OD Wilson came close to being the first American since Bill Kazmaier to win the World's Strongest Man title in 1990.
12 Facts About OD Wilson
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OD Wilson lacked the endurance and running speed to complete the course and ended up losing by half a point to Jon Pall Sigmarsson in the overall competition.
3.
OD Wilson vowed to win the 1991 World's Strongest Man title, but a back injury sustained just before the competition, a prolapsed disc, hampered his performance.
4.
OD Wilson spent 12 years in the military, eight of which were spent overseas in Germany, Japan, and Korea.
5.
When OD Wilson was not competing, he was a security guard and a bodyguard to various celebrities, including Michael and Janet Jackson.
6.
OD Wilson was a five-time US Services champion and a five-time US Army titleholder.
7.
OD Wilson won the 1988 USPF National Super Heavyweight Powerlifting title, as well as the 1988 IPF World Powerlifting Championships.
8.
OD Wilson set multiple world records throughout his career; at the 1989 Armed Forces Championships, OD.
9.
OD Wilson squatted 1,002 pounds, bench pressed 552 pounds, and deadlifted 876 pounds for a then all-time total record of 2,430 pounds.
10.
OD Wilson appeared in a 1989 science fiction action film Cyborg featuring Jean-Claude Van Damme.
11.
OD Wilson is considered by many to be the strongest man to never win the World's Strongest Man contest, along with Riku Kiri and Derek Poundstone.
12.
On October 29,1991, while being interviewed on a radio program just a few weeks after the 1991 World's Strongest Man competition, OD Wilson complained of chest pains and went outside for some fresh air.