Joseph Baena, the son of legendary actor and bodybuilder Arnold Schwarzenegger, has just reached a major milestone of his own. The 28-year-old made his bodybuilding debut at the NPC Natural Colorado State competition and walked away with first-place finishes in multiple categories, including the Men’s Open Body Heavy Weight Class, Men’s Classic Physique True Novice, and Men’s Classic Physique Novice. Sharing photos from the stage, Baena proudly captioned his post, “Mission Accomplished!”

His victory came only days after he was seen training alongside his famous father at Gold’s Gym in Venice Beach, California. Schwarzenegger, now 78, has a legendary history with the gym and the sport itself. After moving to the United States in the 1960s, he built a remarkable bodybuilding career, winning the Mr. Olympia title seven times and Mr. Universe five times before retiring from competitive bodybuilding in 1980.

But Joseph’s journey hasn’t always been easy. He has openly shared that he was overweight during his school years and was even cut from his basketball and soccer teams because he struggled to keep up physically. He later discovered swimming and fitness, which completely changed the direction of his life. What started as a difficult chapter eventually became the foundation for a passion that would lead him to the bodybuilding stage.

Baena has also spoken honestly about being bullied by classmates and even people he considered friends because of his weight. Instead of allowing those experiences to define him, he used them as motivation to transform himself. His first competition victory is more than just a medal—it represents years of discipline, perseverance, and personal growth. Following in his father’s footsteps, Joseph is now creating a story of his own.