1990 U.S.S.R. ECONOMIC BLOCKADE TO LITHUANIA.

D.D.R. BODYBUILDERS WANT TO RUIN BLOCKADE.

ECONOMIC BLOCKADE

Socialist Republic of Lithuania was a part of the U.S.S.R. for several decades. On March 11, 1990 Lithuanian Republic restored it‘s Independence. In April, 1990 the U.S.S.R. started economic blockade to young Lithuanian Republic. The blockade lasted 75 days. Most goods could not reach the Country. Especially gasoline and oil products.

THE BEGINNING.

Representing Lithuanian bodybuilding DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS during the „Gorbaciov perestrojka“ was the only one among the U.S.S.R. bodybuilders who was skilled in several foreign languages. Meeting representatives of various countries DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS spoke with them about the political situation in the Lithuanian Republic. Among them were representatives of the German Democratic Republic (G.D.R., Г.Д.Р., Германская Демократическая Республика, D.D.R., Deutsche Demokratische Republik) too. That were the Germans: Jurgen Madaj, Otto Rudiger, Peter Bajerowicz, Joachim Hennig, Peter Butze.

EAST GERMAN BODYBUILDERS OFFERED THEIR HELP TO LITHUANIA.

A number of G.D.R. bodybuilders were great businessmen. DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS told them about the economic blockade. The Germans collected information and evaluated their possibilities. In May, 1990 they offered DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS to address the Government of the Lithuanian Republic. Aiming to stop the blockade bodybuilders of the D.D.R. sent DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS a number of telegrams and offered help for the Lithuanian Republic. DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS connected with the Government of the Republic Lithuania and spoke with the Prime Minister KAZIMIERA PRUNSKIENE. The Prime Minister said „Lithuania needs no help. We will manage to solve the problem ourselves“. That was the end of the G.D.R. support to Lithuania. On October 3, 1990 G.D.R. was ruined and joined the F.R.G. (Federal Republic of Germany)

VYTAUTAS LANDSBERGIS INTERESTED ABOUT HISTORY OF G.D.R. BODYBUILDERS.

Eleven years ago DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS spoke with the first Leader of the Lithuanian Republic the „Lithuania Patriarch“ VYTAUTAS LANDSBERGIS. DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS told him the story abot the G.D.R. bodybuilders during the economic blockade. VYTAUTAS LADSBERGIS was interested very much in the happening. He asked to give him the telegrammes which were sent to DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS. The archives of the W.F.F. – W.B.B.F. (World Fitness Federation, World Body Building Federation) are really huge. Working on the „World Bodybuilding Encyclopaedia“ («Энциклопедии всемирного культуризма», „Pasaulinė kultūrizmo enciklopedija“) only now we found the G.D.R. telegrams. This way we are close to the year of 1991. We will tell more stories about the participation of Lithuania bodybuilders in the Independence process.

INFORMATION.
More detailed information on the Global International Site www.wff.lt, see forum topics.

2008 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

UNIQUE ORIGINAL COMPETITION.

In 2008 W.F.F. -W.B.B.F. (World Fitness Federation, World Bodybuilding Federation)  World Championship was held in Bydgoszcz (Poland). The competition was organized by city Mecenat JERZY GOTOWSKI and city Vice Mayor KAZIMIERZ DROZD.

The preparation started one year before with huge confrontation with the I.F.B.B. (International Federation of Body Builders) Chairman of trainers PAVEL FILEBORN. Before the event eight various level press conferences and meetings were organized. Among them official meetings of the International President W.F.F. - W.B.B.F. DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS with the Minister of Sport Republic Poland ZBIGNIEW PACELT and Mayor City Bydgoszcz KONSTANTY DOMBROWICZ.

HIGH INTERNATIONAL AWARDS.

During the preparation of the World Championship a number of Officials of the Republic Poland were awarded with the  W.F.F. - W.B.B.F. “International Honour Silver Medal”. Among them Minister of Sport Republic Poland ZBIGNIEW PACELT, Mecenat JERZY GOTOWSKI, Mayor City Bydgoszcz KONSTANTY DOMBROWICZ.

MINISTER SPORT POLAND. OFFICIAL VISIT.

As we mentioned above high I.F.B.B. Official POWEL FILEBORN in order to ruin the 2008 W.F.F. World Championship was writing public letters. To stop this process organizers of the World Championship addressed the Minister Sport Poland ZBIGNIEW PACELT. W.F.F. - W.B.B.F. Officials were invited to the Ministry of Sport in Warsaw where they met the Minister. During the meeting required juridic W.F.F. - W.B.B.F. and I.F.B.B. questions were spoken over. Supporting the W.F.F. World Championship ZBIGNIEW PACELT wrote official letter. This letter stopped all I.F.B.B. aggressiveness. We would like to remind that due to doping usage International Olympic Committee (I.O.C.) refused to recognize I.F.B.B. federation and bodybuilding as sport. Also I.F.B.B. statements that W.F.F. - W.B.B.F. International was not among W.A.D.A. (World Anti Doping Agency) members were stopped. At that time the National President of the W.F.F. - W.B.B.F. Poland was ANDRZEJ MACIEJEWSKI. For many years ANDRZEJ MACIEJEWSKI was the Vice President of the I.F.B.B. Poland. He collected materials from press accusing I.F.B.B. Official PAWEL FILEBORN being involved in doping business and corruption. Polish athletes accused PAWEL FILEBORN selling doping usage schemes for 1 000 USD and proposing to cancel doping disqualifications for 10 000 USD. For this reason PAWEL FILEBORN was for a long time in various courts. Doping business of PAWEL FILEBORN was in popular Polish newspapers - among them in “Zycie Warszawy”, “Wiadomosczy dnia”, “Interia.pl”, “Kulturystyka” and others. By the way, after this doping scandals PAWEL FILEBORN was several times in Lithuania. There at I.F.B.B. seminars he teached Lithuanians about his personal ptactice and knowledge.

INTERNATIONAL JUDGES AND ORGANIZERS

International Judges and Organizers from Argentina, Poland, Czechia, Slovakia, Germany, Serbia, Russia, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Cyprus, Belarus, Denmark, Ukraine, Hungary, Croatia, Austria, Bosnia and Herzogovina participated at the event.

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP CATEGORY WINNERS

MILENKOVIC PETAR (Serbia), MICHAILOV DIAN (Lithuania), ZIGALA MIRIAN (Slovakia), KHASALOV FEDIR (Ukraine), GIRYA DMYTRO (Ukraine), RASMUSSEN PALLE (Denmark), KRIVCIKOV DMITRIJ (Russia), NADOLSKI WOJCIECH (Poland), BLINOV SERGEJ (Russia), ZAJANCKOVSKIJ ANTON (Lithuania), CSERNUS ANNA (Hungary), ROCLAWSKA PAULINA (Poland), CZENASC ESZTER (Hungary), ZIGALOVA MIRIAMA (Slovakia), BEKUS ANITA (Poland), CERVENA LENKA (Czech), BUDOVIC TANJA (Bosnia and Herzogovina), BOCIAN NATALIA (Poland), DUNDERSKI KSENIA (Serbia), MARTINKOVA EVA (Slovakia), MILERIUTE JOLANTA (Lithuania), TOLEDO JAMILA VANESSA (Argentina), ZIGALOVA MARIETTA (Slovakia). Over All Champions: NATALIA BOCIAN (Fitness), JOLANTA MILERIUTE (Bodybuilding Women), WOJCIECH NADOLSKI (Bodybuilding Men). 

Detailed story is on the way. Follow International Site www.wff.lt 

WE ARE CREATING WORLD SPORT HISTORY.

CHAIRMEN INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION VISITED PRESIDENT REPUBLIC LITHUANIA.

On January 22, 2026 International Chairmen of the W.F.F. – W.B.B.F. (World Fitness Federation, World Bodybuilding Federation)  visited historic President of the Republic Lithuania Professor Dr. VYTAUTAS LANDSBERGIS.

At the several hours lasting discussion with Professor Dr. VYTAUTAS LANDSBERGIS took part President of the International W.F.F. – W.B.B.F. federation DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS, for social work awarded with Honour Diploma of the International U.N.E.S.C.O. organization President of the Lithuania Sport Fitness Federation DARIUS DAUBARAS, representing „Rotary“ Club of the Lithuanian Republic Docent of the Klaipeda University historic VIDIMANTAS RAUDYS.

Detailed historic article is on the way. Follow International Page www.wff.lt

WORLD SPORT HISTORY

OVER ALL WINNERS OF THE “GINTARINIS PRIX” TOURNAMENT

(1967–2026)

MEN

Year – Name, Country

2026 – Gražvydas Naruševičius, Republic of Lithuania
2025 – Simonas Liubeckis (Scymon Lubecki), Republic of Poland
2024 – Rahul Joshi, Republic of India
2023 – Aleksei Lapshin (Алексей Лапшин), Republic of Estonia
2022 – Vasiliy Bespalenko, Republic of Ukraine
2021 – Artur Kameniak (Artur Kamieniak), Republic of Poland
2020 – Maros Kanaš, Slovak Republic
2019 – Golap Rabha, Republic of India
2018 – Aleksandr Sakharov (Александр Сахаров), Republic of Kazakhstan
2017 – Maros Kanaš, Slovak Republic
2016 – Jörg Fuchs, Federal Republic of Germany
2015 – Ahmadi Arash, Islamic Republic of Iran
2014 – Andrei Rumyantsev (Андрей Румянцев), Republic of Estonia
2013 – Andrzej Brzezinski, Republic of Poland
2012 – Pir Sarandib Mehdi, Islamic Republic of Iran
2011 – Naftej Singh, Republic of India
2010 – Dharmender Singh, Republic of India
2009 – Aleksandr Shchogolev (Александр Щёголев), Russian Federation
2008 – Darius Bukšnaitis, Republic of Lithuania
2007 – Aleksandr Shevtsov (Александр Шевцов), Republic of Estonia
2006 – Aleksandr Liubomirov (Александр Любомиров), Republic of Latvia
2005 – Ivan Sergeev (Иван Сергеев), Russian Federation
2004 – Aleksandr Maslovsky (Александр Масловский), Republic of Latvia
2003 – Aivars Vysockis, Republic of Latvia
2002 – Radik Manafov (Радик Манафов), Republic of Lithuania
2001 – Aleksandr Maslovsky, Republic of Latvia
2000 – Radik Manafov, Republic of Lithuania
1999 – Darius Bukšnaitis, Republic of Lithuania
1998 – Ričardas Gurskas, Republic of Lithuania
1997 – Rolandas Pocius, Republic of Lithuania
1996 – Algirdas Kilčiauskas, Republic of Lithuania
1995 – Sergey Ogorodnikov (Сергей Огородников), Russian Federation
1994 – Algirdas Kilčiauskas, Republic of Lithuania
1991 – Olegas Žuras, Republic of Lithuania
1990 – Olegas Žuras, USSR
1989 – Viktoras Jucys, Lithuanian SSR
1988 – Viktoras Jucys, Lithuanian SSR
1987 – Viktoras Jucys, Lithuanian SSR
1986 – Rolandas Bučinskas, Lithuanian SSR
1985 – Algirdas Ivanauskas, Lithuanian SSR
1984 – Vincas Dubickas, Lithuanian SSR
1983 – Vincas Dubickas, Lithuanian SSR
1982 – Eugenijus Gorelikas (Yevgeniy Gorelik), Lithuanian SSR
1981 – Saulius Misevičius, Lithuanian SSR
1980 – Vladas Kapcevičius, Lithuanian SSR
1979 – Olev Annus, Estonian SSR
1978 – Olev Annus, Estonian SSR
1977 – Stasys Cukanovas, Lithuanian SSR
1976 – Rišardas Krinickis, Lithuanian SSR
1975 – Rišardas Krinickis, Lithuanian SSR
1974 – Vytautas Zenkevičius, Lithuanian SSR
1970 – Antanas Mineikis, Lithuanian SSR
1969 – Antanas Mineikis, Lithuanian SSR
1968 – Leonas Pivoriūnas, Lithuanian SSR
1967 – Klemensas Alšauskas, Lithuanian SSR

OVER ALL WINNERS OF THE “GINTARINIS PRIX” TOURNAMENT

(1990–2026)

WOMEN

Year – Name, Country

2026 – Jasmin Norgard, Kingdom of Denmark
2025 – Olga Bogač (Olga Bogacz), Republic of Poland
2024 – Jelena Ivanova, Republic of Latvia
2023 – Vilma Povilonienė, Republic of Lithuania
2022 – Anna Sobolewska Kucharska, Republic of Poland
2021 – Hanna Skytta, Republic of Finland
2020 – Hanna Skytta, Republic of Finland
2019 – Moumita Mazumder, Republic of India
2018 – Nerina Broggia, Argentine Republic
2017 – Halina Halavei, Republic of Cyprus
2016 – Yamila Vanessa Toledo, Argentine Republic
2015 – Marina Vlasova, Russian Federation
2014 – Aleksandra Sorokina Kukreš, Republic of Lithuania
2013 – Yamila Vanessa Toledo, Argentine Republic
2012 – Valentina Kozlovskaya, Republic of Belarus
2011 – Yamila Vanessa Toledo, Argentine Republic
2010 – Vera Vlasova, Russian Federation
2009 – Alina Isidorova, Republic of Latvia
2008 – Yamila Vanessa Toledo, Argentine Republic
2007 – Jelena Frenkel, State of Israel
2006 – Jolanta Mileriūtė, Republic of Lithuania
2005 – Olga Yakovleva, Russian Federation
2004 – Svetlana Borisova, Republic of Latvia
2003 – Svetlana Pugachyova, Russian Federation
2002 – Lilija Degutienė, Republic of Lithuania
2001 – Viktorija Glagoleva, Russian Federation
2000 – Marina Burinskaya, Republic of Latvia
1999 – Simona Misevičienė, Republic of Lithuania
1998 – Simona Misevičienė, Republic of Lithuania
1997 – Simona Misevičienė, Republic of Lithuania
1996 – Idalija Kaminskaitė, Republic of Lithuania
1995 – Tatiana Kovalko, Republic of Belarus
1994 – Idalija Kaminskaitė, Republic of Lithuania
1991 – Natalija Murnikovienė, Republic of Lithuania

1990 – Natalija Murnikovienė, Republic of Lithuania

Summary and Conclusions of the Absolute Winners of the “Amber Prix” Tournament (1967–2026)

Summary

The “Amber Prix” Tournament is one of the longest-running international sporting events in the World. The men's competition has been held since 1967, while the women's competition was introduced in 1990. Over the past six decades, the tournament has developed into a prestigious international event, attracting elite competitors from across Europe, Asia, and South America.

In its early years, the men's competition was dominated by Lithuanian athletes representing the Lithuanian SSR. Following the restoration of Lithuania's independence in 1990, the tournament steadily expanded its international profile. Since then, absolute champions have represented Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, Russia, Ukraine, Slovakia, Germany, Kazakhstan, Iran, and India. The 2026 victory of Gražvydas Naruševičius marked the return of the men's title to Lithuania.

The women's competition has been international in character since its establishment. Over the years, absolute champions have represented Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Finland, Denmark, Argentina, Belarus, Russia, Israel, Cyprus, and India, highlighting the tournament's growing reputation and consistently high competitive standard.

Among the men, Viktoras Jucys holds the record with three absolute titles. Multiple champions include Antanas Mineikis, Rišardas Krinickis, Olev Annus, Algirdas Kilčiauskas, Radik Manafov, Aleksandras Maslovskis, Darius Bukšnaitis, Olegas Žuras and Maroš Kanaš, each of whom won the title twice.

In the women's competition, Yamila Vanessa Toledo of Argentina is the tournament's most successful athlete, having claimed four absolute titles. Simona Misevičienė won three titles, while Natalija Murnikovienė, Idalija Kaminskaitė, and Hanna Skytta each became absolute champions on two occasions.

Conclusions

Over nearly six decades, the “Amber Prix” Tournament has established itself as one of World's most enduring and respected international sporting events. Its continuous development reflects not only the growth of the tournament itself but also its increasing significance within the international sporting community.

The history of the tournament illustrates its successful transformation from a predominantly national competition into a truly international event. In recent decades, athletes from numerous countries have competed successfully for the highest honours, demonstrating the tournament's broad international appeal and sporting prestige.

Lithuanian athletes have played a central role throughout the tournament's history. While they dominated the early decades, they have remained highly competitive in the modern era, culminating in Gražvydas Naruševičius' victory in 2026.

Since its introduction in 1990, the women's competition has enhanced the tournament's international status. The diversity of its champions reflects both the high standard of competition and the tournament's ability to attract world-class athletes.

The achievements of multiple-time champions testify to the consistently high sporting level of the event. Their repeated successes across different years demonstrate exceptional athletic excellence and the enduring prestige of the “Amber Prix” Tournament.

The victories of Gražvydas Naruševičius (Lithuania) and Jasmin Norgard (Denmark) in 2026 confirm that the “Amber Prix” Tournament continues to uphold its long-standing traditions while remaining a highly competitive and internationally respected event for elite athletes.

60 Years of Bodybuilding in Lithuania What Has Been Truly Significant?

The year 2026 marked the 60th anniversary of organized bodybuilding in Lithuania. During these six decades, the sport has experienced periods of growth and decline, political restrictions and official bans, the restoration of Lithuanian independence, and eventually international recognition.

This time, however, we will not dwell on those historical chapters. We will not discuss the years when bodybuilding was officially banned (1973–1987), nor the struggle for international recognition following the restoration of Lithuania's independence. These topics have already been covered extensively in our previous historical publications.

Instead, let us look at bodybuilding history from another perspective. If we were asked today to identify the events that became true milestones in Lithuanian bodybuilding, which would they be? Which competitions not only took place but also left a lasting mark on history, attracted public attention both in Lithuania and abroad, and contributed to promoting the country's name internationally?

In our opinion, there are only a few.

First and foremost is the "Amber Prix International", first organized in Klaipėda in 1967. Over the decades it has become not only Lithuania's oldest bodybuilding competition but also one of the oldest continuously organized traditional bodybuilding tournaments in the world. Political systems have changed, federations have come and gone, competition rules have evolved, yet the “Amber Prix” has endured. Thousands of athletes from dozens of countries have competed on its stage, making the tournament one of the true symbols of Lithuanian bodybuilding.

Another event frequently mentioned is the "Komsomol Cup," organized in Kaunas beginning in 1979. Without question, it was an important competition during the Soviet period and ranked among Lithuania's major bodybuilding events of that era. Yet today one may reasonably ask: how many people still remember its champions, its history, or its influence on international bodybuilding? Time itself ultimately determines what deserves a permanent place in history.

Following the restoration of Lithuania's independence, entirely new opportunities emerged for organizing major international championships.

In 1996, 1997, and 1998, Lithuania hosted government-supported NABBA European Championships in Klaipėda, Vilnius, and Palanga, followed by the 1998 WFF World Championship. These were landmark sporting events. Lithuania's largest daily newspapers, Respublika and Lietuvos rytas, covered them extensively. Television reports were broadcast by Eurosport, Lithuanian National Television, and LNK Television. Special commemorative magazines were published and distributed both in Lithuania and abroad.

Lithuanian bodybuilding reached an even higher level between 2004 and 2008, when the Government of the Republic of Lithuania supported the organization of WFF-WBBF Amateur and Professional World Championships in Vilnius.

These championships entered bodybuilding history for several reasons. In 2004, for the first time in the history of bodybuilding, a World Championship was broadcast live on the Internet to a global audience. At that time, this represented an exceptional technological achievement.

The 2005 World Championship attracted 742 athletes, remaining one of the largest bodybuilding championships ever organized in terms of participation. The Overall Champions received genuine diamonds as their awards, making it one of the most unique prize presentations in the sport's history.

Each of these championships was accompanied by professionally produced magazines and DVD films, distributed free of charge during international bodybuilding events worldwide. These publications played an important role in promoting Lithuania as an internationally recognized organizer of major bodybuilding competitions.

Special mention should also be made of the anniversary editions of the “Amber Prix”.

The 40th “Amber Prix International” became a national event of exceptional importance. It received official support from the Government of the Republic of Lithuania, while the Parliament approved dedicated funding within the national budget. Lithuanian National Television produced a special report on the event. A trilingual commemorative magazine and DVD were published and distributed internationally. Sports magazines in England, Austria, Argentina, and Russia also featured the championship.

The 50th “Amber Prix International” attracted even greater international attention when it was featured by CNN, bringing the event to a worldwide television audience numbering in the hundreds of millions.

Another fact deserves consideration.

Only recently did we learn that an IFBB World Championship had been held in Kėdainiai two years earlier. However, the event received virtually no coverage from Lithuania's national press or television, and the general public remained largely unaware that such a championship had even taken place.

This naturally raises an important question: is the title "World Championship" alone sufficient for an event to become historically significant?

History is not preserved by official titles alone. It remembers those events that reach society, attract international attention, leave documented evidence, are recorded by the media, appear in books and archives, and continue to be remembered decades later.

Looking Ahead

In 2027, Klaipėda will host the 60th “Amber Prix International”, celebrating sixty consecutive years of one of the world's oldest traditional bodybuilding competitions.

The 2026 tournament welcomed nearly 300 athletes representing ten countries, demonstrating that the competition remains active, respected, and attractive to the international bodybuilding community.

A comprehensive historical volume of nearly 400 pages dedicated to the “Amber Prix” is currently being completed in Lithuanian, English, and Russian. The book brings together archival documents, historical photographs, personal recollections, and authentic records accumulated throughout six decades.

It is expected that the anniversary celebration will gather bodybuilding veterans, former champions, international federation officials, distinguished guests, and representatives of the highest institutions of the Republic of Lithuania. It will provide an appropriate opportunity to honor all those whose dedication helped build the history of Lithuanian bodybuilding.

Conclusions

Sixty years provide sufficient historical perspective to evaluate the development of bodybuilding in Lithuania objectively.

The historical importance of a sporting event is determined not merely by the fact that it took place or by its official title. Its true significance lies in its continuity, international recognition, public visibility, documentary legacy, and its ability to remain in collective memory.

Over the past six decades, hundreds of bodybuilding competitions have been organized in Lithuania. Only a small number, however, have become genuine historical landmarks remembered long after they were held. These are the events that shape the history of the sport, strengthen a nation's international image, and become part of its lasting cultural and sporting heritage.

For this reason, the upcoming 60th “Amber Prix International” is far more than another bodybuilding competition. It symbolizes the entire history of Lithuanian bodybuilding and reminds us that lasting achievements are built not upon isolated victories, but upon decades of consistent work, continuity of tradition, and respect for history itself.

Much more information is on international site www.wff.lt