His slogan was 'Stay in shape, eat healthy – and believe in yourself': Asbjørn Riis especially passed on the latter

Without Riis, I would never have become a strongman, says one of Denmark's strongest men ever.

Asbjørn Riis has for the last time given the Danes the following admonition: 'Stay in shape, eat healthy – and believe in yourself' (Photo: © Schütze René, Photographer René Schütze/Ritzau Scanpix) 44 minutes ago

Asbjørn Riis traveled to the USA in the early 1990s because he wanted to train with Arnold Schwarzenegger.

And he did.

But now the last dream has come true for the wrestler, entertainer, and giant from Mors. He has died at the age of 69 as a result of cancer.

- Dear everyone. It is with great sorrow and loss that we can inform you that Asbjørn has passed away peacefully after a hard battle against cancer, the family writes.

Thus, Denmark must say goodbye to a man who did everything to sell perhaps the most un-Danish sport of all to the Danes – namely wrestling.

But as Denmark's answer to Hulk Hogan, Riis made a determined effort, not least when he brought the sport into TV living rooms with the TV3 program 'Bjørns Wrestling' back in the mid-1990s.

Wrestling may not have become a national sport in Denmark, but who doesn't remember Riis' one-liners like:

'UN-PLEASANT'

Or the slogan:

'Stay in shape, eat healthy – and believe in yourself'

Overall, Riis and his red bandana were a familiar sight when you turned on the TV in the 1990s. Here you could, among other things, meet the wrestler in Robinson and Fangerne på Fortet.

Asbjørn Riis' biggest takedown, however, must be said to be the role of the Viking Halga in the Hollywood blockbuster The 13th Warrior, where the man from Mors stood face to face with none other than superstar Antonio Banderas.

"Only an Arab takes a dog to war," was Riis' iconic line in the film.

Asbjørn Riis in DR's program Gonzo.

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'It all started in his center on Mors 15 years ago'

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After his TV career, Asbjørn Riis opened his own training center in the village of Flade on Mors, located in the Limfjord between Thy and Salling.

A center where most of the equipment was built by the blacksmith-trained Asbjørn Riis himself. Here, the attitude that Asbjørn Riis brought with him from the USA lit a spark for many strength athletes in northern Denmark.

Including Mikkel Leicht.

- He believed one hundred percent in you. That you could go all the way. There was no Law of Jante.

If you don't know Mikkel Leicht, he is a former six-time Denmark's Strongest Man. At the same time, he is one of only three Danes who have participated in the World's Strongest Man championships.

- It all started in his center on Mors 15 years ago. I was just a teenager, and he helped me from the start, says Mikkel Leicht and continues:

Mikkel Leicht and Asbjørn Riis side by side in Bjørn's training center on Mors.

- If you were missing some equipment, he built it for you. And when we finished training, we went over to his place and watched strongman competitions or wrestling.

The former strongman, now a coach, describes the faith that Asbjørn Riis had in him as "the greatest gift."

- He made people believe in themselves. Believe that you could do more than most others.

Would you have become a strongman if it hadn't been for Asbjørn Riis?

- I probably wouldn't have. Because he opened the door to it.

Asbjørn Riis is survived by his wife and four sons.

In a joint Facebook post, it says:

- He leaves a huge void in all of us, and shoes that no one could ever fill (literally as well).

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Warning: This article was translated by a Large Language Model, in case of doubt, you can always visit the original source.