The Universe Championships are an annual bodybuilding event organised by the National Amateur Bodybuilders Association (NABBA). It has a number of competitions: NABBA Amateur Mr. Universe, Miss Figure, and Miss Toned Figure.
First held in 1948, the contest was initially only for amateur male bodybuilders—but a separate contest for professionals was added in 1952. The NABBA defines amateur as someone who has "never entered and accepted prize money in an advertised professional event". Miss Physique, a women's contest, was added in 1968 and Miss Figure was introduced in 1986.
A separate competition called IFBB Mr. Universe was organized by the IFBB. This changed its name to the World Amateur Bodybuilding Championships in 1976.
Read more about Universe Championships: Mr. Universe, Winners
Famous quotes containing the word universe:
“O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder
consider all the works thy hand hath made,
I see the stars, I hear the mighty thunder,
thy pow’r thro’out the universe displayed.
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to thee,
How great thou art!”
—Stuart K. Hine (b. 1899)