Roy Callender
| Roy Callender | |
|---|---|
| Bodybuilder | |
| Personal info | |
| Nickname | Barbados Bomber |
| Born | October 31, 1944 Barbados |
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (173 cm) |
| Professional career | |
| Pro-debut | |
| Best win |
|
| Active | 1987 |
Roy Callender is a Barbadian Canadian IFBB Hall of Famer retired professional bodybuilder and professional wrestler.
Early life and career
Callender was born in Barbados to an academician couple. His interest in bodybuilding started by the age of 8 and after moving to England for studying law and from 1967, he began to compete, winning the title Mr Southeast Britain the same year. He became Mr. United Kingdom in 1968.[1] After finishing second in the medium-height class in the NABBA Amateur Universe in 1967, 1969 and 1971, Callender moved to Canada where he won Mr. Canada contest.[2] He retired from competitive bodybuilding afterwards and had a brief role in Dušan Makavejev's experimental black comedy Sweet Movie.
Professional wrestling
Callender started his professional wrestling career in 1974, making his ring debut against Killer Tim Brooks in Montreal.[3] He was promoted with the gimmick "Mr. Universe" in his career and contracted to the promotion Stampede Wrestling, Callender retired by the end of the year 1976 at a match against Keith Hart in Calgary.[4]
Return to bodybuilding
Callender contacted gym owner and photographer Jimmy Caruso to prepare him for a comeback to competitive bodybuilding and on 10 September 1977, Callender, competing for the first time since 1971, won the Canadian Championships in Calgary.[5] He was the winner of the 1979 IFBB Pro Universe, edging out his compatriot Albert Beckles. After competing in Mr. Olympia events for four times and with varying success, he returned to Barbados in 1982.[2] After his fifth Olympia in 1984, he had a hiatus of three years in his native country and after placing seventh at the IFBB Grand Prix in Essen, he retired in 1987.[5]
Later career
Callender returned to Montreal by 1991. He now works as a Gold's Gym master trainer.[2]
Competition history
1967
- Mr Southeast Britain, Winner
- Mr Universe - NABBA, Medium, 2nd
1968
- Mr Southeast Britain, 2nd
- Mr United Kingdom, Winner
- Universe - IFBB, 6th
- Mr World - IFBB, Medium, 2nd
1969
- Mr Universe - NABBA, Medium, 2nd
1970
- Mr World - IFBB, Medium, 2nd
1971
- Mr Universe - NABBA, Medium, 2nd
1977
- Canadian Championships - CBBF, Medium, 1st
- Canadian Championships - CBBF, Overall Winner
- Mr International - IFBB, HeavyWeight, 1st
- Universe - IFBB, MiddleWeight, 1st
1978
- Night of Champions - IFBB, 2nd
- Olympia - IFBB, HeavyWeight, 2nd
- Olympia - IFBB, 3rd
- Professional World Cup - IFBB, 3rd
- Universe - Pro - IFBB, Overall Winner
1979
- Best in the World - IFBB, Professional, 2nd
- Canada Diamond Pro Cup - IFBB, Winner
- Canada Pro Cup - IFBB, Did not place
- Florida Pro Invitational - IFBB, 6th
- Grand Prix Pennsylvania - IFBB, 2nd
- Grand Prix Vancouver - IFBB, Winner
- Olympia - IFBB, HeavyWeight, 4th
- Pittsburgh Pro Invitational - IFBB, 4th
- Universe - Pro - IFBB, Winner
- World Pro Championships - IFBB, Winner
1980
- Grand Prix Pennsylvania - IFBB, 3rd
- Night of Champions - IFBB, 3rd
- Olympia - IFBB, 7th
- Pittsburgh Pro Invitational - IFBB, 3rd
1981
- Grand Prix California - IFBB, 2nd
- Grand Prix Louisiana - IFBB, 3rd
- Grand Prix Washington - IFBB, 2nd
- Olympia - IFBB, 4th
1982
- World Pro Championships - IFBB, 5th
1984
- Olympia - IFBB, 5th
1987
- Grand Prix Germany (2) - IFBB, 7th
- Night of Champions - IFBB, Did not place
- World Pro Championships - IFBB, 12th
References
- ^ Roy Callender: featuring 2008 Joe Weider's bodybuilding hall of fame inductee (Factoids), Flex, June 1, 2008
- ^ a b c Interview with Bodybuilding Hall of Famer Roy Callender (Part One), May 27, 2011]
- ^ Killer Tim Brooks defeated Roy Callender
- ^ Keith Hart vs. Roy Callender
- ^ a b IFBB Hall of Fame - Roy Callender