History
Over a thousand Romanians died in the December 1989 revolution, killed by the communist oppressors. Among the people whose blood was shed in 1989 were also sportsmen who came in the streets to breathe the fresh air of freedom. One of the heroes who were shot and died before they had the chance to taste freedom was the bodybuilder Vasile Balmus, Florin Teodorescu’s friend and colleague. “He was standing near me on December 17th”, recalls Florin. “We had to rush asunder to hide from the gun shots. I heard a bullet. He fell down beside me. There was nothing I could for him in that moment. Nobody could have done anything for him. In memory of my friend, who did not have the chance to grow old, because he died at only 25, I initiated the Liberty Cup – Vasile Balmus Memorial, the most important competition for amateurs in Romania”, as proved by the great sportsmen who take part in it every year – world and European champions, multiple national and Balkan champions – and the value of the awards, which has exceeded 10,000 euro. First-rate world bodybuilders, several Mr. Olympia laureates included (a first-time event in Romania), have honoured the Liberty Cup with their professional demonstrations.
In the past years, the contest has become more and more attractive, as the open system replaced the weight categories. The former marathon-long contests are now shorter, but have gained in quality, and the audience is delighted to watch first-class bodybuilders who enhance the quality and the prestige of the competition.
The first bodybuilding and fitness competition took place in February 1990, in memory of bodybuilder Vasile Balmus, who died during the 1989 Romanian Revolution, when he was only 25. More than 60 great sportsmen from Romania participated in it. Its success convinced Florin Teodorescu to organise a second edition next December, a year after the Revolution. The competition increased in importance year by year, as foreign sportsmen joined it and professional bodybuilders performed extraordinary demonstrations for the public.
The contest has become known over the Atlantic since 1994, when the professional Eduardo Kawak took part in it. In the following years, world-famous sportsmen and Mr. Olympia participants (Mr. Olympia competition establishes the best professional bodybuilders every year) also joined the Liberty Cup: Craig Titus (2002), Dexter Jackson (2004), Ronnie Coleman, Mr. Olympia en-titre 2005), Daniele Seccarecci (2007).
During the 20 “Liberty Cup – Vasile Balmus” editions, bodybuilding lovers from Timisoara have had the opportunity to admire over 1,500 sportsmen from 10 countries, among which are world, European, Balkan and national bodybuilding and fitness champions such as: Petar Celik, Giuseppe Besana, Petru Ciorba, Vasile Ardei, Nicolae Giurgi, Florin Uceanu, Ana Maria Zvanca, Dora Szantai, Florina Cernat.
The year 2006 marked a new beginning in the history of Romanian bodybuilding. “Florin Teodorescu” Sports Centre organised Weider'S Grand Prix of Romania, the first Romanian competition registered in the official IFBB competitional calendar. (IFBB is the International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness, founded by brothers Ben and Jode Wilder, the fathers of modern bodybuilding.) Thirteen world-famous professional sportsmen joined the contest, including two Mr. Olympia, Jay Cutler and Ronnie Coleman. It was a great success and the organisers’ efforts were praised in the press over the Atlantic, all the more so as in 2006 only four IFBB Grand Prix were organised in Europe. (Spain – Santa Susana, Austria – Vienna, Romania – Timisoara, The Netherlands – Amsterdam).
