Ain Paavo at the Estonian Bodybuilding Championships

Ain Paavo, who turns 60 on October 18, surprises his fellow bodybuilding competitors

Ain Paavo will compete at the Estonian Bodybuilding Championships this autumn.

Paavo was born on October 18, 1953 in Kiviõli and graduated from Kehtna Model State Farm Technical School in 1975 as a mechanical technician specializing in machinery for land reclamation. For many years, Olympic weightlifting was his main sport. He won the Estonian title for the combined total three times, as well as the snatch and clean and jerk titles in 1982. He set no fewer than 15 Estonian records. In 1978, Paavo became the Soviet Union clean and jerk champion in the up to 100 kg body weight class with a lift of 212.5 kg. His best total in the same body weight class is 382.5 kg (162.5+220 kg).

After an arm injury, Ain switched to bodybuilding, where he enjoyed considerable success.

In 1985, Ain finished second at the Estonian Bodybuilding Cup, going on to win Estonian bodybuilding titles in 1987, 1990 and 1991. In 1990, he was also crowned the overall Estonian bodybuilding champion.

The high point of his career came in 1990. At the IFBB European Championships in Leningrad, Ain Paavo was crowned European bodybuilding champion in both the individual and team competitions.

Indrek Otsus recalls the competition: “When the Soviet Union joined the international bodybuilding scene and began sending athletes to major championships, Estonian bodybuilders finally had a chance, at least in principle, to test themselves against the world’s elite. First, though, you had to make the Soviet national team, which was no easy task (as was well known in other sports too, all because of favoritism). I never managed it, but Ain Paavo and Inna Uit did. Ain had already experienced the World Championships in Paris in 1989 (he did not make the top 15), but for Inna, the 1990 European Championships in Leningrad were only the third competition of her life, and she finished as high as fourth in the lightweight category (up to 52 kg)! We traveled to Leningrad with a large delegation, as it was a unique opportunity to see top-level bodybuilding with our own eyes. When Ain appeared onstage alongside some twenty rivals in his category (up to 90 kg), we did not know what to hope for at first. But as time went on, he began to stand out more and more in the comparisons. It was as though his rivals were gradually ‘deflating’, while Ain’s muscles and veins kept swelling! The final result was simply stunning. I remember running backstage with tears in my eyes after the competition…”

Paavo will take to the stage at the Estonian Championships on October 12 in the up to 90kg bodybuilding category. Ain will represent the Reval-Sport sports club and is his own coach. Ott Kiivikas will also be competing against him in the same category.

The 45th Estonian Bodybuilding and Fitness Championships will take place on October 12, 2013 at Salme Cultural Center, starting at 15.00. Tickets are available from Piletilevi and at the venue an hour before the event. Find out more: 45th Estonian Bodybuilding and Fitness Championships

Author: EKFL

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