Medals, trophies, and titles are a testimony of years of struggle, sweat, toil, and perseverance for any athlete. And unlike other athletes who prefer to keep their most possessed title to themselves, legendary bodybuilder Arnold Schwarzenegger had given his 1969 Mr. Universe title trophy to his mom. Perhaps that was the last time he saw it until he got his hands on the trophy again in 2018.
Schwarzenegger began bodybuilding in his early teens. With his eyes set on the goal of achieving unprecedented greatness, the future Mr. Olympia was unapologetic in his efforts. Just as he had hoped, he became the youngest to win the Mr. Universe title in 1967. Following that, the Austrian Oak won four Mr. Universe titles. He happened to reunite with the 1969 trophy in an unexpected turn of circumstances, and the former bodybuilding champion couldn’t be happier.
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Arnold Schwarzenegger’s mother gave the trophy away to a random fan
Aurelia Jadrny Schwarzenegger is Arnold’s mother. The Terminator star shared a deep connection with his mother. Though one may question the rationality of giving away a trophy to someone, viewing it from a mother’s perspective makes it feel acceptable.
Today my mother, Aurelia, would have been 100. She was the best mother you can imagine and I’ll always love her. I can’t explain how much she meant to me, but she is the number one reason I won’t call myself self-made. pic.twitter.com/jCXSdx9S2N
— Arnold (@Schwarzenegger) July 29, 2022
Arnold’s mother held great pride in her son’s accomplishments. In the video featuring Arnold reuniting with the trophy, the 5 x Mr. Universe said that his mom would be over the moon when any of his fans visited her. In such a scenario, she was so excited that she gave his trophy away.
“It’s great now to get it back,” Schwarzenegger said as he held the trophy in his hand. He won it in London in 1969. While the reunion is a wonderful thing to be grateful for, how did Arnold find it in the first place?
Schwarzenegger found it while training in a gym in Budapest
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Even at 75, the 7 x Mr. Olympia gives no excuse to skip his workout. As luck would have it, when Schwarzenegger was training in a gym in Budapest, Hungary, he learned that a local weightlifting champion had his missing trophy. Soon after, they got in touch and brought the trophy home.
This just in: @berkelorand tracked down Arnold's original 1969 London Mr. Universe trophy and gave it back to @Schwarzenegger during his Terminator training at #flexgym. Arnold has been without it for decades but they're reunited at last! pic.twitter.com/Ay7bquk8v1
— The Arnold Fans (@TheArnoldFans) August 14, 2018
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Schwarzenegger expressed gratitude to the fan and shared delight at finding the trophy again. What are the odds this could happen to anyone? Isn’t it thrilling to learn about Arnold reuniting with his trophy? Perhaps it is his beloved mother’s love and innocence, which kept the trophy safe and finally reached Arnold’s lap. What do you think? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below!
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