GUSTAVO Badell was a highly successful bodybuilder who won multiple titles throughout his impressive career.
The star athlete tragically passed away on Wednesday, July 12, 2023, at the age of 50.
Who was Gustavo Badell?
Gustavo Badell was born on November 3, 1972, in Venezuela and later moved to Puerto Rico.
The professional bodybuilder was part of the International Federation of BodyBuilders (IFBB).
The sports star "is regarded by many as one of the best professional bodybuilders of all time," as per Greatest Physiques.
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According to the outlet, he played multiple contact sports as a kid and especially enjoyed boxing, but was "too skinny to make his mark."
Badell began weightlifting "to build his body mass and gained size and strength very quickly."
He then went on to have a highly accomplished bodybuilding career.
As his Instagram bio states, he placed in the top three at the 2004 and 2005 Mr. Olympia competitions.
He was the Mr. Olympa Challenge Round Champion in 2005 and placed in the top three at the Arnold Classic that same year.
According to his Facebook account, Badell was living in Orlando, Florida prior to his death and was running online coaching and contest preparation.
Badell became popular on social media, gaining more than 36K followers on his Instagram page, @ifbbprogustavobadell, and 22K followers on his Facebook account, @thenewgustavobadell.
He also had a YouTube channel, @gustavofitsenseibadell5164, with over 100 subscribers.
When did he pass away?
Badell passed away on July 12, 2023 at the age of 50.
At this time, his cause of death remains unconfirmed, though Essentially Sports reported that he allegedly died from a stroke.
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What was his nickname?
Badell was nicknamed "the Freakin' 'Rican."
The nickname stuck and was often used to reference the athlete throughout his stellar bodybuilding career.
