World-famous bodybuilder Gustavo “the Freakin’ Rican” Badell died at the age of 50. The details surrounding his death remain unclear.
Badell faced off against some of the greatest bodybuilders of all time and clinched the third-place finish at Mr. Olympia, two times, according to TMZ. His death was confirmed by his friend and fellow competitor, Eddie Abbew on social media, Thursday. “I woke up this morning to information that Gustavo has passed away. My heart goes out to his family and friends,” Abbew wrote.
. @MrOlympiaLLC A look back at what the late Gustavo Badell had to say 18 years ago, moments after he shocked the Olympia crowd defeating Ronnie Coleman in the “Challenge Round” at the 2005 Mr. Olympia.
This interview aired LIVE on the stage screens inside the arena and for… pic.twitter.com/Xhxi5kXKDT— muscle_fitness (@muscle_fitness) July 13, 2023
Abbew shared images of himself and Badell on social media as he reminisced about their time together.
“Gustavo was ten years younger than me,” he said.
“It is always sad when a young person is taken away long before their time,” he said.
He concluded his message by writing, “Rest in peace Gustavo and know that you will be missed.”
Badell’s bodybuilding career began when he was just 19 years old. He won his first competition at the Junior Caribbean Bodybuilding Championship in 1991.
He has competed in some of the world’s most prestigious bodybuilding competitions, including the Atlantic City Pro, which he won. He has also competed in the Ironman Pro, and the Arnold Classic, as well as the World Pro Championships.
Everyone at Team MuscleTech would like to send their condolences to the Badell family and Gustavo Badell fans across the globe. Team MuscleTech proudly worked with Gustavo for many years and it was an honor to be represented by a man who was a consummate professional and one of… pic.twitter.com/24wOpNWpNr
— MuscleTech (@MuscleTech) July 13, 2023
In 2004 an 2005 he placed third after Ronnie Coleman and Jay Cutler at the Mr. Olympia bodybuilding competition. (RELATED: Iconic Bodybuilder Dies Suddenly At Age 30)
The famous bodybuilder retired in 2012 but maintained a rigorous workout schedule and remained in shape. He was a personable star that went out of his way to communicate with his fans online.
Tributes and messages of condolence are flooding social media as fans, friends, and loved ones attempt to cope with this loss.