both the Jr. Nationals (eight future pros were in that contest, including Ray) and the Nationals (ahead of Santoriello). Twenty-two years latter, his record for earning a pro card at the NPC Nationals as a teenager still stands. At 20 the following year, he placed second in his pro debut. One of the most indomitable amateurs of all time, DiMora competed only four times in the pros and retired from the stage at 25.
Home: Florida, United States of America
Name: Shane Dimora
Hailing from upstate New York, Dimora took up bodybuilding as a young teen when his family moved to Florida. At 17 in 1984 he won the Teen St. Petersburg. Teen North Florida, Novice North Florida, Teen West Coast Florida and his class at the Teen Nationals (losing the overall to 19-year-old Franco Santoriello). The following year, he won the Teen Florida and middleweight class of the Teen Nationals (losing the overall to 19-years-old Shawn Ray). Then, in 1986, at age 19, the 5'3" densely developed middleweight completed one of the most shocking sweeps in bodybuilding history, winning not just the Teen Nationals overall, but also his class at both the Jr. Nationals (eight future pros were in that contest, including Ray) and the Nationals (ahead of Santoriello). Twenty-two years latter, his record for earning a pro card at the NPC Nationals as a teenager still stands. At 20 the following year, he placed second in his pro debut. One of the most indomitable amateurs of all time, DiMora competed only four times in the pros and retired from the stage at 25.
