Arnold Schwarzenegger's career just came full circle in Belfast. The legendary actor returned to the city where his public speaking journey began nearly 60 years ago.

Schwarzenegger has a long-standing history with Belfast, which began in 1966. The story starts with him being asked to be the house guest of local bodybuilding judge Ivan Dunbar, after he finished second during the Mr. Universe competition in London.

And now Belfast's Ulster University has awarded him an honorary degree for his contributions to public service, environmental advocacy, and the arts on Monday.

UU Vice-Chancellor Prof Paul Bartholomew said: “He built a name for himself in professional bodybuilding and acting, and he used that platform for ultimate good.

“His story – from a young athlete finding his voice in front of an audience in Belfast to becoming one of the world’s most recognisable leaders, actors and activists – speaks strongly to the importance of confidence, determination and ambition.”

'The Austrian Oak' also recalled that his English was pretty poor back when he visited the city in 1966. When he was told to give a speech in English, he nearly fainted.

"What happened that day in Belfast was so important to me,” he shared. “Every time after that, when I won a competition, I went to the microphone. Each time I said more and more, and eventually they couldn’t shut me up,” said Schwarzenegger.

However, this wasn't the only notable news for Arnie, because his youngest son made his bodybuilding debut on March 28.

Joseph Baena made Arnold Schwarzenegger proud

With Arnold Schwarzenegger adding another milestone at 78, his son, Joseph Baena, followed in his father's footsteps, building a legacy of his own in competitive bodybuilding.

Baena won the top spot in the Men’s Open Bodybuilding Heavy Weight Class, as well as the Classic Physique True Novice and Classic Physique Novice competitions.

He also won a silver medal in the Classic Physique Open Class C. But for Joseph, this was not just a competition to win, but a landmark in his journey to emulate his famous father, whose success in bodybuilding led to a legendary acting career in Hollywood.

"Mission accomplished!” Joseph captioned an Instagram post on Saturday, which featured a series of photos of him smiling and flexing on stage, accompanied by a gold medal emoji.

The bodybuilder was receiving support from all corners, including the official Instagram handle of the Arnold Sports Festival, which wished him luck with, “Let’s go! Best of luck, Joe!”

The event celebrates bodybuilders, strongmen, and fitness enthusiasts, all of whom are inspired by the legendary Arnold Schwarzenegger, who founded the event.

And if this win is anything to go by, Joseph’s journey is only getting started, with echoes of a familiar blueprint.

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Written by

Proma Chatterjee

Edited by

Sagnik Bagchi