2x Mr. Olympia, 1976 and 1981
Franco Columbu
Franco Columbu was a Men's Open Bodybuilding competitor from Italy with a competitive record spanning 1972–1981.
About
Francesco Maria Columbu was an Italian-American bodybuilder and actor.
Where the titles came from
Counted from the same results table below: an appearance is one contest entered (in the years the Olympia also judged weight classes, one appearance can carry two placings), an Olympia title is the overall win in that division, and Top 3 counts first, second and third together. The last row is every professional contest on record for Franco Columbu.
Mr. Olympia
All contests on record
Professional results
Every professional contest result on record for Franco Columbu, 8 in all. Won by names the winner of the division Franco Columbu competed in, and shows a dash where that winner cannot be pinned to one person in the database.
| Year | Contest | Division | Place | Won by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Mr. Olympia | Men's Open Bodybuilding | #1 | Winner |
| 1976 | Mr. Olympia | Men's Open Bodybuilding | #1 | Winner |
| 1975 | Mr. Olympia | Men's Bodybuilding (Lightweight) | #1 | Winner |
| 1975 | Mr. Olympia | Men's Open Bodybuilding | #2 | Arnold Schwarzenegger |
| 1974 | Mr. Olympia | Men's Open Bodybuilding | #3 | Arnold Schwarzenegger |
| 1974 | Mr. Olympia | Men's Bodybuilding (Lightweight) | #1 | Winner |
| 1973 | Mr. Olympia | Men's Open Bodybuilding | #2 | Arnold Schwarzenegger |
| 1972 | Mr. Olympia | Men's Open Bodybuilding | #5 | Arnold Schwarzenegger |
Where these results come from. Each contest in the table was recorded from a named source, and for Franco Columbu that source is MuscleMemory. Open any contest above and that page names its own source and links to it where the source is still reachable. That archive no longer answers at the addresses we hold, so it is credited by name here and not offered as a link.
Every professional season
- Pro Debut
- 1972
- First Win
- 1974
- Last Contest
- 1981
Franco Columbu at the Olympia, year by year
| Year | Placement | Division |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 5 | Men's Open Bodybuilding |
| 1973 | 2 | Men's Open Bodybuilding |
| 1974 | 3 | Men's Open Bodybuilding |
| 1975 | 2 | Men's Open Bodybuilding |
| 1976 | 1 | Men's Open Bodybuilding |
| 1981 | 1 | Men's Open Bodybuilding |
Data updated
How Franco Columbu measures up
Fat-free mass index turns the height and weight on this profile into one number for how much muscle a frame carries, so a shorter competitor is not flattered by a bodyweight comparison. The normalised figure adjusts it again to a standard height, which is the version worth ranking. Both assume the 6% body fat a competitor steps on stage at, because that is the only condition the recorded weight was taken in.
The closest Olympia champion on that measure is Samir Bannout, at 29.8.
What this rank is not. This database holds a height and a weight for just 463 athletes, and they are overwhelmingly the ones somebody bothered to measure: 74 of them hold an Olympia title. Almost every competitor on record carries no measurement at all. The pool also mixes every division and era together, from the lightweight women's classes to the open heavyweights, so it ranks size and nothing else. It says where Franco Columbu sits among the athletes we hold measurements for, not among competitors.
Amateur and other shows not counted above
13 results from amateur shows and other contests this archive does not class as professional. Every total on this page covers the professional career only, so these are listed here but never counted, and they have no contest page.
Show the list
| Year | Contest | Division | Place |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | Mr International | Division not recorded (Professional) | #1 |
| 1971 | Mr World | Division not recorded (Short) | #1 |
| 1970 | Mr Europe | Division not recorded (Short) | #1 |
| 1970 | Mr Universe | Division not recorded (Short) | #2 |
| 1970 | Mr World | Division not recorded (Pro Short) | #1 |
| 1970 | Mr World | Division not recorded (Short) | #1 |
| 1969 | Mr Europe | Division not recorded (Medium) | #1 |
| 1969 | Mr Universe | Division not recorded (Short) | #1 |
| 1969 | Mr Universe | Division not recorded (Most Muscular) | #1 |
| 1969 | Mr World | Division not recorded (Short) | #2 |
| 1968 | Mr Universe | Division not recorded (Short) | #2 |
| 1968 | Mr Universe | Division not recorded (Most Muscular) | #1 |
| 1966 | Mr Europe (1) | Men's Open Bodybuilding | #4 |
More Men's Open Bodybuilding athletes Athletes from Italy Franco Columbu peak window
Most-met rivals
Compare any two athletes →In 4 meetings, Arnold Schwarzenegger finished ahead of Franco Columbu 4 times to 0.
Opponents are ranked by how often they shared a stage and how big the stage was, not by reputation. A meeting is one contest where both competed in the same division and both were placed.
Win rate here is first-place finishes as a share of all 8 professional contest results. It is published only where a career holds at least five, because below that a single placing moves the figure by twenty points or more.
Latest Coverage
- 12 Interesting Mr. Olympia Facts, From a Beer Company Name to a One-Man Show
- Franco Columbu’s Controversial 1981 Mr. Olympia Return: A Comeback That Divided Bodybuilding
- I Followed Franco Columbu’s Classic Strength and Aesthetics Approach for One Month — Here’s What Happened
- Lou Ferrigno Talks Longevity at 72, Arnold Schwarzenegger Rivalry, and Reveals Two Strongest Bodybuilders to Ever Compete
- Mitchell Hooper Ranks 4 Strongest Bodybuilders of All-Time Using Powerlifting Criteria
- Arnold Schwarzenegger Discusses Living To Be 100, Open Heart Surgery & Losing Franco Columbu

