Biography.guide
Home › People › Weightlifter › Sergio Oliva
Portrait of Sergio Oliva

Sergio Oliva

1941 – 2012

Cuban bodybuilder

Don't just read it — keep itBiographies to ownE-book · Audio · Video From $7 →

About Sergio Oliva

Lived 1941 – 2012 (aged 71). Sergio Oliva was an American and Cuban weightlifter.

Career Oliva won the Mr. Olympia title three years from 1967 to 1969 in a row. He competed at a contest weight of 225–245 lbs. His second title in 1968 was uncontested. In 1969, he won his third consecutive Mr. Olympia by beating four-time Mr. Universe winner Arnold Schwarzenegger. In 1972, Oliva challenged Schwarzenegger again for the year's Olympia in Essen, West Germany. However, he again placed second behind Schwarzenegger.

In 1985, Oliva returned for a final attempt at the Mr. Olympia title. He finished this year in 8th place - repeating his position from the previous year.

Personal life Oliva was a police officer in Chicago from 1976 to 2003. His son, Sergio Oliva Jr., is an IFBB Pro bodybuilder who won the 2015 NPC Nationals bodybuilding competition, and who has since competed on Mr. Olympia, Arnold Classic, and New York Pro stages.

Death Sergio Oliva died on November 12, 2012, in Chicago, Illinois, from apparent kidney failure.

Bodybuilding titles

Biography shop

Don’t just read it —
keep it.

Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.

  • E-book
  • Audio
  • Video
Browse the shop — from $7

Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free

Important facts

People in Sergio Oliva's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Sergio Oliva's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Sergio Oliva?

Cuban bodybuilder (1941–2012)

When was Sergio Oliva born?

Sergio Oliva was born on 4 July 1941 in Pinar del Río.

When did Sergio Oliva die?

Sergio Oliva died on 12 November 2012 in Chicago.

What was Sergio Oliva's occupation?

Sergio Oliva was a weightlifter.

What nationality was Sergio Oliva?

Sergio Oliva was American and Cuban.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Sergio Oliva

· Wikidata: Q954426

· DBpedia: Sergio Oliva

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Sergio Oliva. https://biography.guide/sergio-oliva/

MLA: "Sergio Oliva." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/sergio-oliva/.

Chicago: "Sergio Oliva." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/sergio-oliva/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-25 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Page generated 2026-09-27 05:12 UTC