Former Mr World, 3-Time Mr Britain Turns to Chess!

Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2012

Hi everyone,

We found an interesting feature on a bodybuilding champion turning to chess. That speaks volumes! He won the Mr World title and three Mr Britain titles.

Former Brighouse man Robert Mitchell walked away from bodybuilding when he was at the height of his powers because he was disillusioned with the public perception of the world he belonged to. He had notched up a number of notable successes in the bodybuilding world, culminating with the amateur Mr World title in 1985 and three Mr Britain titles.

But, after winning his third national title, Robert took a step back from the hobby that had engrossed him since the age of 13. “I felt the world of professional bodybuilding had become associated with beefcake. It seemed to be less and less about the physical and mental dedication required.”

Now Robert is taking on a new challenge, applying himself with the same determination and dedication that he once brought to bear on bodybuilding. His ambition is to triumph in the world of amateur chess and he recently returned from representing England in Dubai where he came sixth out of 74 players in the World Amateur Chess Championship.

He maintains that there are many similarities between the two disciplines. “Both require high levels of concentration and a determination to succeed. I am a competitive person but mostly I want to do better for myself.” Read the full article here.

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