The “Amber Prize” Tournament. The book.

The “Amber Prix” (“Amber Prix International”, «Янтарный приз», 1968–2026) tournament is a living reflection of history, recalling a time when it was an important part of the Socialist world of sport, and today it unites the global bodybuilding community.

According to long-standing sporting traditions, among international competitions the “Amber Prix” ranks third in terms of continuity and historical significance—after N.A.B.B.A. (National Amateur Body Building Association) Mr. Universe (held since 1950) and JOE WEIDER’S Mr. Olympia (held since 1965).

Over the decades, athletes from many countries who have participated in this tournament take pride in their “Amber Prix” achievements, considering them among the most significant in their sporting careers.

As the tournament approaches its 60-th anniversary, a book is being prepared and will be presented to participants and guests of the 2027 event. Preparatory work on the publication is already underway.

Significant Events in the History of the “Amber Prize”

In the international history of the “Amber Prize,” several particularly important moments stand out:

The rise and the first tournaments – the initial stage during which the competition’s traditions were formed. 1973: the ban and persecution of bodybuilding – a difficult period for the sport. 1973–1978: illegal competitions organized by Dr. Edmundas Daubaras – a stage crucial for the survival of bodybuilding. Dr. Edmundas Daubaras’ struggle with the authorities against the ban on bodybuilding. Dr. Edmundas Daubaras’ petition to the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the U.S.S.R. in Moscow, defending the legitimacy of bodybuilding. 1989–1991: Dr. Edmundas Daubaras’ struggle for independence in Lithuanian sport, carried out in the context of the “Amber Prize.” 2007: the 40-th anniversary of the tournament – the Parliament of the Republic of Lithuania voted to fund the event from the state budget. 2011: recognition by the Vatican – a high evaluation of Dr. Edmundas Daubaras’ activities during the period of the bodybuilding ban. 2017: the 50-th anniversary of the tournament – a report about the event was broadcast by the global CNN television network. Since 2010, the “Amber Prize” logo has been used in competitions in Europe, Asia and South America.

More information is on International site www.wff.lt

WORLD BODYBUILDING ENCYCLOPEDIA

WORLD’S OLDEST TRADITIONAL BODYBUILDING CONTESTS

Looking through the years and evaluating the status, significance, and historical value of competitions, three of the world’s oldest traditional bodybuilding contests that are still held today can be distinguished:

Nr. 1 – N.A.B.B.A. Universe

Organizer: National Amateur Body-Builders' Association (N.A.B.B.A.) Location: United Kingdom Established: 1950 First Overall Winner: Steve Reeves (USA)

Nr. 2 – Mr. Olympia

Founder: Joe Weider Location: United States Established: 1965 First Overall Winner: Larry Scott (USA)

Nr. 3 – Amber Prix International (“Amber Prize”)

Organizer: World Fitness Federation / World Bodybuilding Federation Location: Lithuania Established: 1968 First Overall Winner: Leonas Pivoriūnas (Lithuania)

Remark

These competitions are considered the oldest traditional bodybuilding contests due to their historical continuity, international recognition, and significant contribution to the development of bodybuilding worldwide.

More information is on International Site www.wff.lt

HISTORY BOOK OF ARUNAS PETRAITIS.

WE GO ON DEVELOPING WORLD’S SPORT.

PRERPARING FOR THE 60-TH “AMBER PRIX”.

Today, the sports community gathered for the presentation of a book by journalist and sports historian Arūnas Petraitis. The book is titled Lithuanian Bodybuilding 1965–2015. An Illustrated History of the “Iron” Sport.
During the event, the legendary “Amber Prix International”  was also remembered, first organized back in 1967. It is wonderful to see that this beautiful tradition continues – on May 1–2, the “Amber Prix” will take place for the 59th time.
Therefore, this was not only a book presentation, but also a meaningful discussion and exchange of ideas for the upcoming 60-th anniversary of the “Amber Prix,” which will be held next year, in 2027, in Klaipėda. The works done and the works we are doing for the coming unique contest were presented by the General Secretary W.F.F. – W.B.B.F. International Ugne Raudyte Daubariene and federation Official Alina Pelepko.
This is an especially significant event for the city of Klaipėda – the International tournament has been held here for 60 years, and all of this is thanks to DSc. Edmundas Daubaras, President of the International W.F.F. – W.B.B.F..
During the meeting, we revisited the old-school era of bodybuilding – a time when this sport was not only about physical form, but also a true art of aesthetics, plasticity, and stage culture, nurtured by our W.F.F. – W.B.B.F. community. The book highlights Lithuania’s highest achievements and gives special attention to Natalija Murnikovienė, who still holds the highest-level accomplishments to this day.
We spoke about how, in those times, great importance was placed on smooth and artistic posing transitions, the aesthetics of movement, and harmony on stage. A performance was much more than simply stepping on stage and demonstrating standard poses – it was the peak of bodybuilding as an art form.
This spirit was beautifully embodied by Aretas Kolmakovas, who demonstrated elegant and fluid transitions during the meeting, recalling the legendary days of the “Amber Prix.” Even more meaningfully, he himself participated in the “Amber Prix” tournaments for about ten times with his own individual posing program, making his performance a living reflection of our history and traditions.
This inspired a special idea for the upcoming 60-th anniversary in 2027 – to revive the classic artistic posing of the “Amber Prix” as a separate category, honoring our roots, aesthetics, and the unique philosophy of light and natural bodybuilding promoted by W.F.F. – W.B.B.F.. The idea will be fulfilled by Lithuania senior bodybuilder Aleksas Stankus and pretender to the Parliament Republic Lithuania Klaipeda polititian Romualdas Mile.
It would be not only a tribute to history, but also the return of true classical bodybuilding art to the stage.
Photos by: Audrius Kundrotas.

More information is on International Site www.wff.lt

2009 WFF-WBBF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP. In 2009, Lithuania Was Among the Leaders in Tallinn: 263 Athletes, 28 Countries and 11 Lithuanian Podium Finishes

November 21, 2009, became an important day for the global fitness and bodybuilding community. A total of 263 athletes from 28 countries gathered in Estonia’s capital, Tallinn. Among them were representatives of Lithuania, who returned home with as many as 11 podium finishes, including five category victories.

The sports hall in Tallinn was filled that day with both tension and a wide variety of sporting cultures. The championship programme was exceptionally broad — ranging from children’s “Fit-Kid” and aerobic fitness to model fitness, strength fitness and various bodybuilding categories.

Yet when looking at the official results today, more than fifteen years later, a more interesting picture emerges: Lithuania was considerably more visible on the international fitness and bodybuilding scene at the time than one might expect simply by looking at the country’s size.

263 Athletes, 28 Countries and One Results Table

The 2009 championship was a true international sporting map. The results recorded athletes from almost fifty countries.

However, a relatively clear group dominated the podiums. The analysed results show a total of 108 podium finishes, with Poland leading the way with 24. Russia was close behind with 22.

They were followed by South Africa with 13 podium finishes, Lithuania with 11, Ukraine with 9, while Slovakia and Estonia recorded 8 each.

The figures may appear dry at first glance. Yet it is precisely the relationship between them that reveals an important point: the country with the most podium finishes did not necessarily have the most champions.

Five Champions for Lithuania

From this perspective, Lithuania’s result is particularly interesting.

Of Lithuania’s 11 podium finishes, 5 were first places, 4 were second places and 2 were third places.

That means that almost every second Lithuanian podium finish was a victory.

Poland, meanwhile, had the highest total number of podium finishes — 24 — and won 6 categories. Russia, with 22 podium finishes, recorded 8 first-place finishes.

Thus, the strength of the Lithuanian delegation lay not in quantity, but in the concentration of top-level results.

Lithuanian Names Appeared Across Different Categories

It is also interesting that Lithuania’s victories were not concentrated in a single discipline.

Aušra Tasiukevičiūtė and Eglė Girtavičiūtė took first place in the “Model Fitness” category.

In strength fitness, Nikita Butylkinas won the junior category, while Vytautas Juknevičius took first place in the senior division.

Another top result in the older athletes’ category was achieved by Vidmantas Malakauskas.

This is an important detail: Lithuanian representatives competed successfully across different sporting disciplines rather than in just one specific bodybuilding category.

Poland Led in Podium Finishes, Russia in First-Place Results

If the championship results table were turned into a kind of sporting map, two countries would clearly stand out at the top — Poland and Russia.

Poland recorded the highest number of podium finishes — 24. Its athletes were particularly visible across various age groups and disciplines.

Russian representatives reached the podium 22 times, but on 8 occasions they took first place.

This was especially evident in the WBBF bodybuilding categories. Russian athletes’ names appear repeatedly throughout the results protocol in various bodybuilding divisions, ranging from classic categories to more extreme disciplines.

At the same time, the Polish athletes’ performance was broader, covering different age groups and disciplines.

The Youngest Championship Participants — Another Important Signal

The Tallinn competition was not simply a celebration of adult bodybuilding.

The programme devoted considerable attention to children and young athletes. In the “Fit-Kid” categories, athletes aged 8, 10, 12 and 14 competed.

Poland was particularly prominent in these events. Its representatives won several of the youngest categories, while in some age groups Polish athletes occupied both first and second place.

In the junior categories, Lithuania, Slovakia, Ukraine and Estonia also joined the leading group.

This allows us to look at the 2009 championship as more than just a competition from a single season. The results also reveal how, at the time, federation sports systems were being developed across different age groups — from children to veterans.

One Athlete — Several Stages

The results protocol also includes athletes who successfully competed in more than one category.

For example, Slovak representative Miriama Zigalova won two different categories. Eva Martinkova also appeared on the winners’ list in more than one event.

This is an important consideration when evaluating the statistics: 108 podium finishes do not mean 108 different athletes. Some athletes may have been awarded in multiple categories.

Therefore, the results table tells us not only about the strength of national delegations, but also about the versatility of individual athletes.

WFF and WBBF — Two Different Faces of the Championship

Another interesting trend emerges when the WFF and WBBF programmes are analysed separately.

In the WFF section, Poland was the most prominent nation, with its representatives collecting 18 podium finishes. Lithuania had 7, while Slovakia recorded 6.

In the WBBF section, the situation changed. Russia stood out most clearly, with its athletes taking 21 of the analysed podium places.

Thus, the Tallinn championship essentially had two different faces in terms of results: Poland and Lithuania were particularly prominent in fitness, model and related disciplines, while Russian representatives were much more dominant in bodybuilding.

Where Does Lithuania Fit Into This Story?

More than 15 years later, the 2009 results can be viewed as one of the notable moments in the history of Lithuanian fitness and bodybuilding.

Lithuania did not arrive in Tallinn with the largest delegation. Yet its name appears eleven times in the results table — and five of those appearances are at the very top.

It was a performance in which Lithuanian athletes were not merely competing for places in the finals. They were winning.

11 Lithuanian podium finishes. 5 first places. 28 countries. 263 athletes.

Today, these figures allow us to look at the 2009 Tallinn championship as more than an old competition results sheet. It is a snapshot of a period when Central and Eastern European countries were actively shaping the international fitness and bodybuilding competition landscape, and Lithuania was clearly visible on that map.

In Tallinn in 2009, there were fewer Lithuanian athletes than representatives of some of the larger nations, but their results in the official record were more than enough to keep Lithuania among the championship’s leading countries.

The Contribution of WFF–WBBF to the Development of Global Fit-Kid: 27 Years of International Sporting Tradition.

The history of Fit-Kid Championships from 1999 to 2025 represents 27 years of the development of international children’s and youth sport. An analysis of the results from this period shows not only the changing geography of championship victories, but above all the continuity of the international competition system developed within the framework of the W.F.F. – World Fitness Federation and W.B.B.F. – World Bodybuilding Federation.

Fit-Kid is a children’s fitness discipline that combines elements of gymnastics, aerobics, acrobatics, physical preparation and stage presentation. Its significance, however, extends beyond sporting competition itself. For children and young people, participation in competitions involves systematic training, physical development, discipline, cooperation with coaches and the opportunity to represent their country on the international stage.

WFF–WBBF as an International Platform

One of the most important elements in the history of Fit-Kid is the operation of the WFF–WBBF international competition system. Regular international championships make it possible to establish a long-term sporting tradition involving athletes, coaches, clubs, national teams and sports organizers from different countries.

Within this system, the international federation plays an organizational and integrating role. International competitions create a common environment for sporting competition, enable comparisons of athletic performance and provide continuity for the development of successive generations of participants.

From this perspective, Fit-Kid is not a separate, one-time project. It is part of a broader international fitness system in which, over decades, a structure of competitions, age categories, judging procedures and cooperation between clubs and national teams has been developed.

27 Years and Eight Countries

The results of the absolute Fit-Kid Championships for 1999–2025 show that titles were won by representatives of eight European countries: Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Serbia, Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and Hungary.

The geography of the championship victories changed over the years. During different periods, particular countries were more frequently represented among the champions, while new national representatives subsequently joined the competition. This demonstrates that the championship system was not limited to one country or one region, but developed across a broader European sporting environment.

Over the 27-year period, 27 championship titles were awarded. Some athletes won the title more than once, demonstrating the possibility of maintaining a high level of preparation and continuing competitive development. At the same time, new names regularly appeared, reflecting generational change and continuity within the system.

Continuity Between Generations

One of the most important characteristics of the Fit-Kid history is continuity. With each successive period, new participants, coaches and teams appear, while the international competition structure continues to operate.

This model is particularly important in children’s sport. A child who begins training can gradually progress through different stages of sporting development, participate in national and international competitions, gain experience and eventually become part of the next generation that continues the sporting tradition.

In this way, the history of Fit-Kid is not simply a list of champions. It represents a long-term sporting tradition developed across generations.

The International Character of the System

The results also demonstrate the distinctly international character of Fit-Kid. Championship victories have been distributed among several countries, while the geographical composition of the participants has changed over the years.

This is important for the development of children’s fitness because international competition provides additional motivation for training and development. Participants have the opportunity to meet athletes from other countries, experience different approaches to preparation and gain valuable experience in an international competitive environment.

Coaches and clubs also play an important role in this process. The development of an athlete is not based solely on individual talent, but also on long-term coaching, organizational support and the involvement of families.

The Social Significance of Fit-Kid

The 27-year history of the championships also has a broader social dimension. Children’s sport helps develop habits associated with physical activity, consistency and responsibility.

Participation in international competitions allows young athletes to gain experience, manage the pressure associated with performing and function within a sporting environment where rules, preparation and mutual respect are important.

For this reason, the development of Fit-Kid can be assessed not only through the number of championship titles, but also through the sustainability of the wider sporting environment that has developed around the discipline.

2025 – A Continuation of the Tradition

The year 2025 represents another stage in this history. According to the results provided, the absolute champion was Elzbieta Matoga of Poland.

However, the significance of this result should be viewed within the context of the entire 27-year period. One championship title is part of a much broader history involving many generations of athletes, coaches, clubs and national teams.

Conclusion

Twenty-seven years of Fit-Kid Championships demonstrate, above all, the continuity of an international sporting tradition. Between 1999 and 2025, 27 championship titles were awarded to athletes representing eight countries, with both returning champions and new generations of participants becoming part of the history of the competition.

From the perspective of WFF–WBBF, one of the most important achievements of this process is the creation and maintenance of an international platform for the development of children’s fitness. The competition system brings together athletes, coaches, clubs, national teams and organizers within a shared international sporting tradition.

The history of Fit-Kid is therefore not only a history of individual victories. It is above all 27 years of international children’s fitness development within the WFF–WBBF system, reflecting continuity, international cooperation and the emergence of successive generations of young athletes.