Bodybuilding champion Antonio Hernandez Torres, also known as Jocha, has died at the age of 57 in Tenerife. The neighborhood association for La Verdellada, the area where Torres lived and owned a gym, confirmed his passing.
Torres was a six-time Spanish Champion and the Overall Champion of the Netherlands in bodybuilding. He also held the title of Mr. Universe in 2004 and was a Spanish Boxing Champion. With over 40 years dedicated to sports and his entrepreneurial venture with his gym, he is remembered as the most internationally decorated sportsman from La Verdellada-Barrio Nuevo.
The cause of his death was not immediately clear. Torres would have celebrated his 58th birthday next month. His funeral was scheduled to take place on the day the news was reported.
Friends and fellow athletes shared their grief and paid tribute to Torres. Alejandro Mena, a police officer who competed with Torres in 1989, recalled him as a "wonderful person, an excellent friend and a role model." Mena described Torres's humility, camaraderie, and passion for bodybuilding as leaving an "indelible mark."
Jose Carlos remembered Torres as a "great man and a wonderful person," stating, "we'll always remember you, Jocha."
The Spanish Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation shared their condolences, saying, "We share the grief of Jocha's family and friends. Rest in peace friend."
Jose Maria Garcia described Torres as "a legend of our sport" and one of the first Spaniards in the 1980s to compete at a world-class level internationally. Garcia added, "We will always admire him."