Bronze for Victor Manuel Rubio in the Mister Universe

Orihuela, the home of many famous sportsmen, is in the news again since bodybuilder Víctor Manuel Rubio earned the bronze medal at the Mr. Universe bodybuilding competition. Rubio, who has won many times in this area, came in third at the WABBA International gala in Salou.

400 people from all over the world

The athlete started this experience after winning both the regional competition in the Valencian Community and the national championship. He says it was both intense and exciting. This competition happens every year in a new spot around the world. This year, it was in Tarragona, Spain, where about 400 people from places like Finland, England, and Norway came to compete.

Top 3 Master +40

In this division, the Orihuela athlete had to compete against eight other athletes at the same time on the same stage. The judges had to look at nine contestants in under three minutes. They had to keep turning 360 degrees to the right. The experts looked at the profile, rib cage, back, front, and biceps to see if the muscular mass, density, and symmetry were all up to par.

Rubio made it to the Top 5 in the first round, but two people were eliminated, leaving a Top 3. A Sevillian came in second and an Orihuela athlete came in third. “On a personal level, it’s a huge joy because I was competing against people who were 10 years younger than me. Rubio adds, “The difference in muscle quality can be very clear, but the fact that I was ahead of many young people at 52 years old makes me very happy because it means that when you do things right, the work and effort always pay off.”

Won national championships and made it to the Arnold Classic final

The Orihuela native has been bodybuilding for 25 years and started competing 17 years ago. He has won big championships like the 2017 Spanish and Valencian Community Championships and finished fourth in the 2021 Arnold Classic, among other things. In 2021, he also won the Fortius Award for Master Athlete of the Year in Orihuela.

Rubio claims he dreamed of becoming a bodybuilder since he was a child and watched bodybuilding events on TV with great interest. “My life has always been linked to sports, and I was fascinated watching international bodybuilders.” One day, almost without thinking, I tried it out to see if I had the necessary conditions to commit to it. I discovered a coach who taught me how important it is to be consistent in this world. From that point on, I knew I had to work hard on my nutrition and training to reach my goals.

Nutrition is a very important part of this way of life.

“The truth is, it’s a hard life where you live for and through the sport.” Nutrition is very important for bodybuilders because it accounts for 80% of our results. The Orihuela native says, “The other 20% is the gym and rest.” He says that in this way, the support and understanding of those around sportsmen is very important because they don’t have a lot of social life: “We need to be mentally very strong, and for that, we need family and friends to understand that this is our livelihood.” I am really lucky to have my family and friends behind me since I wouldn’t have been able to keep going without them.

Rubio tells anyone who want to be bodybuilders that they need to take it seriously from the start if they really want to do it: “Consistency, consistency, and consistency.” There is no other way. “People who are unsure should give it a shot.” He goes on to say that this way of life won’t hurt them because exercise and decent nutrition are important for health and they will have a better quality of life.

The Orihuela native is certain about his next challenge: “It’s all about setting your mind to it,” he adds. He also thinks he might compete again in the Mr. Universe pageant in the future. “For now, I’m happy with this podium finish because I’m still excited about the news. But I know I’ll keep moving forward in this world because bodybuilding isn’t just a sport; it’s a way of life,” he says.