IT WAS THE BEGINNING OF BODYBUILDING

Organized bodybuilding started in Lithuania in the sixth decade of last century. People liked bodybuilding and the movement spread through the country. Athletes were improving results and began taking part in contests in Lithuania (1965), in Poland (1968). In 1966 the city of Vilnius held international competitions where dominated Lithuanian bodybuilders A.PRICAS, A.PATACKAS, A.RAMANAUSKAS, K.ALSHAUSKAS as well as Russians G.BALDIN and I.PETRUCHIN (both from Moscow). It was Poland and Czechoslovakia that influenced bodybuilding in Lithuania as well as in the USSR. Bodybuilding in these countries stared earlier. From them athletes from Eastern countries were getting sport and methodical information. Poland and Czechoslovakia first in East Europe started international contests. Lithuania was after them and soon at the end of sixties was organizing international events too. Quite a long time bodybuilding contests in East Europe consisted of two parts: power athletic and posing. Power athletic contests often varied: bench press, squats, chins, biceps curls, running 100 yards, jumping and measuring biceps's. JUOZAS JUSEVICHUS, VYTAUTAS ZUMERIS and VYTAUTAS JANKAUSKAS were active enthusiasts of those times in Lithuania. The first national bodybuilding president in Lithuania was VYTAUTAS ZUMERIS (sport doctor, now working with national Olympic team). Ending the first decade of national bodybuilding the names of RYTIS MACIJAUSKAS, P.BIELIUNAS, R.ZUJUS, SAJUS KRUPNIKAS (all from Kaunas city) and CHESLAVAS TAMULEVICHUS, LEONAS PIVORIUNAS (from Vilnius city) were among the top athletes of the time. First goals were optimistic but then came the prohibition of bodybuilding in the USSR and Lithuania. Bodybuilding was a "Western" kind of sport and it was not liked by Communists. The prohibition stopped the development of bodybuilding for twenty years but it made this sport even more popular among people. We started fighting for the recognition of bodybuilding - wrote letters to the main political news papers, addressing highest sport officials. Even more - we went to Communist party leaders in Moscow. Bodybuilding was not recognized but we got a possibility to make international contests in Baltic states. That were "Amber Prix - International"in organized Klaipeda (Lithuania) by EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS and GEORG TENNO MEMORIAL in Tallinn (Estonia) organized by INNAR MARDO. For twenty years these contests were the only one regular international events in the USSR. The best bodybuilders were seeking top places in the contests every year as the contests were unofficial USSR bodybuilding championships. In 1972 in a doubtful situation the successful president of Lithuanian bodybuilding VYTAUTAS JUSEVICHUS was changed by ROMANAS KALINAUSKAS. Though R.KALINAUSKAS ruled local bodybuilding for twenty years, he always lacked the courage to make strong decisions. Famous "perestroika" times were coming. Bodybuilders had no chances to communicate with Western countries, attend events that were held there. Having no choice we turned to East Europe. Lithuanian athletes often participated in international competitions in Poland, Czechoslovakia, DDR and Hungary. Until the recognition of bodybuilding in the USSR (1987) Lithuanians played a sufficient role in the development of bodybuilding. Athletes always were among leaders, officials took high positions in the USSR Commissions and Institutions. The famous bodybuilders of the time were JEVGENIJ GORELIK, RISHARD KRINICKIJ, JEVGENIJ ZHURCEV, OLEGAS ZHURAS, ROLANDAS BUCINSKAS, RAIMONDAS PETRAITIS, VALENTINAS VANDYS, ALBERTAS BESAKIRSKAS, IGOR KARPEC, VLADAS KAPCEVICHUS, VINCAS DUBICKAS, ALGIS IVANAUSKAS, RAIMONDAS IVANAUSKAS, STASYS CUKANOVAS, HENRIKAS PUPELIS, RIMONTAS MAZHIONIS and many others. The victories of the Lithuanian athletes were crowned by VIKTORAS JUCYS from Klaipeda, when in 1988 he became over-all winner of the first official USSR bodybuilding Cup in Leningrad. In 1988 the USSR entered IFBB federation. The first participation was a big one - IFBB World Championship in Australia. All were preparing hard to do the best, including VIKTORAS JUCYS. Learning that R.KALINAUSKAS was not included in the delegation to Australia, Lithuanian top officials "lost" passports of the Lithuanian athletes. VIKTORAS JUCYS and other athletes waited until last minute in the airport, but finally had to go home with nothing.