Gustavo Badell

Perine, Shawn, "Mucho Gustavo Badell, that is. There's a lot to like about this 240-pounder. Here's how he built his 21½-inch arms", Muscle & Fitness, August 2004. Weider Publication. Accessed 6 June 2006.

After six years of weight training he was able to turn professional by winning the 1997 Caribbean Championships. His first IFBB appearance was in 1998 when he competed in the IFBB Grand Prix of Germany. He first competed in the IFBB Night of Champions (now called the New York Pro) in 1999, where was 14th. His first Ironman Pro Invitational was in 2000, where he was 18th. His first Mr. Olympia appearance was in 2002, where he was 24th. His first Arnold Classic was in 2004, where he was 7th. His prodessional placings were Lackluster until 2003 when he started placing higher, in part because of help from the fellow professional bodybuilder Milos Sarcev. Badell has appeared in many fitness and magazine articles as well as on the cover of Flex magazine. He has appeared in numerous advertisements for MuscleTech, normally for Nitrotech Hardcore protein powder and Masstech weight-gain powder.

Badell was born in Venezuela and moved to Puerto Rico when he was around 22 years old. He began lifting weights at the age of fifteen to increase his size for boxing. Gustavo gained muscle incredibly fast, and when he was 19 entered and won his first bodybuilding competition, the 1991 Junior Caribbean Bodybuilding Championships.

Gustavo Badell aka "the Freakin' 'Rican", (born November 3, 1972) is an IFBB professional bodybuilder.