Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Wales Online
Wales Online
National
Bethany Gavaghan

Tributes to much-loved bodybuilder who was friends with Arnold Schwarzenegger and kept training into his 90s

A much -loved body-builder who counts Arnold Schwarzenegger as one of his friends - and amazingly kept working out well into his 90s has died aged 94.

Doug Evans, from Fairwater died on November 4 - prompting scores of tributes across Wales and beyond. Doug has been making the most of every day since he was just 12 years old- when he first got into body building.

His love for fitness grew from when he would lift his mother's flat irons and baking stones to strengthen his muscles, and he eventually went on to travel the world as a professional bodybuilding judge and became friends with Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Read more: Most schools in Wales are looking at redundancies

The pair met when Doug was judging Mr Universe and hit it off and ended up going out for a meal, with Schwarzenegger even asking him to sit as a judge on the Mr Olympia panel.

Doug's nephew Christopher Evans said: "He treated his body like a temple. There are so many memories I have with him and although he was very independent and possibly a little stubborn he really.

Doug used to train four days a week (WalesOnline/Rob Browne)
Doug in his younger days (Doug Evans)

"He looked after himself in all the years he lived by himself, and that was him and probably the way he wanted it. It would be amazing how much he knew about his body, and all the different muscles which sometimes would even surprise doctors.

"He was a gentleman who would do anything for anybody- he would always make the time for people, he would even call his doctor sir - and was a gentleman up until his very last days.

"He lived a simple life and that's probably why he lived to that golden age.

Considering how he wanted his uncle to be remembered, Christopher said: "My memories will always be the good he did for people during his life and he never shied away from that- and that was him in a nutshell."

Doug at Pacific Fitness - the super gym he trains at twice a week (WalesOnline/Rob Browne)
He gets a kick out of passing his knowledge on to youngsters (WalesOnline/Rob Browne)

Doug, who was also a champion cyclist was still going to the gym four days a week in 2019 despite having a quadruple bypass and a pacemaker fitted.

A doctor told him at the time: "The trouble with you Dougie, is that you've got the body of a man over 90, but the mind of a 19-year old."

But the fitness enthusiast was keen to continue making the most out of his life, and was dedicated to supporting the younger demographic.

He told WalesOnline in 2019: "I've got my own routine - but, to be honest with you, I spend most of my time talking to all of the youngsters.

"Some of the boys come up and say; 'Dougie, how do you work the outside head of the triceps? So, I tell them what to do.

"I get a kick out of passing on my knowledge to people."

READ NEXT

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.