“What a Great Training Partner”: Arnold Schwarzenegger Remembers His Best Friend of ‘55 Years’, the 1981 Mr. Olympia Winner on His Birthday, Who Sadly Passed Away in 2019

Bodybuilding legend Arnold Schwarzenegger might have achieved all the success in the world, but when he was simply a novice, only a few were there to support him. One such person was a fellow bodybuilder and his long-time best friend, Franco Columbu. Arnie trained with him since his first job as a gym trainer in Munich, and the duo had remained friends ever since.

Sadly, the Italian athlete passed away in 2019, leaving Arnie heartbroken. Yet he never misses a chance to remember his late buddy on occasions like his birthday. Hence, the legend took to Twitter to share a beautiful video dedicated to Columbu on his birthday yesterday. Even after years of his demise, Arnie’s unequaled love for him remains constant.

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s ode to Franco Columbu

The video edit that Arnold shared was created to emphasize the two-time Mr. Olympia winner’s star-studded life with Arnie, on his birthday. He hadn’t missed including Columbu at every phase of his life and career, from being an IFBB champion to a Hollywood star. They did movies together, were inseparable training partners, and traveled to different corners of the world.

“This was a friend of mine for 55 years!” the 76-year-old pro noted. Marked as a premier bodybuilder under 200 lbs, Columbu held a significant impact in the bodybuilding sphere. Despite his comparatively short stature but jacked proportions, he won the 1976 and 1981 Mr. Olympia.

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Arnie further said in the Twitter post, “What a great training partner he always was. He was right there, he was counting out the reps, and he was competitive.” He expressed his pride in Columbu’s success and revealed that the late boxer-turned-bodybuilder was an inspiration for bodybuilders worldwide. “We miss him dearly,” Arnie expressed in the video while chipping in “Happy Birthday, Franco” in the caption. However, this is not the first time the former athlete is reminiscing about their lifelong friendship. 

Arnold Schwarzenegger treasures his friendship with Franco Columbu

Months ago, The Austrian Oak’s docuseries, Arnold, was released on Netflix, and a segment of it discussed the athlete’s iconic bond with Columbu, his best friend for life. After four years of the latter’s demise, the actor opened up about their relationship. Moreover, he shared a snippet of the part on Twitter with a moving caption.

“I wish that everyone has a friend like Franco,” the caption of the Twitter post read, while the video illustrated how their friendship added value to his life. Arnie never wanted his best friend to be left behind, so he initially urged Joe Weider to invite Columbu to train in America. Soon after Arnie’s Hollywood career took off, he even built up parts for his best buddy in his movies. This way, the duo was inseparable, always looking out for each other.

From dedicating his success to him to hailing him as the best chess partner, Columbu was a core part of Arnie’s life, and the latter has not missed a moment to share it with the world. A friendship for ages to remember!

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