Kai Greene’s rise to the top of the bodybuilding ranks has been one of the biggest success stories in the history of the sport. This week, Greene added another chapter to that story by signing an exclusive publishing deal with Weider Publications/AMI.
“I’m excited and I feel many steps closer to the goals that I dream about,” Greene said. “The first bodybuilding magazine I ever read was Muscle and Fitness, but FLEX wasn’t long to follow. To become a Weider athlete and be a part of the Weider organization is like watching a little boy’s dream come true.”
Greene, who was in and out of foster homes for most of his childhood and teen years, has had to overcome numerous obstacles on his way to becoming a two-time Arnold Classic Champion and one of the most popular athletes in the sport today.
“What Kai Greene has had to overcome in his life on his quest to follow his dreams and become one of the top bodybuilders in the world is simply amazing,” FLEX Editor-in-Chief Allan Donnelly said. “His story is truly an inspiration to anyone who has faced adversity in their life. We are extremely happy and proud to be able to call him a member of the Weider/AMI family.”
Greene, who turned pro in 2004 by winning the heavyweight and overall titles at the NPC Team Universe, toiled in obscurity during his first two years as a pro. His breakthrough performance came at the 2007 New York Pro, where he wowed the crowd with a groundbreaking posing routine and a physique that had many believing he could have placed higher than his 6th-place finish. One month later he did, by winning the first show of his career at the Colorado Pro.
Since then, Greene has won two Arnold Classic titles and placed fourth in his first and only appearance on the Olympia stage in 2009. Greene claimed his second Arnold Classic win this past March and now enters the 2010 Olympia as one of the unquestioned precontest favorites.
“Myself and my team are very thankful and happy with all of the success we’ve been able to experience thus far,” Greene said. “We’re not totally fulfilled yet, though. We still understand we have a lot of work to do and are happy to do that work. I’m thankful for the opportunity to do it in this fashion, as a Weider athlete.”
According to Donnelly, Greene’s signing is another step in the process of overhauling the Weider athlete roster with an influx of new, younger talent.
“Leading up to this year’s Olympia we knew we were going to have to make some tough decisions in order to shift our focus from the past and to the future,” Donnelly said. “We feel very positive about the athletes we currently have under contract, and know that they are going to be at the top of their game for years to come. Kai Greene is without a doubt at the forefront of that group, and we are excited to watch what he does next as he enters the prime of his career.”
source:www.flexonline.com
