Bruce Wilhelm
Encyclopedia
Bruce Wilhelm (born July 13, 1945) is a weightlifter and strongman
from the United States
. He is a two-time winner of the World's Strongest Man
competition in 1977 and 1978 and the author of numerous strength-related articles and books. He was a member of the executive board of the United States Olympic Committee
. He was also on the Athletes Advisory Council for 8 years as well as the Substance and Drug Abuse Committee, the Sports Medicine Committee, and the Games Preparation Committee.
star for Fremont High School (Sunnyvale, California)
, and was the 1963 CIF California State Meet
shot put
champion as well as runner up in the discus competition. He won the Golden West Invitational high school shot put. He continued his athletic development at Stanford University
, competing in shot
, discus
and wrestling
. He was the 1965 Pacific-10 Conference Heavyweight Wrestling Champion and finished the season undefeated with 21 victories. He finished 4th in the 1966 AAU
National Freestyle Wrestling and Greco Roman Championships (unlimited weight class).
After one year at Stanford Wilhelm transferred to Oklahoma State University where, in addition to throwing the shot, he was a member of the varsity wrestling team. In 196x, he was defeated in the NCAA champs semifinals by ?, that year's champion.
He placed in the top 10 US Men's Shot
rankings for 1967, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, and 1973, and still holds #251 on the All-time World Shotput
Records, with a mark of 20.12m (66'-1/4") set on July 8, 1972 during the Olympic Trials.
National AAU
Super Heavyweight Weightlifting Champion for both 1975 and 1976. He won a silver medal for the United States
at the 1975 Pan-American Games in Mexico City
in the +110 kg division, and placed 5th at the 1976 Olympic Games
in Montreal
, QC, Canada
. He also won the silver medal in the snatch competition.
competition in 1977, and returned to win again in 1978. He then spent several years helping to organize and officiate further contests.
Strongman (strength athlete)
In the 19th century, the term strongman referred to an exhibitor of strength or circus performers of similar ilk who displayed feats of strength such as the bent press , supporting large amounts of...
from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He is a two-time winner of the World's Strongest Man
World's Strongest Man
The World's Strongest Man is a well recognised event in strength athletics and has been described by a number of highly respected authorities in the sport as the premier event in strongman. Organized by TWI, an IMG Media company, it is broadcast around the end of December each year...
competition in 1977 and 1978 and the author of numerous strength-related articles and books. He was a member of the executive board of the United States Olympic Committee
United States Olympic Committee
The United States Olympic Committee is a non-profit organization that serves as the National Olympic Committee and National Paralympic Committee for the United States and coordinates the relationship between the United States Anti-Doping Agency and the World Anti-Doping Agency and various...
. He was also on the Athletes Advisory Council for 8 years as well as the Substance and Drug Abuse Committee, the Sports Medicine Committee, and the Games Preparation Committee.
Athletics
Wilhelm was a high school track and fieldTrack and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
star for Fremont High School (Sunnyvale, California)
Fremont High School (Sunnyvale, California)
Fremont High School is a comprehensive, co-educational, public secondary school in Sunnyvale, California, United States. Fremont is currently the only open public high school located in the city of Sunnyvale and is part of the Fremont Union High School District .-History:Fremont was originally...
, and was the 1963 CIF California State Meet
CIF California State Meet
The CIF California State Meet is the annual championship track and field meet for the California Interscholastic Federation. The meet was started in 1915 for boys and 1974 for girls. Every athlete in every high school in California has a direct qualification path that can reach the state meet...
shot put
Shot put
The shot put is a track and field event involving "putting" a heavy metal ball—the shot—as far as possible. It is common to use the term "shot put" to refer to both the shot itself and to the putting action....
champion as well as runner up in the discus competition. He won the Golden West Invitational high school shot put. He continued his athletic development at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
, competing in shot
Shot put
The shot put is a track and field event involving "putting" a heavy metal ball—the shot—as far as possible. It is common to use the term "shot put" to refer to both the shot itself and to the putting action....
, discus
Discus throw
The discus throw is an event in track and field athletics competition, in which an athlete throws a heavy disc—called a discus—in an attempt to mark a farther distance than his or her competitors. It is an ancient sport, as evidenced by the 5th century BC Myron statue, Discobolus...
and wrestling
Wrestling
Wrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
. He was the 1965 Pacific-10 Conference Heavyweight Wrestling Champion and finished the season undefeated with 21 victories. He finished 4th in the 1966 AAU
Amateur Athletic Union
The Amateur Athletic Union is one of the largest non-profit volunteer sports organizations in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs.-History:The AAU was founded in 1888 to...
National Freestyle Wrestling and Greco Roman Championships (unlimited weight class).
After one year at Stanford Wilhelm transferred to Oklahoma State University where, in addition to throwing the shot, he was a member of the varsity wrestling team. In 196x, he was defeated in the NCAA champs semifinals by ?, that year's champion.
He placed in the top 10 US Men's Shot
Shot put
The shot put is a track and field event involving "putting" a heavy metal ball—the shot—as far as possible. It is common to use the term "shot put" to refer to both the shot itself and to the putting action....
rankings for 1967, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, and 1973, and still holds #251 on the All-time World Shotput
Shot put
The shot put is a track and field event involving "putting" a heavy metal ball—the shot—as far as possible. It is common to use the term "shot put" to refer to both the shot itself and to the putting action....
Records, with a mark of 20.12m (66'-1/4") set on July 8, 1972 during the Olympic Trials.
Weightlifting
Wilhelm became a weightlifter, and was the USUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
National AAU
Amateur Athletic Union
The Amateur Athletic Union is one of the largest non-profit volunteer sports organizations in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs.-History:The AAU was founded in 1888 to...
Super Heavyweight Weightlifting Champion for both 1975 and 1976. He won a silver medal for the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
at the 1975 Pan-American Games in Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
in the +110 kg division, and placed 5th at the 1976 Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, QC, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. He also won the silver medal in the snatch competition.
World's Strongest Man
Wilhelm won the inaugural World's Strongest ManWorld's Strongest Man
The World's Strongest Man is a well recognised event in strength athletics and has been described by a number of highly respected authorities in the sport as the premier event in strongman. Organized by TWI, an IMG Media company, it is broadcast around the end of December each year...
competition in 1977, and returned to win again in 1978. He then spent several years helping to organize and officiate further contests.