WORLD BODY BUILDING FEDERATION (WBBF)

[Secretary_International]

W.F.F. – International / W.B.B.F. – International
International Amateur "UNIVERSE" Championship
Overview of Overall Winners
(2000–2026)
During the twenty-seven-year period from 2000 to 2026, the W.F.F. – International / W.B.B.F. – International Amateur "UNIVERSE" Championship has established itself as one of the world's most prestigious events in amateur bodybuilding, fitness, and aerobic fitness. The results achieved over these years reflect not only the highest level of athletic excellence but also the significant contribution of many nations to the development of these sports.
Throughout this period, Overall Winner titles were won by athletes representing more than twenty countries from Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. The highest number of victories was achieved by athletes from Russia, while Lithuania, Poland, Latvia, Argentina, and Slovakia also ranked among the most successful nations. In recent years, Lithuania and Poland have emerged as the leading countries in the Championship.
In the Men's Overall category, Alexander Nevsky (Russia–USA) achieved an exceptional record by winning the Overall Champion title three consecutive times (2010–2012). This remains a unique achievement in the history of the Amateur "UNIVERSE" Championship.
In the Women's Overall category, Marina Burinskaja (Latvia), Yamila Vanessa Toledo (Argentina), and Olga Bogacz (Poland) each won two Overall titles. Olga Bogacz became the most recent repeat champion by securing consecutive victories in 2025 and 2026.
In the Aerobic Fitness Overall category, Jolanta Mileriūtė (Lithuania) and Alina Olefirenko (Ukraine) each captured the Overall title twice, becoming the most successful athletes in this discipline.
Lithuanian athletes have demonstrated remarkable consistency throughout the history of the Championship. During the 2000–2026 period, they won Overall titles in all three divisions—Men, Women, and Aerobic Fitness. Particularly impressive were the recent achievements: Gintarė Staliulionytė won the Aerobic Fitness Overall title in 2024, Marija Steponavičiūtė in 2023, Akvilė Šarkaitė in 2022, Karina Radziabova in 2021, and Piotr Ševčenko became the Men's Overall Champion in 2026. These results confirm the strength of the Lithuanian bodybuilding and fitness school and its ability to prepare athletes capable of competing successfully at the highest international level.
The 2026 Championship once again confirmed the dominance of the Baltic States and Poland. The Overall Champions were Piotr Ševčenko (Lithuania), Olga Bogacz (Poland), and Weronika Schreiber (Poland). Their victories reflect the current trends in international amateur bodybuilding and fitness and demonstrate the growing competitiveness of athletes from this region.
Conclusions
• During the period from 2000 to 2026, the Amateur "UNIVERSE" Championship maintained its position as one of the most prestigious international events in amateur bodybuilding, fitness, and aerobic fitness.
• Overall Champions represented more than twenty countries, demonstrating the truly international character and global reach of W.F.F. – International and W.B.B.F. – International.
• Although Russian athletes accumulated the highest number of Overall titles, the last decade has clearly been marked by the rapid rise of Lithuania, Poland, and the other Baltic countries.
• Alexander Nevsky remains the only athlete in Championship history to win the Men's Overall title three consecutive times.
• Lithuanian athletes have established an outstanding legacy within W.F.F. – International / W.B.B.F. – International by consistently winning Overall titles across different divisions and strengthening the international prestige of the organization.
• The results of the 2026 Championship confirm that the Baltic States and Poland are currently among the strongest regions in international amateur bodybuilding and fitness.
INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR "UNIVERSE" CHAMPIONSHIP
OVERALL WINNERS
(2000–2026)
Year Men Overall Winner Women Overall Winner Aerobic Fitness Overall Winner
2026 Piotr Ševčenko (Lithuania) Olga Bogacz (Poland) Weronika Schreiber (Poland)
2025 Toru Fukutomi (Japan) Olga Bogacz (Poland) Nina Jachimkowska (Poland)
2024 Maris Sveiduks (Latvia) Jelena Bitineva (Latvia) Gintarė Staliulionytė (Lithuania)
2023 Aleksej Lapsin (Estonia) Anna Sobolewska Kucharska (Poland) Marija Steponavičiūtė (Lithuania)
2022 Dmitrij Antonov (Russia) Marija Sivkova (Russia) Akvilė Šarkaitė (Lithuania)
2021 Roman Polshin (Estonia) Hanna Skytta (Finland) Karina Radziabova (Lithuania)
2020 Michail Malek (Russia) Olesia Kondratova (Vietnam) Alisa Klimova (Russia)
2019 Nikolaj Vorobjov (Russia) Alisa Klimova (Russia) Farreyra Maryangeles (Argentina)
2018 Golap Rabha (India) Evelina Stulginskaitė (Lithuania) Nerina Broggia (Argentina)
2017 Freddy Gaston Van Puenbroeck (Belgium) Willeke Marles Hoornaert (Belgium) Julija Gerasimova (Russia)
2016 Marosz Kanas (Slovakia) Yamila Vanessa Toledo (Argentina) Marieta Zigalova (Slovakia)
2015 Andrej Rumiancev (Estonia) Julia Glazyceva (Russia) Nikola Szydlowska (Poland)
2014 Andrzej Rak (Poland) Valentina Kozlovskaja (Belarus) Viktoria Kildiashova-Rang (Russia)
2013 Andrzej Brzezinski (Poland) Dalvaniza Aquino (Brazil) Miriam Zigalova (Slovakia)
2012 Alexander Nevsky (Russia–USA) Yamila Vanessa Toledo (Argentina) Julija Grisanova (Belarus)
2011 Alexander Nevsky (Russia–USA) Fernanda Youglar (Argentina) Klaudija Korpan (Poland)
2010 Alexander Nevsky (Russia–USA) Tracey Lee Gottschalk (South Africa) Alina Olefirenko (Ukraine)
2009 Aleksandr Vladimirov (England–Lithuania) Irina Valette Fedoruk (France) Lenka Borutova Cervena (Czech Republic)
2008 Dayo Audi (England) Fernandez Alexandra Ximena Aguiar (Uruguay) Alina Olefirenko (Ukraine)
2007 Roman Dubovickij (Russia) Irina Riabova (Russia) Zaneta Balsewicz (Poland)
2006 Rosalia Dutra de Campos* (Argentina) Antonio Osta* (Uruguay) Silvia Malachovska (Slovakia)
2005 Aleksandr Baldin (Russia) Rachel Kauppila (Finland) Jolanta Mileriūtė (Lithuania)
2004 Konstantin Zacharov (Russia) Marina Burinskaja (Latvia) Jana Vodickova (Czech Republic)
2003 Jurij Karsetjan (Latvia) Ripert Marie-Pierre Dominique (France) Sirvanian Renata Kevork (Bulgaria)
2002 Franco Carlotto (Switzerland) Irina Zincenko (Russia) Julija Kukina (Latvia)
2001 Mindaugas Kvasys (Lithuania) Svetlana Pugacheva (Russia) Jolanta Mileriūtė (Lithuania)
2000 Massimo Monaco (Italy) Marina Burinskaja (Latvia) Romina Paoli (Italy)
More information is on international site www.wff.lt

[Secretary_International]

60 Years of Lithuanian Bodybuilding:
What Has Truly Become History?
The year 2025 marked the 60th anniversary of organized bodybuilding in Lithuania. This milestone provides a unique opportunity to look back on the development of the sport not through emotions or personal memories, but from a historical perspective.
Over six decades, Lithuanian bodybuilding has experienced periods of rapid growth, complete prohibition during the Soviet era, underground activity, the challenges of restoring international recognition after the country's independence, and ultimately worldwide recognition. These historical stages have already been described in numerous publications. This time, however, it is worth asking a different question.
After sixty years, which events have genuinely become milestones in the history of Lithuanian bodybuilding? Which competitions have left a lasting mark rather than remaining merely important sporting events of their time? Which achievements have contributed to promoting Lithuania around the world, and which have gradually faded into history?
Time itself usually provides the answer.
The "Amber Prix" Phenomenon
The first event that deserves mention is the International "Amber Prix" Tournament, first organized in Klaipėda in 1967.
Nearly six decades have passed. Political systems have changed, federations have been established and dissolved, competition rules have evolved, and several generations of athletes have come and gone. Yet the tournament has remained.
Today, the Amber Prix is not only Lithuania's oldest bodybuilding competition but also one of the oldest continuously organized traditional bodybuilding tournaments in the world.
Over the years, thousands of athletes from dozens of countries have competed on its stage. For many of them, the Amber Prix became the gateway to international bodybuilding, while for Lithuania it became an opportunity to demonstrate its ability to organize world-class sporting events.
Its greatest strength has been continuity. In historical terms, continuity is one of the most important measures of significance.
The "Komsomol Cup" – A Competition of Its Era
Another important chapter began in 1979 with the introduction of the Komsomol Cup in Kaunas.
During the Soviet period, it was among the most prestigious bodybuilding competitions held in Lithuania. The strongest athletes of the time competed there, and the event enjoyed considerable recognition within the Soviet sports system.
History, however, judges more than popularity during a particular period. Several decades later, one naturally asks how many people still remember the winners, their achievements, or the competition's influence on international bodybuilding. Time inevitably distinguishes between events that become enduring historical landmarks and those that remain symbols of a particular era.
Independence Opens the Door to the World
The restoration of Lithuania's independence created entirely new opportunities.
In 1996, 1997, and 1998, Lithuania hosted government-supported NABBA European Championships in Klaipėda, Vilnius, and Palanga, followed by the WFF World Championship in 1998.
These were the first international bodybuilding events of such scale organized in independent Lithuania.
The competitions received extensive coverage in the country's largest newspapers, including Respublika and Lietuvos Rytas. Reports were broadcast by Lithuanian National Television, LNK Television, and Eurosport, while special magazines were published and distributed both in Lithuania and abroad.
It was during this period that Lithuania established its reputation as a capable organizer of major international bodybuilding championships.
World Championships That Changed Perceptions
Lithuanian bodybuilding reached an even higher level between 2004 and 2008, when Vilnius hosted the WFF-WBBF Amateur and Professional World Championships, supported by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania.
These championships became historic not only because of their size but also because of their innovations.
In 2004, for the first time in bodybuilding history, a World Championship was broadcast live over the Internet worldwide. Today such broadcasts are commonplace, but at that time this represented a remarkable technological breakthrough.
The 2005 World Championship attracted 742 athletes, making it one of the largest bodybuilding championships ever organized.
Another unique feature was the presentation of genuine diamonds to the overall champions—a distinction virtually unprecedented in the history of international bodybuilding.
Each championship was accompanied by the publication of 10,000 full-color magazines and 3,000 DVD documentaries, distributed free of charge during international competitions across many countries. This became an effective long-term effort to promote Lithuania internationally.
Anniversary “Amber Prix” Tournaments
Special recognition should also be given to the anniversary editions of the Amber Prix.
The 40th International “Amber Prix” became an event of national significance. It received financial support from the Government of the Republic of Lithuania, while the Parliament allocated dedicated funding through the national budget.
Lithuanian National Television produced a special documentary report.
Professor Alfred Gerstl, President of the Austrian Parliament, sent to Klaipėda an original collection of photographs of his former student, Arnold Schwarzenegger, together with a documentary film about Schwarzenegger's path to international fame. The exhibition was presented during the tournament, while the documentary was shown before the competitions began.
A trilingual commemorative magazine and a documentary DVD were subsequently presented at numerous international bodybuilding events around the world. Articles about the tournament appeared in sports publications in England, Austria, Argentina, and Russia.
The 50th International “Amber Prix” received equally remarkable international attention.
One of its greatest achievements was a feature broadcast by the global television network CNN, introducing Lithuanian bodybuilding to millions of viewers worldwide—an exceptional accomplishment for any sporting event organized in Lithuania.
Is the Title "World Championship" Enough?
In recent years, Lithuania has continued to host international bodybuilding competitions.
For example, an IFBB World Championship was organized in Kėdainiai. However, it received virtually no coverage in the national press or on television, attracted little public attention, and generated almost no lasting documentary record.
This observation is not intended to diminish the sporting value of that championship. Rather, it raises an important historical question:
Is the official title of "World Championship" alone sufficient to make an event historically significant?
Probably not.
History remembers far more than official titles.
It remembers events that become visible to society, receive international recognition, leave documentary evidence, are reported by the media, preserved in books and films, and continue to be remembered decades later.
Looking Toward the Future
In 2027, Klaipėda will host the 60th International “Amber Prix” Tournament.
This will be much more than another annual competition.
It will celebrate sixty consecutive years of uninterrupted history.
The 2026 tournament attracted nearly 300 athletes from ten countries, demonstrating that the event continues to enjoy strong international recognition.
A comprehensive 400-page history of the “Amber Prix” is currently being prepared in Lithuanian, English, and Russian. The publication will include archival documents, rare photographs, historical articles, personal recollections, and previously unpublished materials collected over six decades.
Former champions, sports veterans, international federation officials, public figures, and representatives of the highest institutions of the Republic of Lithuania are expected to attend the anniversary celebration.
It will provide an appropriate opportunity to honor everyone whose dedication has contributed to the history of Lithuanian bodybuilding.
Conclusions
Sixty years is a sufficient period to evaluate Lithuanian bodybuilding objectively.
The historical significance of any sporting event is determined not merely by its official status, the federation under which it was organized, or the number of participants. Its true value is measured by continuity, international recognition, public visibility, documentary legacy, and its ability to remain part of collective memory.
During the past six decades, Lithuania has hosted hundreds of bodybuilding competitions. Most were important to their participants and meaningful in their own time. Yet only a small number have become historical landmarks that transcend sport itself.
Such events strengthen a nation's sporting prestige, shape its international reputation, and become an enduring part of its cultural heritage.
For this reason, the upcoming 60th International “Amber Prix” Tournament represents much more than another bodybuilding competition. It symbolizes the entire history of Lithuanian bodybuilding and demonstrates that lasting achievements are built not upon isolated victories but upon decades of dedicated work, continuity of tradition, international cooperation, and respect for history.
Perhaps this is the most important lesson learned from sixty years of Lithuanian bodybuilding: history is not created by titles alone, but by achievements that withstand the test of time and become part of a nation's lasting sporting heritage.
More information is on international site www.wff.lt

[Secretary_International]

NABBA in Lithuania: A History That Has Yet to Be Repeated
Today, NABBA, the world's oldest bodybuilding organization, unites approximately twenty active national associations across the globe. Lithuania occupies a far more significant place in NABBA's history than is often remembered. Over the past four decades, the relationship between Lithuania and NABBA has extended far beyond sporting competitions—it has been closely connected with the international recognition of the restored Lithuanian state and the establishment of independent sports organizations after the country's restoration of independence.
Even if the current President of NABBA International were unexpectedly replaced today by a representative from Lithuania, such an event would hardly equal the historical significance of what took place between 1991 and 2005. During those years, Lithuania became one of the most prominent and influential NABBA member nations in Europe.
The People Who Created Lithuania's NABBA Legacy
When discussing the most important chapters of Lithuania's NABBA history, three names stand out above all others: Dr. Edmundas Daubaras, Natalija Murnikovienė, and Rolandas Bučinskas.
Dr. Edmundas Daubaras was the principal architect of Lithuania's independent bodybuilding organization and the driving force behind its international relations. Natalija Murnikovienė and Rolandas Bučinskas became the first Lithuanian athletes to win NABBA European Championship titles, permanently establishing Lithuania's place in the organization's history.
Naturally, many athletes, coaches, officials, and organizers contributed to the development of Lithuanian bodybuilding. However, these three individuals were directly associated with events whose significance extended beyond sport into the political and international spheres.
The Road to International Recognition
Between 1989 and 1990, Lithuanian bodybuilding leaders sought independent international recognition for the newly restored Republic of Lithuania within the global bodybuilding community.
After several years of unsuccessful efforts to secure Lithuania's independent membership in the IFBB, Dr. Edmundas Daubaras met with the federation's president Ben Weider in New York in 1990. During that meeting, he was informed that the IFBB would support Moscow's position and would not recognize Lithuania as an independent member federation.
Faced with this refusal, Dr. Daubaras turned to another international organization. He established contact with NABBA President Oscar Heidenstam, who not only invited Lithuanian athletes to compete in the European Championships in Épinal, France, but also expressed support for Lithuania's aspiration to become an independent member of NABBA.
The process also received significant support from the Lithuanian government. The first Minister of Sport of the restored Republic of Lithuania, Algirdas Raslanas, together with later ministers Vitas Nėnius and Kęstutis Skrebys, Vice-Minister Rimas Girskis, and Respublika newspaper editor Vytas Tomkus, all contributed to creating the conditions that enabled Lithuanian bodybuilding to establish itself internationally.
The First Independent Bodybuilding Organization
In May 1991, with the support of Minister Algirdas Raslanas, the Lithuanian National Bodybuilding Association (LNBA), commonly known as "Lithuanian NABBA," was officially registered with the Ministry of Justice.
It became the first officially registered bodybuilding organization in independent Lithuania.
At the same time, the former Lithuanian SSR Bodybuilding Federation continued to operate, maintaining its traditional ties with Soviet sporting structures. Consequently, the establishment of the Lithuanian National Bodybuilding Association represented not merely the creation of another sports federation, but an important step in building the sporting institutions of the restored Lithuanian state.
NABBA Recognized the Republic of Lithuania
One of the most significant historical facts is that the Lithuanian National Bodybuilding Association became a member of NABBA before the August 1991 coup attempt in Moscow.
At that time, many international sports federations hesitated to recognize Lithuania's independence or admit it as a separate member. NABBA was among the very first international sporting organizations to officially recognize the Republic of Lithuania and to issue formal documentation confirming that recognition to the National Olympic Committee of Lithuania.
This decision carried not only sporting significance but also political importance, demonstrating international support for Lithuania's restored independence.
The First European Champions
International recognition was soon followed by sporting success.
Natalija Murnikovienė and Rolandas Bučinskas became NABBA European Champions, earning some of the first major international bodybuilding titles won by athletes representing the restored Republic of Lithuania.
Their victories demonstrated that Lithuanian athletes were capable of competing successfully against Europe's strongest competitors despite the extraordinary political and economic challenges facing their newly independent country.
Lithuania Becomes a European NABBA Centre
In 1996, 1997, and 1998, Lithuania hosted three consecutive NABBA European Championships—in Klaipėda, Vilnius, and Palanga.
This represented an exceptional achievement not only in Lithuanian bodybuilding but also in NABBA history. Very few countries have been entrusted with organizing three European Championships within such a short period.
Even more importantly, the 1997 and 1998 Championships were broadcast internationally by “Eurosport”, introducing Lithuania to millions of television viewers throughout Europe and demonstrating the country's organizational capabilities on the international stage.
Has Anything Comparable Happened Since?
Over more than three decades of independence, Lithuanian bodybuilding has achieved numerous outstanding sporting successes in various international federations. Lithuanian athletes have become European and World Champions, earned professional status, and represented their country with distinction in prestigious international competitions.
However, when one considers the entire historical picture—the establishment of the first independent bodybuilding organization, international recognition of Lithuania, official membership in NABBA, the country's first European Championship titles, and the organization of three NABBA European Championships—few, if any, periods in Lithuanian bodybuilding history can compare with the achievements of 1991–1998.
During those years, bodybuilding became more than simply a sport. It also served as a means of demonstrating to the international community that the restored Republic of Lithuania existed as an independent nation, capable of participating in and contributing to the world's sporting institutions.
Conclusions
More than three decades later, it can be objectively concluded that Lithuania's NABBA history forms an integral part of the sporting history of the restored Republic of Lithuania.
The achievements of 1991–1998 were significant not merely because of medals won. They reflected Lithuania's determination to become an independent member of the international sporting community, strengthened the country's international reputation, and demonstrated that even a relatively small nation could become an important partner within a major international sports organization.
History is ultimately measured not by titles or positions held today, but by actions that changed the course of events. In the history of NABBA, it was the achievements of this remarkable period that established Lithuania's name within the international bodybuilding community and secured its place as one of the most important chapters in the history of Lithuanian bodybuilding.
More information is on international site www.wff.lt